15 Net Zero Talent Speakers Tackling the Great Resignation in 2024

1 year AGO |
Business,
Management
Director of Corporate Social Responsibility

minute read

The Great Resignation continues to ravage businesses across the world. Defined as an ‘economic trend’, the rising cost of living and decreasing job satisfaction among employees has led many to look for employment elsewhere. The next generation of workers expect flexibility, mental health support and a company ethos that aligns with their values; is your business ready?

Net zero talent is a term used to counter The Great Resignation, a standard for businesses to strive for that means zero turnover and zero loss of talent. Though it may sound like a fallacy, net zero talent is achievable with some simple adjustments to your workplace culture. We at Champions Speakers have collated our favourite net zero talented speakers available for events, to teach your businesses how to recruit and retain talented staff members.

What is Net Zero Talent?

Net zero talent is a term used to counter The Great Resignation, a standard for businesses to strive for that means zero turnover and zero loss of talent. Though it may sound like a fallacy, net zero talent is achievable with some simple adjustments to your workplace culture. From investing in diversity, equity, and inclusion to allowing flexible, hybrid working, there are several ways for businesses to achieve net zero talent.

We at Champions Speakers have collated our favourite net zero talented speakers available for events, to teach your businesses how to recruit and retain talented staff members.

Who are the top recruitment and employee retention speakers available to book?

Find out more about the outstanding net zero talent speakers available to book for your 2024 corporate conference or event, below.

Michelle King

Former Director of Inclusion at Netflix

Described as a “visionary leader”, Michelle King is pioneering inclusivity in the workplace. Diversity, equity, and inclusion result in better retention, as employees who feel included and supported are less likely to leave their roles. Speakers like Michelle, who was LinkedIn’s Top Voice for Equality in 2020, are equipped with actionable strategies to improve inclusion, and therefore achieve net zero talent.

"Michelle is not only extremely knowledgeable with her background and research on gender inequality, but she applies those insights specifically to the workplace and brings it to life. Michelle has a truly unique way of connecting with her audience. She makes the research come to life and provides real 'a-ha' moments and practical takeaways that can be applied in any organisation."

- CEO of SHE Global

Tim Campbell

Co-Founder of Bright Ideas Trust

World-renowned business leader, Tim Campbell, is the Trading Futures Lead & Regional Head of Africa for OSTC Ltd. His work in the diversity and inclusion sphere as a Strategic Advisor for AMS has established Tim as a popular corporate speaker, specialising in retaining diverse talent. When booked for events, Tim teaches audiences the value that employees from different cultural backgrounds bring to the workplace.

"He was absolutely brilliant and a pleasure to work with! The audience really took to him and everything he said was so interesting!"

- Institution of Engineering and Technology

Jean Tomlin

HR Director for London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games

Following the success of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, special commendation was granted to Jean Tomlin, the Director of HR, Workforce & Accreditation. Overseeing approximately 200,000 people, including 70,000 Game Makers, Jean ensured their mental and physical wellbeing to optimise performance. Her experience at the London Games and as the Group HR Director for Marks & Spencer’s plc make Jean a popular net zero talent speaker.

David Smith

Former Director of People, IT & Loss Prevention at ASDA

With over 35 years of corporate experience, David Smith is considered a leading expert in retaining top talent in the workplace. In his role as the Director of People, IT & Loss Prevention at ASDA, David turned the company into the No1 Best Place to Work according to a UK Sunday Times Survey. At events, David leaves audiences with valuable insight into the process of improving workplace culture and retaining talented employees.

"We really enjoyed David's session last week! The feedback from the participants has been really positive and one of the stand-out sessions that we had. He was very personable and spoke very well. We had around 97% of participants who do not speak English as a first language, but David ensured he spoke at a good pace. The content was great, and he kept the audience engaged throughout, with people carrying on the conversations well into the afternoon. Please send him a big thank you from myself and Khuong."

- Executive Assistant of BioMérieux

Bruce Daisley

Former YouTube Managing Director

Having held several senior corporate roles, including as the Managing Director of YouTube and European Vice President of Twitter, Bruce Daisley understands the impact of workplace culture. When a survey asked CEOS who would be their “fantasy hire”, Bruce was the stand-out favourite, reflecting his expertise on net zero talent and employee retention. Book Bruce Daisley for your event to learn how to attract and retain your “fantasy hire”.

"He was fantastic! He is a very compelling speaker, and the audience feedback was that they could take away some real action items. People really enjoyed the talk."

- SSCinc

Jo Salter

1st Female Jet Pilot to Fly the Panavia Tornado

As the first female jet pilot to fly the Panavia Tornado, Jo Salter had to overcome self-doubt to achieve her dreams. She is a leader in workplace culture, expertise she developed as the Chief of Staff at PwC and the author of ‘Energy - 52 Ways to Fire Up Your Life and Become an Energy Angel’ and ‘Energize’. As a speaker, Jo reflects on her experience as a jet pilot and Chief of Staff to teach audiences the framework for net zero talent.

"Wow - Jo was absolutely fantastic. An amazing guest speaker, totally engaging, hilariously funny and has an incredible story to share about facing adversity, diversity and performing at your very best! We loved having her, feedback was amazing, we just wish we had all day just to hear all her incredible stories. Totally loved it! Thank you, Jo."

