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Jon Smith is an experienced Business Consultant and Investor, specialising in the entertainment, media, and sport industries.
Known as the ‘original super-agent’, he is one of the UK’s most successful sport influencers, with experience spanning multiple sports at national and international level.
He has worked as the agent for the England national football team, and has represented athletes including Lord Sebastian Coe and Diego Maradona. He was even a keen sportsman himself, having represented GB as a junior 100-yard athlete in the 60s.
In 2016, he released his autobiography, The Deal, which was a number one bestseller.
In 2021, he was granted an OBE for his contributions towards charitable work.
Contact Great British Speakers today to book Jon Smith for your next event.
Jon Smith OBE has had a varied career, which start in the music industry, becoming the Company Director of music production and promotion company Green Light Ltd. He followed this up by co-owning property firm Anglo House Estates; as Company Director for Lordswood Securitys Ltd; and Chief Executive and Director at First Artist Corporation Plc. He has also been an investor and consultant for CONTENTed Digital Media Group, and Infinity Creative Media Ltd.
His interesting in the sporting world has seen him be a Non-Executive Director, and Chair for Britiah Taekwondo, a council member for World Taekwondo Europe, Chair for the Artisan Sports and Media Group, and Executive Chairman for Sport Media Ventures Ltd.
He has been responsible for staging many of the UK’s biggest sporting events, including visits from major US sporting bodies including NFL American Football, NHL ice hockey, and NBA basketball. He worked as the Chief Executive of The London Monarchs during their inaugural World Bowl winning season at Wembley.
In the last 35 years, Jon has hosted the Mikhail Gorbachev UK Lecture Tour, was agent to the England football team, and cricket team, and the Welsh rugby team during the 80s and 90s.
MEDIA
In 2016, Jon published his autobiography, The Deal, which went on to become a number one bestseller.
He has been a guest on ITN News at Ten, BBC News, Sky News, Newsnight, ABC, NBC, Bloomberg, and CBS, as well as other global networks, as well as appearing in The Sunday Times.
In 2012, he presented ‘The Forum’ on Sky’s Sports Tonight Live; taking the form of Question Time, a panel of three guests and live input from members of the public via skype or telephone focussed on sports stories.
OTHER WORK
As well as his work within the sport industry, Jon has worked with a number of charitable and educational establishments.
In 1982 he became the founder and trustee of the Lee Smith Research Foundation, and has since raised over £4 million for leukaemia funding. He has sat on the board of the Government for Tobacco Sponsorship Replacement, and on the board for the Institute of Child Health at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Jon is a patron of The British Stammering Association, supporting research into stammering and the therapies offered, and has worked alongside the Centre of Investigative and Diagnostic Oncology, and the Lord Sebastian Coe Foundation.
In 2016, he became a member of the board of governors for the University of East London.
SPEAKER
Jon is now one of the most recognisable speakers and spokespersons for the UK sports industry, and has raised over £50 million in various forms for sport up and down the country. His motivational talks include:
– Conquering communication
– Confidence
– Dysfluency
– Business
– Being a CEO
Jon is very good at what he does. Most of all he is a very caring guy who is not like most agents and puts his clients first. He makes sure they are always happy in what they are doing.
Paul Gascoigne
Jon has only ever wanted the best for the players he is representing. I respect that in a person, to fight hard in what you believe in – and Jon certainly does that.
Arsene Wenger