Sarah Willingham is an successful entrepreneur and investor best known for her time as a Dragon on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, having the largest chain of Indian restaurants in the UK and more recently co-founding and floating Nightcap PLC on AIM (a late night bar group) – one of the most... Read more
Sarah Willingham is an successful entrepreneur and investor best known for her time as a Dragon on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, having the largest chain of Indian restaurants in the UK and more recently co-founding and floating Nightcap PLC on AIM (a late night bar group) – one of the most successful IPOs of 2021.
Sarah continues to invest and runs a wide portfolio of investments across a number of sectors including The Craft Gin Club, Credit Kudos, Secret Spa and many others.
Sarah Willingham grew up in Stoke on Trent. After leaving school she completed two business degrees in the UK and France and an MBA from Cranfield. She went onto work with some of the most successful high street chains including Planet Hollywood and PizzaExpress.
In 2003, Sarah spotted an opportunity to create a chain of Indian restaurants, striking out on her own to raise the finance to buy The Bombay Bicycle Club. She went on to turn it into the largest and most successful Indian restaurant chain in the UK. In the same year, at the age of 31, Sarah successfully co-founded and floated a nutraceutical business on the London Stock Exchange, Neutrahealth PLC.
Management Today named her as one of the “35 most successful women under 35” in the UK and in 2017 She was named one of UK’s ‘500 Most Influential people in Britain’. In the Sunday Times. In 2017 Sarah Willingham also received an honorary doctorate from Staffordshire University and in 2018 she received honorary doctorates from Cranfield University and Oxford Brookes University in recognition of her contribution to business and entrepreneurship.
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You can book Sarah Willingham through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Sarah's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Sarah Willingham'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 Sarah tailored to your event.
Sarah Willingham 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 Sarah to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Sarah Willingham for events worldwide, subject to Sarah'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 Sarah Willingham 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 Sarah can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Sarah Willingham 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 Sarah can offer.
Sarah Willingham 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.
Sarah Willingham's areas of expertise include a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. To get a clear sense of Sarah'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.
Sarah Willingham 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 Sarah'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 Sarah Willingham 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 Sarah Willingham, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Sarah's current availability for your dates.