Coinciding with Movember, International Men’s Day (IMD) – 19th November – has a  clear focus on Men’s Health and brings to the forefront concerns men frequently face, and yet often feel too uncomfortable to discuss, usually through a fear of being judged or not conforming to the ‘strong’ male stereotype.  

With ‘Toxic Masculinity‘ said to be one of the main reasons why men are less likely to seek medical advice, IMD teaches men that it’s okay to seek help and feel confident in doing so, thereby improving their wellbeing and giving men the tools to be positive role models for future generations.

Our International Men’s Day Speakers are here to offer men guidance and support, by providing an open space to discuss sensitive subjects, such as mental health and wellbeing, male-cancers/physical health, relationships and fatherhood, and gender and equality. The day is also in celebration of inspirational male role models, many of whom have shown true resilience and overcome great adversities to get them to where they are today. Plus, it’s also an opportunity to appreciate male role models in our own lives, and the many men who have made fantastic achievements within history and modern-day society. 

To book any of these talents for your ‘International Men’s Day’ event or ‘Movember’ event contact Great British Talent directors Jane Farnham and Steve Denison at bookings@greatbritishtalent.com or call +44 1753 439 289

Ade Adepitan

– Inspirational Paralympian, Popular TV Presenter, Culture, Disability & Diversity Speaker.

From Paralympian to popular TV Presenter, Ade Adepitan is often hired to speak at high-profile public speaking engagements, including at the launch of the 2012 Olympic bid. He works extensively in the UK giving motivational speeches to schools, charities and businesses about disability and discrimination. Ade is a compelling and inspirational equality speaker and was recognised on 2020’s Powerlist 100 most influential black British people.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Ade Adepitan

Alex Staniforth

– Everest Endurance Athlete, Mental Health Fundraiser, Male Eating Disorder Awareness, Resilience Speaker.

Alex Staniforth is a record-breaking young endurance adventurer, author, charity founder and motivational speaker who empowers others to put ‘mind over mountains.’

No stranger to overcoming adversity, Alex has overcome a stammer, an eating disorder and lives with epilepsy and generalised anxiety but this has never stopped him from putting his mind into action to achieve truly impressive goals. Having climbed Everest and the National Three Peaks challenge, Alex is now dedicated to helping others to overcome their own ‘Everest.’

As part of Alex’s keynote talks and workshops, he offers key takeaways and follow-up material to further assist employers in supporting the individual mental and physical wellbeing of their staff. He also provides companies access to exclusive well-being days through his ‘Mind Over Mountains’ charity.

As a motivational speaker, Alex has spoken at over 200 events and conferences across the globe. His book Icefall (2016) was endorsed by Bear Grylls, and Another Peak: Everest is Not the Only Summit was published in 2019.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Alex Staniforth

Andrew Pain

– ‘Domestic Violence Isn’t Gendered’ Keynote; Business Leadership, Imposter Syndrome and Burnout Speaker.

As a professional and well-established business-wellbeing and leadership speaker, Andrew Pain inspires change with insightful, fresh and usable strategies, delivering content-rich talks and workshops in his own down-to-earth and light-hearted style.

Andrew inspires meaningful change and delivers practical strategies on critical aspects of leadership development with top keynotes on imposter syndrome and burnout, and how to prevent these from impairing your business.

Having personally experienced abuse in a former marriage, Andrew is also a strong campaigner and advocate for all victims of domestic abuse, focussing on supporting all victims of abuse regardless of gender. Watch Andrew’s Domestic Violence Isn’t Gendered TEDx Talk.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Andrew Pain

Amar Latif

– Entrepreneur and Founder of TravelEyes; Inspirational Blind Adventurer & TV Presenter.

Due to an incurable eye condition, Amar Latif lost 95% of his sight by the age of 19.  Through sheer determination, he has managed to turn an unpromising tale of loss, into one of truly inspirational achievement.

Having a flair for finance, Amar was constantly told that, because he was blind, he would struggle to be an accountant, but this didn’t stop him from pursuing his talent and went on to study Maths and Finance at Strathclyde University.  Proving everyone wrong, Amar spent seven years working at BT, finally heading up their Finance Division – managing a team of seven accountants and financial responsibility for multi-million-pound business deals, but not feeling truly content with his life, Amar left the world of finance to travel.

In 2004, Amar founded Traveleyes, the world’s first commercial tour operator to specialise in holidays for the blind and through his incredible travels and entrepreneurship has gone on to host travel and adventure shows for Channel 4 and the BBC.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Amar Latif

Ben Smith

– 401 Challenge Fundraiser, LGBTQ+, the Importance of Physical Fitness, Resilience Speaker.

Endurance athlete Ben Smith has delivered over 400 talks, reaching over 90,000 people since completing his mental health fundraiser – The 401 Challenge.

