Sir John Armitt is currently Chairman of the National Express Group and City & Guilds, and is Deputy Chairman of the Berkeley Group. Sir John is also a member of the Board of Transport for London and the Airports Commission and is Senior Vice President of the Institution of Civil... Read more
Sir John Armitt is currently Chairman of the National Express Group and City & Guilds, and is Deputy Chairman of the Berkeley Group. Sir John is also a member of the Board of Transport for London and the Airports Commission and is Senior Vice President of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
In September 2013 the Armitt Review, Sir John’s independent review of long term infrastructure planning in the UK, was published; the review is now Labour Party policy.
After leaving John Laing plc in 1993, where Sir John had been Chairman of Laing’s international and civil engineering divisions, he became Chief Executive of Union Railways. In 1997 he became Chief Executive of Costain, a position he held until 2001. Sir John was Chief Executive of Railtrack plc from 2001-2002, Chief Executive of Network Rail from 2002-2007 and Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority from 2007-2014.
As Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, John Armitt lead the team that was responsible for the construction of the venues and infrastructure for the London 2012 Olympics, including the Olympic Park, planning and funding transport for the Games and regulating advertising and street trading. Many people consider Sir John a real hero of the Olympic Games, as the ODA delivered the venues on time and under budget to LOCOG nine months before the start of the Olympics.
Sir John is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Civil Engineers and City and Guilds of London Institute and has received honorary doctorates from the universities of Portsmouth, Birmingham, Reading and Warwick. He was Chairman of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council from 2007-2012.
Sir John Armitt was awarded the CBE in 1996 for his contribution to the rail industry and received a knighthood in 2012 for services to engineering and construction.
You can book John Armitt through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with John's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
John Armitt'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 John tailored to your event.
John Armitt speaks on Business & Management, Leadership, Leadership & Motivation, Transformation. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with John to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book John Armitt for events worldwide, subject to John's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether John Armitt is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
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 John can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief John Armitt 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 John can offer.
John Armitt delivers keynotes in English. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
John Armitt's areas of expertise include Business & Management, Leadership, Leadership & Motivation, Transformation. To get a clear sense of John'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.
John Armitt can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Business & Management, Leadership, Leadership & Motivation, Transformation is relevant. Details of John'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.
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 John Armitt is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with John Armitt, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check John's current availability for your dates.