Keynote SpeakerBlaire Palmer

Expert on leadership and change, author, coach and consultant with two decades of experience

Blaire Palmer is the authority on disrupting the future of leadership, and wants to help you lead the workplace reformation. She brings more than two decades of experience in coaching boards and senior leaders to provoke everyone to think more critically about the idea of work and leadership itself. As... Read more

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Watch Blaire Palmer in action

Blaire Palmer, Keynote Speaker | London Speaker Bureau
184: Punks in Suits | Blaire Palmer
Lessons in Leadership in a Post-Covid World - Blaire Palmer | Centre for Army Leadership
Blaire Palmer - 2018 Showreel

Popular Talks by Blaire Palmer

Punks in Suits: How to lead the workplace reformation by harnessing personal leadership

The business environment has never been more challenging than it is right now, and senior leaders are the ones bearing the pressure and responsibility. Levels of trust in authority figures are as low as they’ve ever been. But what if we could turn every individual employee and contributor in an…

The business environment has never been more challenging than it is right now, and senior leaders are the ones bearing the pressure and responsibility. Levels of trust in authority figures are as low as they’ve ever been. But what if we could turn every individual employee and contributor in an organisation into a leader?

Disrupting the Victorian model of work – the hierarchy, the siloes, the risk aversion and being busy over being productive – may be the shot in the arm that a team needs to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Blaire can show your organisation how to empower individuals to go beyond being merely ‘team players’ to create a culture of Personal Leadership. This in turn will fill your organisation with motivated, engaged, and fundamentally collaborative cultures during times of change. The conventional models of top-down leadership are no longer enough for organisations to truly thrive, but if everyone taps into their own inner strength, creativity, sense of purpose and curiosity, the company will be able to weather any storm, together.

Blaire uses her extensive experience to propose inspiring but practical solutions to help audiences tap into their own inner leader and motivate their employees to do their best work every single day.
Seeking Expansiveness: Embracing individuality

Of course, inclusion is a huge buzzword right now. But what does it mean to your organisation? If it ends at the hiring stage, you won’t be creating thriving, loyal, motivated teams. You’ll simply be meeting a quota with no discernible benefit to your business or the clients you serve.…

Of course, inclusion is a huge buzzword right now. But what does it mean to your organisation? If it ends at the hiring stage, you won’t be creating thriving, loyal, motivated teams. You’ll simply be meeting a quota with no discernible benefit to your business or the clients you serve.

Inclusion has to be about every individual bringing the unique parts of themselves to work, and using them to inform and enrich the work they’re doing for you every day. Whether that is leveraging the different perspectives and experiences of people at different stages of their life, from new Gen Z hires to women in midlife, or the unique knowledge brought by employees from different cultures to your own, Blaire brings her own personal experiences of navigating the world of work in different seasons of life, and in different challenging work environments, to challenge ideas about what diversity really means.

Blaire asks teams to consider: what if organisations harnessed this uniqueness, and created a working culture that encouraged employees to solve challenges through their expansiveness?

In addition to this, Blaire knows it’s impossible to talk about inclusivity without dealing with the challenges of hybrid working and collaboration. Although leaders claim to want to embrace flexibility, there are unique challenges to leading a distributed team. Instead of getting caught up in the details of ‘two days in the office or three?’ Blaire offers holistic oversight to these collaborative working challenges that focus on harnessing that broader overview of individuals and company culture.

Blaire will inspire and energise your team to think about a future of work and leadership that enables everyone – with their own strengths and needs – to thrive for you.
A Brilliant Gamble: Busting the myths of change

If there’s one thing we know by now, it’s that change is a constant. New challenges – from generative AI to a cost of living and supply crisis – are being thrown at us every day. If teams are not ready to meet this new future head-on, it is hard…

If there’s one thing we know by now, it’s that change is a constant. New challenges – from generative AI to a cost of living and supply crisis – are being thrown at us every day. If teams are not ready to meet this new future head-on, it is hard to see how they will survive in a challenging work landscape.

Technology is revolutionising the landscape of work and business but that only makes your people a more valuable asset. And unless you understand people, you won’t know what to do with technology. Meeting disruption with an equally disruptive organisational mindset is key to pushing teams to reach their full potential.

Blaire will use this speech to challenge audiences to rethink their assumptions about both technology and people, as well as the role of the leader in creating organisations that are fit for the future.

