Steve Benbow is Director of the London Honey Company, a business that produces artisan honey for Harrods, Harvey Nichols and The Savoy as well as golden treats for small delis across London. In addition Steve provides training for beekeepers and businesses and manages beehives for clients in the capital and... Read more
Steve Benbow is Director of the London Honey Company, a business that produces artisan honey for Harrods, Harvey Nichols and The Savoy as well as golden treats for small delis across London. In addition Steve provides training for beekeepers and businesses and manages beehives for clients in the capital and across England. Fifteen years ago Steve decided he wanted to keep bees in Central London, but there was a problem: he lived on the 6th story of an ex-council block near Tower Bridge with no garden.
The only viable outside space was the flat roof, accessed via a fire escape. Steve located his first hive behind the lift shaft complete with live bee cam and the bees started producing incredible honey. No one else kept bees in such a central location back then and he was able to travel around by bicycle and witness what these amazing critters were foraging on. The bees not only prospered but also produced an incredible honey, which was complex and floral, which started to win awards.
Steve had visited other urban beekeepers, around the world’s cities, when he had been a travel photographer and observed how they operated and manipulated their colonies in Paris, Tokyo, Rio and New York and inspired by their work and devotion, set about expanding his own operation in London. Expansion of such a sensitive business was difficult but soon he was able to tap into the network of businesses scattered across the capital that had huge secure rooftops and his business thrived.
Six years ago Steve decided to move a colossal amount of hives back to Shropshire, where he had kept bees as a child with his grandmother and he was alarmed to discover that his bees suffered considerably in the countryside. He had expected to find bee paradise but found the concreted countryside offered little or no flowering diversity for his bees. Huge fields of yellow oilseed rape, over stimulated his bees and made them ragged and exhausted, whilst pesticides and insecticides caused huge numbers to literally collapse.
Six years ago he became Beemaster to Fortnum and Mason – managing 4 ornate hives on the roof of their store in Piccadilly and today he now services hives for The National Portrait Gallery, Tate Modern and Britain and a variety of commercial clients and their honey is sold within their stores. He also now manages bees with less intensity – and his bees take small executions throughout the season to gather unusual and often prized honeys from the coast, old fashioned downs or remote heather moors.
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You can book Steve Benbow through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Steve's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Steve Benbow'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 Steve tailored to your event.
Steve Benbow 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 Steve to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Steve Benbow for events worldwide, subject to Steve'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 Steve Benbow 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 Steve can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Steve Benbow 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 Steve can offer.
Steve Benbow 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.
Steve Benbow's areas of expertise include a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. To get a clear sense of Steve'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.
Steve Benbow 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 Steve'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 Steve Benbow 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 Steve Benbow, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Steve's current availability for your dates.