Richard Huntingford is a highly-respected executive and public speaker with over 25 years experience of the media industry, both as an entrepreneur and a senior Board member, including CEO of Chrysalis plc, the global music and media group, and Executive Chairman of Virgin Radio. He is best known as the... Read more
Richard Huntingford is a highly-respected executive and public speaker with over 25 years experience of the media industry, both as an entrepreneur and a senior Board member, including CEO of Chrysalis plc, the global music and media group, and Executive Chairman of Virgin Radio. He is best known as the Founder of HEART FM, the UK’s leading commercial radio brand.
Richard is an inspiring, entertaining and charismatic speaker (and panel member) with specific expertise, practical knowledge and experience of starting, managing and leading companies of all shapes and sizes on a variety of journeys. A natural communicator and story-teller, his talks are full of highly practical insights and a wealth of anecdotes to illustrate the management and leadership challenges he faced during his successful executive career. His particular areas of expertise are entrepreneurial leadership, building new businesses, creating a company culture, motivating staff and management communication. He is equally happy speaking to large conference audiences or at small, intimate gatherings.
At Chrysalis, Richard Huntingford was instrumental in the development of the company from its origins as a cutting-edge indie record label to a global media and entertainment group which, over the years, encompassed a broad range of businesses including radio, music, television, books and digital media. In the process, the company’s stock market value increased over twenty-fold from £15 million to £375 million in a 10 year period.
Specifically, Richard was responsible for creating and implementing the vision and strategy for a new, brand-led radio business capable of challenging the dominant incumbent operators. His market-led strategy combined organic and acquisition-led growth, the corner-stone for which was HEART FM which Richard founded as a green-field start-up in Birmingham in 1994. The station enjoyed immediate success and further HEART stations soon followed, including the flagship HEART 106.2 which, in a short space of time, toppled Capital Radio’s 30 year dominance of the London market-place. Sister brands GALAXY and LBC followed and met with equal success and before long the business had 450 employees delivering revenues of £65 million and profits of £15 million – all generated from an initial investment of £3 million. In July 2007, the business was bought by Global Radio for £170 million.
In September 2007, Richard was appointed Executive Chairman of Virgin Radio with a brief to develop a new business plan to enable the speedy sale of the business for its owner. In this role, he not only had to manage a challenging sale process (due to the economic downturn and the termination of the Virgin brand license from Virgin Enterprises) but also keep management and staff motivated through a very uncertain period. Richard’s business savvy and people skills led to the successful sale of the business in June 2008 to Times of India for £53 million.
Richard Huntingford is now a seasoned Non-Executive Director and Chairman sitting on a number of public and private company Boards. He is currently Chairman of UTV Media plc (talkSPORT, television and digital media), NED of Creston plc, (marketing services) and Crown Place VCT plc (venture capital investment), as well as being an investor/mentor in two early-stage businesses in the branded sportswear and digital media sectors. Previously, he was NED of Virgin Mobile plc (2005-6), prior to its acquisition by NTL, and Chairman of Boomerang Plus plc (2008-2012). In addition, he is Chairman of Prince’s Trust Trading Limited, the commercial and events arm of the Prince’s Trust, and a Governor of Radley College.
You can book Richard Huntingford through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Richard's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Richard Huntingford'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 Richard tailored to your event.
Richard Huntingford speaks on a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Richard to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Richard Huntingford for events worldwide, subject to Richard'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 Richard Huntingford 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 Richard can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Richard Huntingford 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 Richard can offer.
Richard Huntingford 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.
Richard Huntingford's areas of expertise include a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. To get a clear sense of Richard'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.
Richard Huntingford can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in a range of business, leadership and industry subjects is relevant. Details of Richard'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 Richard Huntingford 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 Richard Huntingford, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Richard's current availability for your dates.