Josh Littlejohn

Josh Littlejohn MBE is a trailblazing social entrepreneur, Sunday Times best-selling author, and global homelessness campaigner, celebrated for his radical reimagining of business as a force for social good. A passionate and persuasive keynote speaker, Josh brings both heart and hard-earned insight to stages around the world. His most prominent achievement to date includes raising over £25 million to tackle homelessness, and founding Social Bite, a social enterprise that has become the largest distributor of free fresh food to the homeless in the UK.

Born in Edinburgh, Josh earned an honours degree in Politics and Economics from the University of Edinburgh, laying the intellectual foundation for his future impact. His early ventures into the business world took a purposeful turn in 2012, when he co-founded Social Bite, a café chain designed to offer employment and meals to those experiencing homelessness. What began as a small venture became a movement, gaining widespread attention after visits from George Clooney in 2015 and Leonardo DiCaprio in 2016. These high-profile moments elevated Josh’s mission to the international stage and validated his belief in combining commerce with compassion.

Throughout his career, Josh has amassed an impressive list of accolades and initiatives. In 2015, he was named Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2016, he co-founded Brewgooder, a beer brand that uses its profits to fund clean water projects in Africa. In 2017, he was appointed MBE and named among the Debrett’s 500 Most Influential People in the UK. Josh also founded the World’s Big Sleep Out in 2019, a campaign involving 52 cities worldwide and thousands of participants, including Will Smith and Dame Helen Mirren. His debut book, ‘Paying It Forward’, published in 2023, debuted at number seven on the Sunday Times Best Seller list, providing a guide to building businesses with purpose.

Josh is an ideal keynote speaker for any organisation seeking to inspire purpose-led change. He covers topics such as entrepreneurship, tackling homelessness, leadership, work/life balance, and employing people from excluded backgrounds. His message is timely and necessary - reminding us that systemic issues can be solved when we align ambition with empathy. Whether addressing global leaders or grassroots changemakers, Josh delivers with clarity, conviction and undeniable impact.