Your event deserves the best: A world-class business speaker to electrify your audience and keep them talking for months. But how can you be sure you’re making the right choice?
At Aurum Speakers Bureau, we’ve compiled a list of the 5 top business speakers in the world. There are no also-rans or contenders here – only champions of business – and the top-tier consultants who’ve guided their success.
This list was updated in January 2023, making it the definitive guide to the top business speakers 2023. We’ll continue to update the list in the years ahead, to reflect the latest changes in this dynamic niche.
The 5 Best Business Speakers
1. Richard Branson
Repeating his last year’s position as the best business speaker in the world, is no other than Sir Richard Branson. One of the richest and most famous entrepreneurs in the world. And recently, he became something more: the first person in the world to fly to space in his own ship. Another record to his already-impressive list of achievements. Branson is also the founder of the Virgin Group, with a portfolio of over 400 companies.
Branson launched his very first business at 16. His first big success came just 4 years later, in 1970. Virgin Records started life as a tiny mail order business, but soon became the world’s largest independent record label.
The 1980’s proved a fruitful decade for Branson. Virgin Atlantic – founded in ‘84 – was a hugely disruptive business. The fledgling airline quickly broke British Airway’s stranglehold on UK-US flights. In the years since, this tireless entrepreneur has built 8 distinct billion-dollar business in 8 distinct sectors – a record-breaking feat.
Richard Branson became Sir Richard Branson in 2000, after being knighted for services to entrepreneurship. He’s also globally respected as a leading philanthropist and adventurer. Perhaps his best-known exploits are his series of epic ocean crossings, made by hot air balloon.
As the writer of several best-selling books, Branson is famously erudite. His way with words carries across onto the stage as well. That’s why we confidently rate him as the top business speaker in the world! As you might expect, Richard Branson’s speaking fees aren’t the lowest; this is a titan among keynote speakers, with the power to attract vast audiences like a magnet!
Learn more about top business speaker Richard Branson.
2. Duncan Wardle
When we think about Disney, a smile immediately comes to our faces. We think about their movies, cartoons and the theme parks. Everyone’s childhood is full of beautiful memories and dreams which Disney helped create and shape. And those things, in business, are invaluable.
Innovation speaker Duncan Wardle helps audiences worldwide to understand Disney’s magic. Duncan spent more than 20 years working at Disney, and was Head of Innovation & Creativity from 2011 until 2017. In this position, Duncan led the innovation and creativity strategy for all the companies under the Disney umbrella. Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm… Duncan spearheaded all the innovative and crazy ideas that these companies came up with.
Nowadays, Duncan is a sought-after speaker by Fortune 500 companies and small organizations alike. They all want to know the secrets behind Disney’s success, and quickly apply them to their own organizations. Duncan helps with that, and then some! As a top virtual keynote speaker as well, Duncan’s presentations are incredibly interactive and fun. True to Disney’s way, Duncan makes sure that audiences learn but also have fun at the same time.
Above all, Duncan’s presentations focus on 3 main aspects:
- Thinking different: Duncan takes audiences on a journey and gives them a unique set of innovation tools and techniques – the same ones he and his teams used at Disney – to think outside of the box.
- Embedding a culture of innovation: as former head of Innovation & Creativity, Duncan knows how to implement a culture of innovation. He did at Disney, and he’ll teach you a step-by-step way of doing it in your own company.
- Customer experience: Duncan Wardle is also regarded as a top customer experience speaker. Disney was a pioneer and still is world leader when it comes to customer experience. Duncan learnt all the secrets that made their parks and products widely successful, and will help your organization with your CX.
Have we convinced you already? If you’re still doubting, here’s Duncan’s reel of his virtual keynote speeches. And one more thing: his team will manage everything for you, from setting up the Zoom link, to even adding simultaneously AI-generated subtitles! Watch Duncan Wardle’s virtual reel here.
Book innovation speaker Duncan Wardle for your event at Aurum Speakers.
3. Porter Erisman
Former Alibaba Vice President Porter Erisman takes the number-3 spot in our list of the 5 top business speakers in the world. Erisman is notably the only Westerner to be involved at the head of Alibaba during its ‘hyper-growth’ phase. His senior position saw him work closely alongside its visionary leader, Jack Ma.
