Archie Norman is one of Britain’s leading businessmen with a long term track record of business change and value creation. He has led transformations of major British businesses in the UK and abroad, served on the Boards of several others, and built strong management teams who are now in leading... Read more
Archie Norman is one of Britain’s leading businessmen with a long term track record of business change and value creation. He has led transformations of major British businesses in the UK and abroad, served on the Boards of several others, and built strong management teams who are now in leading positions in several major British companies. Archie has also served as a Member of Parliament for eight years and worked at the highest level in British politics.
Archie was a member of a three strong team that established and built Kingfisher plc in the 1980s to become Britain’s leading general merchandise retailer. In 1991 he took over as Chief Executive of Asda. Over the subsequent eight years the business was transformed into the second largest supermarket group before being sold to Wal-Mart for an eight times multiple of the starting share price. In 2002, Archie acquired Energis, Britain’s third largest telecoms business, on behalf of the creditor banks and over four years refocused and rebuilt the business before agreeing a sale to Cable and Wireless for double the original enterprise value.
November 2007 – November 2018, Archie was Advisor to the Board of Wesfarmers and Deputy Chairman of Coles Group, the second largest retailer in Australia, and lead the strategy and recruitment of a world class team for probably (at the time) the largest turnaround project in global retailing. Since that time Coles has more than doubled its profits. He remains an advisor to the Coles Board.
Archie set up a management partnership, Aurigo Management Partners, which sought to acquire underperforming or unfashionable businesses. In June 2007 Aurigo acquired HSS, the UK’s second largest equipment hire business, on behalf of investors. It was sold in October 2012.
Archie was Chairman of ITV from January 2010 until May 2016. He restructured the Board and Executive team, to lead a five year transformation plan. Operating performance improved and profit before tax quadrupled. After six and a half years he stood down as Chairman of ITV in 2016 handing the role to his successor who he had recruited to the Board. From 2013 to 2019 he served as Chairman of Lazard UK and sat on the Deputy Chairman’s Committee for Lazard worldwide. September 2019 – December 2023 he was appointed Special Advisor to the Lazard Global CEO. October 2016–August 2020 he served as Lead Non Executive Director at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. In 2017 he was appointed Chairman of Marks and Spencer plc. In September 2020 Archie was appointed Chairman of Signal AI, one of the UK’s fastest growing companies that is transforming how business leaders make sense of the world’s information. In February 2021, he was appointed Advisor to Global Counsel, a strategic advisory business which helps companies and investors manage risk and see opportunities in politics, regulation and public policy. In April 2024 he was appointed Chairman of Global Counsel. In September 2021 he was appointed as Senior Independent Director to the Board of Bridgepoint.
Archie is the first and only Footsie 100 Chairman to be elected a Member of Parliament, where he served for eight years, including as Chief Executive of the Conservative Party and as a leading member of the Shadow Cabinet. He led the first stages of the reform of the Conservative Party after the 1997 electoral defeat and rose to become the opposite number to the Deputy Prime Minister. Subsequently he co-founded the well known think tank “Policy Exchange.”
Archie has served as a non executive director on the Board of a number companies including British Rail, Railtrack and Geest. He was previously the youngest partner at McKinsey and Co and has an MBA from Harvard Business School and an MA from Cambridge University. He is on the Board of the NIESR, has Honorary Doctorates from York University and Leeds Metropolitan University, was a Director of the Judge Institute, has been elected to the Marketing Society Hall of Fame, and been voted Retailer of the Year and Yorkshire Businessman of the Year. In December 2010 he was awarded the Institute of Turnaround Professionals Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2023 he was voted Sunday Times Businessman of the Year.
Tell us about your event, one of our consultants will reach out within 24 hours.
You can book Archie Norman through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Archie's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Archie Norman'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 Archie tailored to your event.
Archie Norman 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 Archie to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Archie Norman for events worldwide, subject to Archie'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 Archie Norman 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 Archie can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Archie Norman 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 Archie can offer.
Archie Norman 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.
Archie Norman's areas of expertise include a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. To get a clear sense of Archie'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.
Archie Norman 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 Archie'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 Archie Norman 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 Archie Norman, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Archie's current availability for your dates.