10 top keynote speakers for virtual events

Elevate virtual live conferences, all-team meetings or company summits with inspiring keynote speakers. The right speaker can set the tone for the event, support your corporate culture and fire-up your employees – and in so doing drive engagement. Keynote speakers know just how to connect with their audiences, hold an audience’s attention and keep energy levels high.

Read time: 5 to 8 minutes

Key takeaways:

— The inspiration that keynote speakers can bring to corporate events
— The fee ranges for internationally acclaimed keynote speakers

Keynote speakers specialise in many categories, including:

— Management, motivation and leadership
— Race, diversity and equity
— Emotional intelligence, well-being and resilience
— Change management, motivation, performance management and resilience

Discover these top 10 internationally acclaimed keynote speakers and get inspired for your next corporate event.

Speaker 1: Simon Sinek

Bio: A British-American author, marketing consultant and inspirational speaker, Simon Sinek began his career in advertising. He has since written five books including Start With Why (2009) and The Infinite Game (2019). His TED talk on the concept of ‘why’ has been viewed more than 40 million times. Sinek is renowned for identifying common problems within organisations operations and suggesting more effective alternatives as well as helping people to better execute their personal missions. He often speaks about success, inspiration, leadership, team culture and personal motivation.

Presenting style: Optimistic, empathetic and empowering
Virtual speaking fee range: Starting at £12,500 or $15,000

Speaker 2: Julie Zhuo

Bio: Formerly the vice president of product design at Facebook, and now the Co-Founder at Inspirit, Julie Zhuo is a Chinese-American businesswoman and computer scientist. Zhuo is renowned for helping companies build people-centric products used by millions of people every day. Her book Making of a Manager: What to do when everyone looks to you combines cutting-edge analysis of how organisations work with accessible examples of how theory can be applied in real life and what to expect. According to Zhuo, there are three areas that all managers should focus on to achieve great outcomes: Purpose, people and process.

Presenting style: Down-to-earth, authoritative, humble.
Virtual speaking fee range: £8,300 — £16,000 or $10,000 — $20,000

Speaker 3: Ijeoma Oluo

Bio: Ijeoma Oluo is an American writer and author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller, So You Want to Talk About Race and the recently released Mediocre: The dangerous legacy of White Male America. Oluo has written for The Guardian, Medium and The Establishment. In a Library Journay review, the journalist commented that “Oluo makes the case that whiteness and masculinity are powerful yet also dependent on the identities that they oppress. Outstanding chapters scrutinize the…resentment toward women in politics, right-wing attacks on higher education, and even the origins of football.”

Presenting style: Clear, approachable and a gifted storyteller.
Virtual speaking fee range: £8,300 — £16,000 or $10,000 — $20,000

Speaker 4: Dr. Christian Conte

Bio: A renowned mental health specialist, Dr. Conte speaks about emotional regulation and conflict resolution, and how our emotions colour our personal and professional relationships. His methods are proven to improve interpersonal communication, reduce group tension and conflict and increase productivity and collaboration. Dr. Conte also works with amateur athletes to help them develop better life and emotional management skills. He also arms coaches with tools to guide their team members to more successful, trouble-free futures.

Presenting style: Energetic, passionate, compassionate
Virtual speaking fee range: £4,100 — £8,300 or $5,000 — $10,000

Speaker 5: Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett

Bio: An American viral immunologist, Corbett is an Assistant Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Corbett was instrumental in the development of the Moderna mRNA vaccine. She is a rising star in the world of science communications, explaining the virus and vaccines in highly accessible ways to media outlets, U.S. presidents and audiences around the globe. Dr Corbett inspires audiences to dream big, work, set goals, and answer the call when the need or opportunity arises. Her keynote speaker clients include eBay Inc and Deloitte.

Presenting style: Warm, commanding, trustworthy
Virtual speaking fee range: Contact Corbett’s agent directly

Speaker 6: Jia Jiang

Bio: An entrepreneur, author, blogger and TED speaker, Jia Jiang teaches audiences how to overcome the fear of failure. He also demonstrates how people can develop a positive mindset and the skills to overcome rejection and to use their experiences to fire and find innovation and creativity. Jiang is the author of Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible, One Rejection at a Time. His strength lies in leaving audiences with actionable teaching skills and helping them embark on a similar journey of self-discovery.