Intriguingly, Erisman joined the tiny start-up in 2000 – just as the dot-com bubble was bursting in the US. That event might have seemed like a harbinger of doom for the little Chinese ecommerce firm, but nothing was further from the truth. Instead of collapsing, Alibaba’s position within China quickly grew to equal Amazon’s position in the West.
During that early growth phase, Alibaba also came through another crisis that has echoes in the present day: The 2002-2003 SARS epidemic. Amid factory closures and a sharp retail slump, Taobao was launched. This new, consumer-facing offshoot thrived as Chinese citizens turned to ecommerce as a safer means of shopping.
Alibaba didn’t simply survive the SARS pandemic; it prospered. Erisman was an integral part of the top team that guided the phoenix out of the fire. Today, he’s respected internationally for his understanding of how businesses can find opportunities during crises. As well as being among the world’s best business keynote speakers, Erisman is also a best-selling author and respected filmmaker. His best-known work is Crocodile in the Yangtze – which highlights Jack Ma’s rise to become China’s richest man.
Learn more about one of the world’s top business speakers, Porter Erisman. You may also like to read our recent interview, where Erisman answers the question: Can crisis bring opportunity?
4. Steve Wozniak
Together with business partner Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak made personal computing accessible to the masses. Wozniak and Jobs co-founded Apple Inc. in 1976. At that time, most people viewed computers as the playthings of social misfits; fortunately, these brave pioneers thought differently.
The Wozniak-Jobs partnership was a strong one, with Wozniak taking the lead on the tech front, while Jobs typically led on business management. The company’s first flagship product – the Apple I – was Wozniak’s own creation, but as the business grew, there were compromises ahead.
Apple took on additional engineers, and Wozniak was increasingly pulled into a managerial role. He later spoke of ‘missing the fun of the early days’. It’s a conflict that many inventor-entrepreneurs contend with, and it would ultimately lead to Wozniak ending his active role with Apple in 1985.
In the decades since, Steve Wozniak has become a leading philanthropist, with a passion for passing on his hard-won experience to the next generation. His role in the launch of Apple has also secured him a place in the Inventors Hall of Fame.
Wozniak may see himself as an inventor first and a businessman second, but his abilities in both fields are beyond doubt. Today, Steve Wozniak is unquestionably among the best technology speakers and the best business speakers in the world.
Why not wow your audience with a talk from the man who co-founded a $2-trillion business? Learn more about top business speaker Steve Wozniak.
5. Whitney Johnson
A place in the Thinkers50 list is one of the most coveted accolades a speaker can achieve. Whitney Johnson has achieved that ranking not once, but three times. Her most recent Thinkers50 position – number 8 in 2021 – is her highest yet. Little wonder that she’s considered among the best business transformation speakers in the industry!
Johnson cut her teeth as a leading stock analyst with Merrill Lynch. She developed a framework for identifying valuable investment opportunities – particularly among start-ups. More recently, Johnson has shifted her gaze from stocks to people. Today, she helps businesses develop ‘A teams’ to attain the highest possible performance.
Johnson’s passion for self-improvement shines through in all that she does. She regularly lectures at the renowned Harvard Business School, and has shared her wisdom through a series of award-winning books. Her best-known work is Disrupt Yourself – a guide to applying the techniques of disruptive innovation on a personal level. Meanwhile, her podcast (of the same name) sees Johnson interview a range of distinguished guests from the world of business.
Whitney Johnson’s innovative, trend-setting ideas on disruption and change management mean that she’s consistently among the most popular business speakers in the world. As CEO of WLJ Advisors, her business consultancy services are in high demand, and any event will be enriched by the presence of such a distinguished speaker.
Learn more about Whitney Johnson.
What Is a Business Speaker?
A business speaker is a subject matter expert who uses their knowledge to assist organizations in implementing better strategies, business models, and more. They do so by delivering speeches and presentations on topics such as marketing, finance, sales, leadership, innovation, and operations.
Many of today’s top business speakers have risen in popularity as a result of professional triumphs that have enabled them to become who they are today and inspire others to achieve their business goals.
