Sam McAlister Profile Picture

Keynote SpeakerSam McAlister

Author of “Scoops” played by Billie Piper in Netflix’s “Scoop”, TEDx speaker, Visiting Senior Fellow at LSE, Journalist and Presenter

Sam McAlister is a TEDx speaker, BAFTA-nominated interviews producer, executive producer and LSE Visiting Senior Fellow who has negotiated with everyone from Buckingham Palace to The White House, Tesla to Facebook. With skills honed over a decade in the BBC’s elite news programmes, notably BBC Newsnight, she is used to... Read More

Biography

Sam McAlister is a TEDx speaker, BAFTA-nominated interviews producer, executive producer and LSE Visiting Senior Fellow who has negotiated with everyone from Buckingham Palace to The White House, Tesla to Facebook. With skills honed over a decade in the BBC’s elite news programmes, notably BBC Newsnight, she is used to persuading reluctant individuals to participate in a news programme renowned for its rigour and bite.

Exclusives include, most famously, that interview with HRH Prince Andrew — but also Sheryl Sandberg, Prime Minister Trudeau, President Clinton, Prime Minister Netanyahu, Elon Musk, James Comey, Stormy Daniels, Julian Assange, Trevor Noah, Amy Schumer and Eric Schmidt.

She has the inside scoop on the Prince Andrew interview and what interviews like this say about leadership, reputation, and communication in the modern age. She knows how to avoid making terrible mistakes and how to deal with the media and its fiercest inquisitors. She also talks about the art of negotiation — honed over decades — and “How to convince a Prince.”

Negotiation, dealing with the media, strategy and public speaking have always been at the core of everything that Sam has done — from her time as a criminal defence barrister to her many public speaking and debating prizes, and her dealings with celebrities and governments.

She has extensive experience of keynote speaking– with everyone from banks to law firms, via CEOs and Embassies and has also chaired day long events, spoken on panels and hosted awards ceremonies.

“Sam is a truly special speaking talent. We worked together on TEDxNewcastle for an audience of 1000 attendees and we trusted her with the single most important speaking slot of the day. She smashed it! I can recommend working with her very highly. First off, she is such a professional in terms of preparation with very fast response times and willingness to consider feedback. Also, no need for endless chasing, polite nudges or reminders. While I know some conference producers expect meticulous details about a keynote speech that’s not how Sam works but you can trust completely. She knows what she’s doing. Naturally she is a super speaker with fabulous storytelling skills. But perhaps her greatest superpower is her ability to tailor her talk to nearly any length on the fly. It’s downright otherworldly. I very much hope to work with her again in the near future!” Herb Kim, TEDx Newcastlle
“Sam is by far one of the best speakers I have listened to, watched and learnt from in over 20 years of being in business. Wow. Witty, intelligently crafted, HONEST, natural and so interesting. Highly highly recommended. What a lady!” Jane James, Director, Performing Arts
“If you are looking for a speaker who can entertain, inspire and educate in a witty, erudite manner, Sam is a woman of our times. She shows a level of credibility and professionalism that commands respect. She has inspired ME to truly live authentically. Book her now!” Alison Day, UK Franchise Executive
“Fierce, fabulous and funny – what more can you want in a speaker? Sam lit up the room last night in our discussion on Advising Clients in the Media Glare. Without doubt the most engaging event we have ever held, with phenomenal feedback from the audience, due to Sam transporting us back to Buckingham Palace and the interview with Prince Andrew, to experience the drama and learn lessons that all organisations and leaders can learn from his mistakes in handling the press scrutiny into the allegations against him. A really enjoyable evening, thank you Sam!” Clare Murray, Managing Partner, CM Murray Law
“Sam has spoken at two of our client-facing and company-wide events. Sam brings high energy, fresh perspective and is a delight to work with. Sam's high-level cultural, media and political insights have encouraged us to challenge our ways of thinking in business. Sam illustrates her points with engaging and entertaining personal stories leaving everyone walking away inspired and energised.” Fenella Grey, Managing Director, Porter Novelli
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Sam twice now and both times she’s enthralled her audience. A combination of journalistic nous, insider knowledge and candid humanity makes her a compelling and engaging speaker. Look no further!” Jo Patterson, Managing Director, Xeno

Popular Talks by Sam McAlister

  • Inside story of Prince Andrew interview: “How to convince (A Prince)”
  • Negotiation
  • From Newsnight to Netflix
  • Media interviews
  • Women and the workplace
  • Leadership
  • Speaking truth to power
  • Communication
  • Reputation
  • Dealing with the media
  • Crisis communication
  • Resilience