Based on anecdotes of his own often stressful childhood, Ben offers strategies for change. The awareness Ben brings to healing through sport, LGBTQ+ rights, physical wellness and resilience is essential to his teaching, demonstrating that with good mental wellbeing and a strong foundation, anything is possible.

In 2016, Ben shared a TEDx Youth talk titled ‘Happiness’ which addressed how he changed his life through an improved mindset, which you can watch here.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Ben Smith

Clarke Carlise

– Ex-Footballer, Overcoming Substance Abuse, Stress and Mental Health Speaker.

After his successful 16-year football career came to an end, Clarke Carlisle’s life took a downward turn. Uncertain of what the future now held, Clarke turned to alcohol abuse, which resulted in fines for drink-driving. His mental health continued to take a downward turn and Clarke tried to take his own life in 2014, walking out in front of a lorry on the A64 near York. After a long physical recovery, Clarke’s mental health was still precarious, resulting in a second suicide attempt in 2017. 

Since then, Clarke and his wife Carrie, have spun Clarke’s mental health speakers, talking to employees at a number of FTSE 100 companies including Disney, Legal & General and Sky. Together they deliver powerful and inspirational speeches, offering emotional anecdotes about what it is like to live with a mental illness and what it is like to live with someone with a mental illness.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Clarke Carlisle – available to hire with his wife, motivational mental health speaker Carrie Carlisle.

Clive Branson

– Motor Neuron Disease and Prostate Cancer, Resilience and Positive Mindset Speaker.

Once a strong member of the Royal Air Force and the Ministry of Defence, Clive Branson was hit with a series of personal grief over four years. After suffering from Parkinson’s and Dementia, Clive lost his father at the beginning of 2017, only for himself to be diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease by the end of the year. This diagnosis saw him becoming more and more anxious, he became terrified of the outside world and decided everyone would be better off without him. Before he had any chance to take his own life, Clive was admitted to two psychiatric hospitals where he spent seven weeks.

Clive’s wife helped him out of this dark period – which also included the loss of his career and income – but more was still to come. He was then diagnosed with stage two prostate cancer which couldn’t be operated on due to the MND, and then in 2019, he lost his father-in-law and his mother in 2021. 

He now uses these difficult experiences to inspire audiences with his new strength, to promote the importance of male cancers and Movember, and to encourage others, especially men, to be open and honest about mental health problems and suicidal thoughts. 

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Clive Branson

Dave Walsh

– World’s Strongest Disabled Man, Multiple Sclerosis, Overcoming Adversity & Resilience Speaker.

Aspiring strongman Dave Walsh had his life turned upside down almost overnight. He went from climbing mountains to being unable to climb the stairs. 

In 2014, Dave didn’t feel right, his body had gone numb and he was struggling to stay on his feet. Brushing it off as stress, he simply ignored it. But the symptoms never went away. Dave was eventually diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Not only did it take away the use of his body, it also ravaged his mental health. 

Alongside his family and the strongman community, Dave started to look at his life differently and adapt to his new ‘normal’. Within eight years, he had become a full-time wheelchair user but he was also named Britain’s Strongest Disabled Man 2021 and World’s Strongest Disabled Man 2022. Dave’s story is truly inspirational and he aims to promote the power that positivity has on life’s challenges and the ability to achieve your full potential.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Dave Walsh

Mark Lemon

– Dealing with Grief, Bereavement and Childhood Trauma Speaker.

Award-winning author, podcaster and mental health speaker Mark Lemon has first-hand experience of grief that none of us would wish on a person. When he was just 12 years old, his father was killed and so Mark dedicated his life to helping adults and children come to terms with their grief and the effect it has on mental health.

Based on his own tragic experience, Mark talks about how to survive childhood trauma, how to support a loved one or a colleague in their grief, how to recognise grief and how to channel your grief into something positive. 

In addition to his inspirational speeches, Mark has written a number of successful children’s books which cover the topics of heritage, grief and, of course, mental health.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Mark Lemon

Matt Ellison

– Transgender, LGBTQ+, Diversity & Equality in the Workplace and Beyond, Inclusion Speaker.

After 39 years in a woman’s body, Matt Ellison began transitioning in 2013. Since transitioning, Matt has spoken to companies such as Disney, Microsoft and the NHS, educating them on trans rights, the LGBTQ+ community and legislation, safe practices, and diversity, as well as resilience and courage.

With an increasing number of people transitioning, the importance of diversity, inclusion, equality and mental health support is more vital than ever, and Matt provides support to all, offering anecdotes about what it feels like to be a transgender person, offering an honest account of the highs and the lows of the journey.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Matt Ellison

Owen O’Kane

Psychotherapist; Overcoming Anxiety & Stress, Grief and Bereavement, Childhood Trauma, LGBTQ+ Speaker.

