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Keynote Speaker

James Kerr

Bestselling Author and High Performance Expert

Popular talks

  • Leadership
  • Culture
  • Mindset
  • Legacy: What The All Blacks Can Teach Us About The Business Of Life
  • +7

James Kerr, Keynote Speaker | London Speaker Bureau

Talks

Popular talks by James Kerr

  1. Leadership

    – what is the ideal model for leadership today; – how do leaders iterate leaders; giving voice; – inspiring and motivating; – leading in a hybrid world; – female leadership; – the coach-CEO; – being a leader; – coping with change; – creating vision; – developing a culture of continual…

  2. Culture

    – what are the key characteristics of a high performing culture; – creating a high performing culture; – the value of values; – establishing clarity of vision; – understanding the power of purpose; diversity and inclusion; – dealing with ‘dickheads’; – selecting and managing a great team; – creating a…

  3. Mindset

    – preparation for performance;
    – building resilience in the team and in oneself;
    – pressure, what it is and how to cope with it;
    – state change;
    – dealing with anxiety,
    – uncertainty and fear;
    – focusing on the task.

  4. Legacy: What The All Blacks Can Teach Us About The Business Of Life

    James Kerr goes deep into the heart of the world’s most successful team, the New Zealand All Blacks, to help understand what it takes to bounce back from adversity and still reach the top. It is about leading a team or an organisation – but, more importantly, about leading a…

More talks

  • Teamwork
  • High Performance
  • Beyond Adversity - building resilience in a volatile environment
  • Reboot - creating real connection in a socially distanced world
  • VUCA - creating an agile response to a changing world
  • Trust
  • Purpose

Biography

About James Kerr

James Kerr is a superb presenter and a natural storyteller who speaks on a mixture of topics including sports psychology, leadership practice and organisational science, with a compelling narrative. Kerr is the author behind the global best-seller Legacy, revealing the simple secrets of success behind some of the world’s elite business, sports and military organisations. In Legacy, Kerr unpicks the secrets of the world’s most successful sporting team, the All Blacks. The book has been described as ‘seminal’ by the Independent newspaper and ‘unputdownable’ by Bloomberg. The Daily Telegraph newspaper called it the ‘modern version of Vince Lombardi’s guides to coaching’ and says ‘for those searching for genuine keys to team culture, it is manna from heaven.

James Kerr explores the driving forces behind best teams to extraordinary results including a focus on excellence, a collective commitment, a high degree of autonomy, trust and individual initiative, compelling communication, individual accountability, integrity and humility, all underpinned by a climate in which ‘leaders create leaders’. There is an impressive list of teams and corporations that have sought Kerr’s expertise including, US and UK Tier One Special Forces, Formula 1 teams, America’s Cup crews, Premier League football managers, Olympic Performance Directors, Google, PayPal, Dyson, Red Bull, Shell and Boeing.

As well as small, elite teams, Kerr addresses the specific challenges faced by larger, more diverse organisations today: including the impact that female leaders can have in previously male dominated environments, the challenges of engaging millennials, the shift from a transactional towards a transformative leadership style, personal leadership, ethics and integrity, marginal gains and incremental improvement, values and vision-setting, and resilience in adversity

He is currently working on two books: Where the Earth Meets the Sky is about the Everest basecamp disaster and what it takes to overcome adversity in order to reach the top. The Legacy Workbook, a Curriculum for Change, addresses the practical challenges leaders face in implementing change. He regularly advises elite clients on galvanising teams, resetting standards, and rebooting a winning culture and mindset.

As well as keynotes and inspiring team talks, James Kerr also runs highly interactive LegacyLabs – masterclasses in which participants design their own high performance culture and personal leadership story. In these sessions, Kerr challenges participants to first design, and then take responsibility for delivering, the marginal gains that deliver breakthrough results. Acting as a creative catalyst, Kerr unlocks the latent potential within the team, helping develop agility, resilience, connection, cohesion and common purpose.

Testimonials

What clients say about James Kerr

"James Kerr was excellent - he came across really well, got referenced several times across the week and I’ve had several comments back to me on how much people enjoyed his session. I saw our Global CEO make a beeline for him as soon as he finished so that’s a good endorsement! My EMEA CEO really enjoyed it and mentioned humility / excellence/ respect several times. It was a really inspirational presentation and I was really pleased how well it down with everyone, not just rugby fans."

Regional Head of Customer Insight EMEA, AIG

"The event was a total success. We had a full house, and the feedback was amazing. Everybody loved the keynote and interacting with James Kerr before and after."

Confederação Brasileira de Rugby

"94% felt the meeting… inspired them to act as a transformative leader. James was really able to translate the All Blacks ethos and approach into something very relevant, not just for business generally, but for Roche in particular. His presentation was inspiring and also raised some questions to think about.”

Roche

"It is the second time I have seen James and the messages that he is able to convey using the examples from the All Blacks are extremely powerful and transferrable into the business environment. The session went down very well with the team."

Head of Telecoms, Post Office

"Just wanted to send a big heartful thank you for your session earlier this week. The feedback from the team has been very positive. Everyone really enjoyed the session and found it incredibly thought provoking."

Elouise Newman - Head of Audit, Tesco

‘‘James was excellent! The keynote speech was fantastic and truly inspiring for our BSH Leadership team. We received some really positive feedback after the event and people came back to us mentioning how much they enjoyed his session. One comment “I have been working for BSH for 36 years but this was champions league level”. Also, our Board was really happy with the keynote as James connected his content in a perfect way with our High-Performance Culture Behaviours. His content, the way of presenting and also the interactive panel discussion was a perfect combination for us.’’

BSH Hausgeräte GmbH

“We are so thankful that you joined, strengthened, and inspired the 2024 Leader Solarium! … Legacy is the best leadership book that I have ever read (other than the Bible)!”

AUSA (Association of the United States Army)

“James was outstanding today. He was so generous with his time and made a significant positive impact on our people. It was a pleasure to meet James, he truly is inspirational.”

Martin Osler, Johnston Carmichael

"The feedback from James’s session was nothing short of fantastic, with attendees describing it as “inspiring” and said it “reminded me of our purpose.” Others praised his “straight-talking, simple ethos to follow” and found it “thought-provoking.” These are just a few of the many wonderful comments we received."

JCCA

How to book James Kerr

Answers on fees, availability and booking process.

How do I book James Kerr for a keynote speech?

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

What are James Kerr's speaking fees?

James Kerr'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 James tailored to your event.

What topics does James Kerr speak about?

James Kerr speaks on Leadership, Motivation, Performance, Strategy, Teamwork. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with James to align the content with your delegates and goals.

Is James Kerr available for international events?

London Speaker Bureau can book James Kerr for events worldwide, subject to James'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 James Kerr 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 James Kerr 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 James Kerr?

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 James can accommodate.

Can James Kerr tailor the keynote to our industry and audience?

London Speaker Bureau will brief James Kerr 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 James can offer.

What languages does James Kerr present in?

James Kerr 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 James Kerr a strong fit as a keynote speaker?

James Kerr's areas of expertise include Leadership, Motivation, Performance, Strategy, Teamwork. To get a clear sense of James'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 James Kerr speak at?

James Kerr can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Leadership, Motivation, Performance, Strategy, Teamwork is relevant. Details of James'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 James Kerr 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 James Kerr is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.

How far in advance should we book James Kerr?

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

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