Dr Hugh Montgomery is Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at University College London (UCL), where he also directs the Centre for Human Health and Performance. He is a broadcaster, fiction author, scientist and clinician. He still works clinically, caring for patients in an Intensive Care Unit in North London. Here,... Read more
Dr Hugh Montgomery is Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at University College London (UCL), where he also directs the Centre for Human Health and Performance. He is a broadcaster, fiction author, scientist and clinician.
He still works clinically, caring for patients in an Intensive Care Unit in North London. Here, he had a frontline role in caring for Covid patients. He is also on the Council of the UK Intensive Care Society, chaired the UK National Emergency Covid Critical care Committee, consulted for an international pharmaceutical company on novel vaccine development, and was the international co-ordinator for trials of a novel therapy.
In his research capacity, Hugh Montgomery has published nearly 600 scientific papers, several in Nature. He described the first ‘gene for human fitness’. His research has address cardiac growth, muscle wasting, bone and muscle response to exercise, and adaptation to low oxygen levels: he was research lead for the Caudwell Xtreme Everest Expedition of 2007, and co-reported the first genes for evolutionary selection in response to high altitude. He has helped define the factors which influence survival in extreme environments, and also in intensive care: whether survivors are born, or made. He identified a genetic element which changes the chance of surviving critical illness by five-fold.
Hugh has an interest in Artificial Intelligence as applied to Health, and has worked with Google Deepmind and Google Health.
In innovation, Hugh holds patents for new metabolic therapies, (for cancer wasting and prevention of injury in stroke); a new technology for patient hydration; a novel mask for the removal of pollutants; and a new asthma inhaler. He chaired the board of Cambridge-based adaptive learning company Obrizum. He Chairs the board of a biotech startup, and consults in the pharma and biotech sectors.
Montgomery has a 24 year track record in the field of environment and health. He chaired the last two Lancet Commissions on Human Health and Climate Change, and has written and lectured extensively on the subject. He now co-chairs the 35-country, 52-institute international Lancet Countdown on Climate Change, which reports annually. He was appointed London Leader by London’s Sustainable Development Commission, attended many of the international ‘COP’ climate negotiations, and created the children’s climate education Project Genie.
He organised the Royal College of Physicians first meeting on Climate and Health, was a founder member of the UK Climate and Health Alliance, and helped create the International Alliance on the same subject. He organised the first International Meeting on Climate, Health and Security in 2009.
In media, Hugh has is a published author of award-winning children’s books (‘The Voyage of the Arctic Tern’ and ‘Cloudsailors’) and of best-selling thrillers (e.g. ‘Control’). He has hosted documentaries and appeared frequently across print and broadcast media. He delivered the five Royal Institution Christmas Lectures broadcast over Christmas 2007.
Hugh was previously a commercial and archaeological diver, who was part of the team which raised Henry VIII’s flagship the Mary Rose (which sank in 1545). He was worked on a 2500 year old Etruscan wreck.
Hugh Montgomery is also an experienced ultramarathon runner and mountaineer (European Alps, Andes, and Himalayas). And he still holds the World Underwater Piano Playing Record!
In January 2022, Hugh was appointed Officer of the Order of British Empire (OBE) for services to intensive care medicine and climate change.
You can book Hugh Montgomery OBE through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Hugh's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Hugh Montgomery OBE'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 Hugh tailored to your event.
Hugh Montgomery OBE speaks on Artificial Intelligence, Cities & Environment, Digital Trends, Future, Future & Technology. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Hugh to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Hugh Montgomery OBE for events worldwide, subject to Hugh'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 Hugh Montgomery OBE 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 Hugh can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Hugh Montgomery OBE 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 Hugh can offer.
Hugh Montgomery OBE 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.
Hugh Montgomery OBE's areas of expertise include Artificial Intelligence, Cities & Environment, Digital Trends, Future, Future & Technology. To get a clear sense of Hugh'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.
Hugh Montgomery OBE can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Cities & Environment, Digital Trends, Future, Future & Technology is relevant. Details of Hugh'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 Hugh Montgomery OBE 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 Hugh Montgomery OBE, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Hugh's current availability for your dates.