Psychotherapist and author of the globally acclaimed book Ten to Zen, Owen O’Kane is a self-described “Irish, Catholic and Gay young man”, the perfect combination for anxiety during The Troubles.

After a spell working in palliative care, Owen spoke to many people at the end of their lives and realised so many of them were expressing their biggest regrets. As a result of these conversations, Owen started to learn what was worth hanging on to, and what we should make peace with and forget. 

Throughout all of Owen’s speeches, he is warm and informative and captures everyone’s attention with his own personal anecdotes on grief and bereavement, his childhood, his sexuality and his mental health. With stress and anxiety being two of the biggest issues amongst young people, Owen helps to identify, accept and overcome these negative feelings.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Owen O’Kane

Roman Kemp

Popular Presenter, Host of ‘Our Silence Emergency,’ Male Suicide Prevention and Men’s Mental Health Awareness Speaker

Roman Kemp is best known for being a Radio DJ and Television Presenter, but his work with male mental health, including depression, anxiety and suicide, is fast eclipsing his media career. 

In 2020, Roman’s friend and colleague Joe Lyons took his own life after battling with mental health difficulties, a situation Roman wasn’t even aware of. Since then, he has made it his mission to ensure everyone – particularly men – is able to speak up about their difficulties and to seek help before it becomes too late. 

Alongside his radio and TV career, Roman has spoken at Universities, worked alongside companies such as Legal & General, and teamed up with mental health charity Mind; determined to get his message out there, he presented the BBC3 documentary Our Silent Emergency to explore the reasons behind male silence when it comes to mental health.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Roman Kemp

Steve Carr

– Male Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Homelessness/Trauma & PTSD Speaker.

Suicide first aid trainer Steve Carr experienced several personal challenges which started with a childhood mugging, witnessing his parents being assaulted and losing his brother in a hit-and-run by the time he was 14.  As a result, Steve became addicted to alcohol and drugs. He became cut off from his family, lost his home, his job and his partner, and began living on the street. This culmination of bad experiences led Steve to attempt suicide three times in just one month.

But Steve managed to overcome this adversity. Speaking to his GP resulted in diagnoses of depression, anxiety, stress, childhood trauma and borderline PTSD. Since his diagnosis, he has since completed a number of challenges including the 1,000-mile walk from Land’s End and John O’Groats, cycling 1,500 miles through seven European countries in 11 days, running 70 miles from Hungerford to Buckingham Palace, and cycling 350 miles from Liverpool to Land’s End to help raise awareness of mental health concerns.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Steve Carr

Will Njobvu 

– Capital Radio Presenter, LGBTQ+ & Popular Social Influencer, Mental Health Speaker

Capital Fm radio presenter Will Njobvu is a passionate diversity, inclusion, racial and LGBTQ+ speaker.  His passion for these causes has seen him work for the likes of TikTok, LinkedIn and The British Heart Foundation.  He’s held talks to a variety of audiences on the importance of inclusion and equality, both in regards to racial discrimination and sexuality. He also speaks about how our mental health can affect our physical health having been diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse when he was 22, keeping stress low and strong mental well-being is an important factor in Will’s everyday life.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Will Njobvu

Winston Ben Clements

– Equality, Inclusion & Diversity; Disability Awareness and Loneliness Speaker.

E, D & I Speaker Winston Ben Clements specialises in anti-racism and disability awareness. Not one to aim low, Winston hopes to inspire an impressive 1 billion people to overcome their difficulties and achieve their full potential within his lifetime.

Born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a condition which stunted his growth and has caused over 200 bone fractures, Winston experienced a difficult childhood full of loneliness and frustration. Aware that a large number of people with this condition don’t make it to adulthood, Winston was determined to turn it into a positive and is now a renowned motivational speaker. He is in high demand for his entertaining and inspirational speeches, aiming to support leading companies develop the next generation of successful, employees and inclusive teams. Winston shows that disability should not prevent people from achieving their goals.

Find out more about International Men’s Day speaker Winston Ben Clements

New to Great British Speakers

Chris Moon MBE

– Disability and Leadership Speaker.

Chris Moon has been involved with many disability organisations and acted as host and facilitator at a number of diversity days, some for disability networks. He and his associates create a bespoke powerful and innovative experience which enables difficult issues to be faced and solutions found. 

Find out more about International Men’s Day Speaker Chris Moon MBE.

Hire an International Men’s Day Speaker

To book any of these talents listed above or any of our other motivational speakers to speak at your next event – whether it be for International Men’s Day, Movember or to raise Mental Health Awareness, as your production partners we are here to help you find the perfect speaker. 

Contact us at bookings@greatbritishtalent.com