A business keynote speaker will usually provide presentations on particular topics depending on their knowledge and experience. One of Porter Erisman‘s keynotes, for example, is about e-commerce, an area in which he has a lot of experience. In fact, he has helped turn Alibaba into the world’s largest e-commerce company.
Business keynote speakers regularly use graphs and other visuals to effectively convey their messages during their speeches. By hiring a business speaker, companies may help their staff take responsibility for their work and put forth the greatest effort possible.
What Makes A Good Business Speaker?
When it comes to choosing a business speaker, it’s crucial to know your event’s objective and who will be in attendance.
For example, our list of the top 5 business speakers in the world includes some excellent names. Still, Whitney Johnson would be a better pick if you wanted to host an event to empower a group of women who own a business. But what additional features should a competent business speaker possess?
1. Experience
Empty words don’t cut it when it comes to motivating others, so finding a business speaker who has genuinely done what they preach is essential. Choosing a speaker with real life business experience is a must.
2. Uniqueness
Our top business speakers are popular at corporate events worldwide for a reason: they are one-of-a-kind. They are able to add value to everything they do and can communicate their unique point of view in a way that captivates their audience and changes their lives.
Hiring a famous speaker who has founded a top company can be very motivating. For example, Aurum works with the renowned co-founder of Netflix, Marc Randolph.
3. Ability to simplify complex subjects
When an organization is confronted with an obstacle, finding a simple solution can save hours of manpower. Business speakers do the hard work and conduct extensive research before presenting a solution to their audience. They then deliver such a solution in a clear and succinct manner, allowing the audience to easily apply it.
A great example of an expert speaker on simplification would be Lisa Bodell, bestselling author of Why Simple Wins.
4. Relatability
Content of any kind and in any shape will be utterly worthless if consumed by an audience that can’t identify with it.
For example, suppose you host a leadership event, and the speaker does not deliver all of their knowledge in a way that is relatable to your target audience. In that case, your audience will not be able to develop a professional or personal interest in it.
So, before booking a business speaker, ask yourself: Does this speaker reflect my target audience? Will this speaker resonate with my specific audience? Our creativity speaker Duncan Wardle has delivered over a 1,000 talks for all types of companies and organizations and will surely know how to connect with your audience.
5. Has a sense of humor
No one likes to sit through a long and tedious presentation. Even when dealing with serious topics, it is always important to condense things and make the audience laugh along the way.
So when you hire a business speaker for your event, make sure you pick someone who can educate as well as entertain. Steve Wozniak can tell the amazing story of how together with Steve Jobs they turned a garage startup into the world’s most valuable company in a fun an engaging way.
6. Willingness to answer questions
Whether you have a Q&A session at the end of your event or not, you should make sure that your business speaker is willing to address any questions that arise.
A professional business speaker should also be prepared to meet with anyone who wishes to chat with them before or after their presentation. At Aurum we will guide you and always make sure you choose the right speaker for your event.
How Much Does It Cost To Book A Top Business Speaker?
Booking a top business speaker can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $100,000, or even more if you are looking to hire big names like Richard Branson. A business speaker’s fee depends on factors such as their popularity and experience as well as things like travel and hotel costs.
Hiring a top business keynote speaker means gaining access to a true expert who has the potential to completely transform your company.
At Aurum, we firmly believe that booking a business keynote speaker is an excellent investment in growing and strengthening one’s business.
How to Book a Business Speaker
At Aurum, we want to ensure you find the perfect business speaker for your event, which is why we work with a diverse range of speakers to appeal to different audiences.
We only deal with the best business keynote speakers, and we’re thrilled for you to learn more about them and how they can benefit your company. Please feel free to browse our list of business speakers and contact us with any inquiries or to make a booking. If what you are looking for is to motivate your audience, then we recommend you visit our list of the 10 best motivational speakers in the world.
If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, let us know what you’re aiming to accomplish and what type of audience you are looking to empower. We will do our best to provide exactly what you need for your event.
Choose from Our Top Business Speakers for Your Event
Aurum Speakers Bureau represents many of the best business speakers in the world. Our portfolio includes all 5 of the speakers listed above, plus a wealth of other highly respected orators.
Why not explore our full selection of top business speakers now, or contact our expert team for help, advice, or support?