Presenting style: Relatable, authentic and confident
Virtual speaking fee range: £8,300 — £16,000 or $10,000 — $20,000

Speaker 7: Robin Sharma

Bio: Celebrated leadership expert, Robin Sharma is a Canadian author of Indian origin. Born in Nepal, Sharma became a worldwide sensation on the release of his book, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. The book sold 5 million copies worldwide. Sharma brings original, useful insights that help people do brilliant work, thrive amid change and realise their potential so that their personal responsibility, productivity, ingenuity and mastery soars. Global guru, Deepak Chopra describes Sharma as ‘an amazing mentor to me and … a major influencer of our time.” Organisations that have hosted Robin Sharma as a keynote speaker include Nike, FedEx, PwC, General Electric and TOMS Shoes.

Presenting style: Inspirational, uplifting, empathetic
Virtual speaking fee range: Contact Sharma’s agent directly

Speaker 8: Nick Vujicic

Bio: Australian-American Vujicic is the founder of the non-profit organisation, Life Without Limbs, and a Christian evangelist. Born with Tetra-Amelia syndrome, a very rare disorder whereby someone is born with an absence of all four limbs, Vujicic speaks about his victory over his struggles, his passion and strength, and his faith. His refusal to allow his physical condition to limit his lifestyle has had enormous impact on millions of people through his YouTube channel. He encourages his audiences to dream big and has earned the title of being one of the most inspirational and motivational speakers in the world today. As a speaker, he applies his philosophy to topics such as leadership, teamwork, goal setting, getting the most out of your circumstances, and maximising your potential.

Presenting style: Humorous, empathetic and empowering
Virtual speaking fee range: £41,000 – 62,000 or $50,000 — $75,000 for an in-person appearance

Speaker 9: Marc DeVolder

Bio: As a thought leader on change management, DeVolder helps leaders and organisations adapt to fast-paced change, disruption and crisis. His clients include Coca-Cola, PwC, Verizon, Siemens, Marriott International and GE Digital. Through his work, DeVolder teaches leaders the process of adapting to continuous change through reinvention, innovation and anticipation. He offers audiences practical toolkits, answers to real life work problems and action-focused inspiration.

Presenting style: Infectious optimism and fast-paced energy
Virtual speaking fee range: £4,100 — £8,300 or $5,000 — $10,000

Speaker 10: Kelly Rippon

Bio: A teacher, author and single parent to six children, including Olympic Medallist, Adam, Rippon founded her own consultancy company, Authentic Change Inc with the mission of ‘Changing the world one conversation at a time.’ She speaks on topics such as optimism, women’s empowerment, leadership, motivation, conflict resolution and customer service. Rippon is a keynote speaker and breakout presenter who aims to help people ignite their influential power, think bigger and heighten their own sense of purpose and worth. Her clients have included Barclays, EY, Prudential and Columbia University.

Presenting style: Warm, engaging and stimulating
Virtual speaking fee range: Contact Rippon’s agent directly

Keynote speakers can transform events

At MGN, we believe that the right keynote speakers help to transform corporate events, drive attendance and engagement results. The best keynote speakers are entertaining, informative and interactive and leave their audiences with practical tools, strategies and real-life experiences to ponder and put into practise. Consummate professionals, the speaker will learn about your organisation and deliver presentations customised to your needs,” says Mike Walker, Managing Director, MGN events.

“We’re adept at finding the perfect keynote speakers to energise your teams, help them navigate through challenges and periods of change and develop resilient mindsets. Our range of professional services include corporate events, technical production, and product launches. Meanwhile, our team of experienced and creative staff work closely with each client to ensure their event meets and exceeds expectations.”

To walk-through our solutions and services or learn more about our fees, contact our team via the form below, on 01932 22 33 33 or by email hello@mgnevents.co.uk.

Please note: Fee ranges for keynote speakers are approximate and based on fluctuating currencies

You can also get more help creating successful internal events that support employee well-being in our 5 step framework for event success.