- Wells Fargo

Caspar Craven

Former Associate Director of KPMG Corporate Finance

When your employees are motivated to achieve great things, they are more likely to remain loyal to your company. An expert in this, Caspar Craven has developed the globally renowned ‘Big Bold Goals’ approach, which offers corporate audiences an insight into achieving high-performance. The best-selling author sets audiences on a path to greatness, through mental resilience strategies, better teamwork, and optimum workplace culture.

"Caspar delivered an incredible keynote at our customer event. Seldom do I see speakers create such a level of engagement with their audience, I honestly believe people would have stayed for hours to ask questions! I cannot recommend him highly enough."

- Head of Channel Management and Partner Enablement at Sage

Herminia Ibarra

Professor of Organisational Behaviour

As a former Professor of Organisational Behaviour and current Professor of Leadership and Learning, Herminia Ibarra has committed her life to understanding high-performance. She specialises in corporate leadership, insight that Herminia imparts with audiences at HR conferences and internal events. Audiences come away motivated to invest in their workplace culture and transform their working environment into one that attracts high-talent employees.

Stephen Frost

Head of Diversity for 2012 London Olympics & Paralympics

As the Head of Diversity at the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games, Stephen Frost was tasked with setting the standard for equity and inclusivity. Today, he attends events to explore the process of setting and achieving diversity targets, a vital skill for 21st-century businesses. Modern employees expect diversity, so businesses who want to achieve net zero talent should take advantage of Stephen’s wisdom.

Karen Blackett

CEO of GroupM UK

Karen Blackett has made Britain’s 100 Most Influential Black People list a staggering five times, an achievement that reflects her nationwide influence. The former CEO of MediaCom and current CEO of GroupM UK, Karen has decades of experience improving workplace culture and retaining high-talent employees. Her knowledge of net zero talent is invaluable, and her passion for employee wellbeing is evident at every event she attends.

"Karen is an impressive force to be reckoned with. She's strategically sound, insightful, talented and an absolute joy to work with."

- Shirley

Kim Blue

Chief People Officer of OpenExchange

As the former Global Head of People Experience Partners for Zoom and current Chief People Officer at OpenExchange, Kim Blue is an expert on corporate culture and employee retention. She regularly works with companies to oversee and improve their HR policies, benefiting both the business leaders and their teams. When booked for events, Kim discusses the value of employee experience and wellness in the quest for net zero talent.

"Expert, poised, focused and very open to our direction regarding the make of the audience to be addressed. Ms Blue delivered a compelling, informative keynote."

- Navex Global

Dr Graeme Codrington

Director of TomorrowToday

Dr Graeme Codrington is a highly respected academic and business speaker. Specialising in the cause and effect of social change, he works with businesses across the world to transform their corporate culture and retain high-performance employees. Graeme has spoken for the likes of Coca Cola, O2 and Canon, reflecting his immense popularity on the speaking circuit. Hire Dr Graeme Codrington to understand the role of employee satisfaction in net zero talent.

Nina Goswami

BBC's First Creative Diversity Lead

As the BBC’s first Creative Diversity Lead, Nina Goswami was dedicated to improving inclusion at the UK-wide media giant. She paved the way with her 50:50 scheme, which focused on inclusion in broadcasting and gave many media personalities the opportunities they needed to thrive. As a speaker, Nina leaves audiences with actionable strategies for workplace diversity, inclusion, and equity, essential for achieving net zero talent.

Catherine Garrod

Founder of Compelling Culture

As the founder of Compelling Culture, Catherine Garrod helps companies to improve their inclusion strategies and employee wellbeing services, which contribute to employee retention. Thanks to Catherine, companies like Sky have transformed their potential and achieved such accreditations as the Inclusion Top 50 UK Employers award. She is on a mission to improve diversity and inclusion for businesses across the world, which leads to better employee retention.

"Catherine immersed herself in data and met with colleagues to review the root causes of wellbeing challenges across our business. Her robust insight and analysis enabled her to provide recommendations that were fully endorsed by our Executive Team. She combined expertise, passion, and empathy, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her as a partner in DEI, wellbeing, or culture work."

- Head of Talent & Leadership at Dentsu

Lucy Adams

BBC's Former HR Director

As the BBC’s former HR Director, Lucy Adams was responsible for employee training, development, benefits, and net zero talent. She now tours the speaking circuit as a HR speaker to teach audiences how to retain top-talent staff members and create a workplace culture that attracts desirable new starters. An energising addition to events, Lucy is a thought-provoking speaker who challenges the status quo in business and sets the standard for corporate culture.

Want to Retain Talented Staff? Book a Net Zero Talent Speaker

If you want to avoid The Great Resignation and learn how to retain talented staff, book one of our net zero talent speakers by contacting Champions Speakers directly on 0207 1010 553 or by completing our online contact form.

 Director of Corporate Social Responsibility

Specialist Areas: ESG, Future of Work, HR, Economics & FuturismLouisa Mason-Hayes is the expert Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Champions Speakers. Since 2010, boasting over a decade of dedication to Champions Speakers, she has bee...
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