More talks

Remote and Hybrid working and collaboration
Empowerment and Engagement
Diversity and Inclusion
The future world of work and leadership
Mental Health
Employee Engagement
Leadership and Culture change
Executive coaching for leaders
High performance Teams

Biography

As an expert keynote speaker, Blaire uses her bold and provocative perspective to bust myths about what it means to lead and to educate today’s leaders on how they can truly inspire their teams to step up and take on the challenges of operating in constantly changing times.

Blaire leaves her audiences feeling stimulated by fresh ideas and empowered to rethink their approach to work. Blaire spent a decade as one of the youngest female producers in the fast-paced environment of BBC’s Today programme, over which time she became increasingly fascinated by the idea of leadership. This led her to take the leap from this safe and respected job to train as one of Europe’s first corporate coaches and start her own company to spread her refreshing ideas about leadership and how businesses need to evolve for the new century. Over the last 25 years she has worked with a wide variety of multinational corporations and organisations such as Mattel, Airbus, Roche Pharmaceuticals, GSK, the FA, Havas Lynx, DX, Travis Perkins, the BBC and Rexel.

Blaire is able to use her expertise working in such a diverse range of businesses to make sense of the way generative AI, hybrid working and the long tail of the pandemic, growing understanding of mental health, the rising cost of living and cost of supply, and global unrest have all come together to create a uniquely contemporary crisis in the workforce. More than that, she proposes uniquely contemporary solutions for businesses whose workforce is not just geographically dispersed across the world, but whose needs and wants have changed substantially in the past few years alone.

She is the author of four books on leadership and work: The Hyper-Creative Personality: How to Focus Your Ideas and Become the Most Successful Person You Know, The Recipe for Success: What Really Successful People Do and How You Can Do it Too, What’s Wrong with Work: The five frustrations of work and how to fix them for good. Her 2024 book, Punks in Suits: How to lead the workplace reformation, is a provocative rallying cry for organisations to ask uncomfortable questions about how they work, and grapple with whether or not their approach is still fit for purpose in today’s world.

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What clients say about Blaire Palmer

"Everyone found Blaire incredibly inspiring, engaging and said the talk was pitched at the right level for the group. They can be a tricky bunch to please…so to have such high praise from across the board is fantastic." Cycle and Outdoor Concepts

"Blaire Palmer gave insight to the core of what it takes to be a leader today. Blaire brought a sense of realism, humour and practicality to an energising session, leaving a deep impression on the audience" Ian Gregory – Head of Learning and Development at Foreign Commonwealth Office

"Blaire’s interactive and engaging session on behaviour change was the perfect fit for our conference. Her fascination with leadership and change shone through and she presented our audience with an array of real take-home advice that resonated with everyone in the room” Luke Nichols - Editor edie.net (sponsors of Sustainability Live)

"Blaire captivated our audience in presenting her experience and advice with regard to empowering McCormick's staff to succeed and develop. She was upbeat, engaging and gave us confidence that we are on the right journey with regard to diversity in our company." Melanie Williams, VP Human Resources EMEA, McCormick UK Ltd

How to book Blaire Palmer as a keynote speaker

How do I book Blaire Palmer for a keynote speech?

You can book Blaire Palmer through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Blaire's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.

What are Blaire Palmer's speaking fees?

Blaire Palmer's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Blaire tailored to your event.

What topics does Blaire Palmer speak about?

Blaire Palmer speaks on Future of Work, Leadership, Leadership & Motivation, Mental Health, Motivation. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Blaire to align the content with your delegates and goals.

Is Blaire Palmer available for international events?

London Speaker Bureau can book Blaire Palmer for events worldwide, subject to Blaire's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.

Does Blaire Palmer deliver virtual or online keynotes?

Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Blaire Palmer is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).

How long is a typical keynote by Blaire Palmer?

Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Blaire can accommodate.

Can Blaire Palmer tailor the keynote to our industry and audience?

London Speaker Bureau will brief Blaire Palmer on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Blaire can offer.

What languages does Blaire Palmer present in?

Blaire Palmer delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.

What makes Blaire Palmer a strong fit as a keynote speaker?

Blaire Palmer's areas of expertise include Future of Work, Leadership, Leadership & Motivation, Mental Health, Motivation. To get a clear sense of Blaire's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.

What kind of events can Blaire Palmer speak at?

Blaire Palmer can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Future of Work, Leadership, Leadership & Motivation, Mental Health, Motivation is relevant. Details of Blaire's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.

Does Blaire Palmer offer workshops, panels or fireside chats in addition to keynotes?

Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Blaire Palmer is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.

How far in advance should we book Blaire Palmer?

We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Blaire Palmer, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Blaire's current availability for your dates.