
Rising to fame as the lead singer of Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats, Bob Geldof is a renowned singer and songwriter. During his time in the spotlight, Bob has used his prominence to push various aspects as a social activist, in particular anti-poverty. Joining The Boomtown Rats in 1975, Bob and his bandmates quickly rose to fame with their first number-one single Rat Trap being released in 1978. A second number one followed in 1979 with I Don’t Like Mondays, gaining negative press due to the controversial topic of the song. In 1986, Bob made the decision to leave the band and pursued a solo career, publishing his autobiography Is That It? upon his departure. Bob found further fame as a solo artist, publishing songs such as The Great Song Of Indifference, Comfortably Numb and This Is The World Calling.
He was fortunate to perform at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert and also became a DJ for XFM Radio. During his time as a solo artist, Bob began his mission of philanthropy performing at the Amnesty International concert The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball. He was also motivated to do something about the state of poverty in Ethiopia, and so teamed with Midge Ure to write the renowned song Do They Know It’s Christmas?. Once the song was written numerous other artists joined Bob to sing the song, with Bob founding Band Aid in the process. The song was a huge success, claiming the title of the UK’s fastest seller of all-time and reaching position 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 list. Continuing to follow the fate of the country, Bob soon realised that the sales of one song were just not enough to make an impact on the country.
So he set about founding Live Aid, a concert held at Wembley Arena which ultimately raised a staggering £150 million for the cause. Inspired by the impact that such money would have on the relief of poverty and famine for those less fortunate than himself, Bob later went on to found the Live 8 project. The Live 8 Project was born out of raising awareness for social injustices happening across Africa, including prominent issues of AIDS, debt and starvation. Bob organised performances at 10 Live 8 concerts, bringing his mission of advocacy to locations such as Berlin, Paris and Rome. Through a career in the spotlight and a passion to better the lives of others, Bob has garnered his fair share of recognition and awards.
He has been appointed as an honorary KBE and made Freeman of the Borough of Swale in Kent. Bob has also been the recipient of the 2005 Man of Peace Award, the Freedom of Dublin City and the Freedom of the City of London. The BASCA Gold Badge Award and medal of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres have also been amongst his collection of awards. Throughout his life and career, Bob has been a prominent figure in the public eye. As a result of this, Bob is now highly sought as a public speaker and to appear at a range of corporate events. A passionate advocate of anti-poverty, Bob uses his prominence from his time as a singer to truly push the importance of abolishing social injustice from the world that we live in. A keen philanthropist, Bob encourages all to act in creating a safer world and helping those less fortunate than ourselves. A passionate and inspirational individual, Bob is at home when faced with a large audience and is a perfect choice for a range of events.
Sir Bob Geldof's official speaking topics are listed below:
From Band Aid to ESG - 40 Years of Fighting for a Better World:
The Moral Case for ESG -
- ESG is not a regulatory checkbox - it's a moral imperative
- The human cost of inequality and inaction
- Corporations have as much power as countries - with power comes duty
Lessons from Band Aid & Live Aid -
- Mobilising global empathy - what we did in 1985 can, and must, be done now for climate, poverty and justice
- What worked, what failed and what the next generation must do better
- Media, storytelling and celebrities as catalysts for change
Africa & the Global South: Still Waiting -
- How ESG frameworks often leave out or marginalise the Global South
- Real investment and not charity - why sustainable capitalism must include Africa and other third world regions
- The global cost of ignoring development and justice
Disruption with Purpose -
- Businesses need to be bold, not just to avoid risk, but to create meaningful change
- ESG isn't soft, it's a strategy
- His personal journey of fighting
"His speech was perfectly balanced. It rejuvenated and inspired many people in the audience." - SJP
- 2014 - Awarded the BASCA Gold Badge Award
- 2013 - Awarded the Freedom of the City of London
- 2006 - Awarded Freedom of Dublin City & the Medal of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
- 2005 - Awarded the Man of Peace Award
- 2004 - Made a development Chief in Ghana
- 2002 - Listed as one of the 100 Greatest Britons
- 1986 - Published his autobiography Is That It?
- 1986 - Made a Freeman of the Borough of Swale & appointed as an Honorary KBE
- 1975 - Became Lead Singer of the Boomtown Rats
- Founder of Live Aid, Band Aid & Live 8
- Chairman of 8 Miles
How to hire Bob Geldof
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Bob Geldof for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
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