Michael Grade

A motivational business keynote speaker, Michael Grade focusses on sales, marketing, leadership, strategy and business change. Having been in charge at both the BBC and Channel 4, Michael was responsible for the early American imports like Friends, Frasier and ER. With a career stretching from the last days of musical hall and variety, he shares many a business and showbiz tale.

C: £10k-£15k

Keynote Speakers TV Presenters, Business, Change, Leadership, Marketing & Branding, Sales

Michael Grade is a fantastically engaging motivational business keynote speaker focussing on subject areas such as sales, marketing, leadership, strategy and business change.

A sports columnist on the Daily Mirror from 1960-66, he spent the next seven years as joint Managing Director of London Management (Talent Agency).
In 1973 he became Head of Entertainment and Director of Programmes at London Weekend Television, a position he held until 1981, when he moved to the United States to become President of Embassy Television.

He joined the BBC as Controller, BBC One in September 1984, and in conjunction with these duties he became Director of Programmes, Television, in June 1986, Managing Director Designate in 1987 and BBC Chairman in 2004.

In January 1988 Michael Grade took up the post of Chief Executive at Channel 4 Television.

In March 1995, he was appointed Non-Executive Chairman of First Leisure Corporation plc. At the end of January 1997, his appointment as Executive Chairman of First Leisure was confirmed and he took up his position by the summer of the same year 1997. In October 1998 on the appointment of a Non-Executive Chairman, he became Chief Executive and oversaw the restructuring of the Company.

Since leaving First Leisure, Michael Grade has taken positions as the Chairman of the Octopus Publishing Group, as well as Chairman of Pinewood Studios Ltd, a role in which he continues to produce more star-filled theatre. In 2000, he was made Chairman of Hemscott.NET, a leading supplier of business and investment information over the Internet.

In 1997 he was appointed Chairman of the Royal National Theatre Development Council and also became a Director of The New Millennium Experience Company. He is a member of the Council of the Royal Albert Hall.

Michael Grade was awarded a CBE in the 1998 New Year’s Honours.

He stepped down from ITV at the end of 2009, and from Ocado in 2013.

Still heavily involved in the media industry through his role at Pinewood Studios and prestigious reputation, Michael is able to share incredible insights into the cross section of business and showbiz, educating audiences on market leadership, strategy and business change.