LJ Rich is a world-renowned performer and broadcaster who is best known for presenting Click, BBC News’ flagship technology show, for over 15 years. She was also one of the first people to stream online in 2015. LJ has ‘synesthesia’, a neurological condition due to which numerous senses are often mixed together. Shedding light on creativity, machines, and the future of human experience, including virtual communication, LJ is available to book as a speaker or host for a wide range of events.
As a young musical prodigy, LJ was offered a scholarship to the prestigious Royal College of Music. LJ also possesses an MA in Music (Hons) from Christ Church, Oxford. She started her career as a Technology Sales Presenter for QVC, where she monitored technology trends and explained consumer technology on air to the viewers. She also served as a Technology Journalist at Virgin Media, where she created a segment dedicated to gadgets.
Joining BBC News in 2008, LJ has presented a variety of shows on technology, including Click, Click Live and has hosted the Let’s Talk About Tech podcast as well. Her musical work has been featured on BBC TV and Radio, The Independent, Metro and The New York Times. A prolific speaker, LJ delivered the TEDx talk ‘Glitching’, and has also hosted the UN ITU #AIForGood Summit. She was selected to be part of NASA’s Datanaut program, through which she works with NASA data scientists and leads a data sonification project.
Alongside working with major clients such as Microsoft, Adobe and Oxford Nanopore, LJ has interviewed some of the world’s leading voices on technology, including Steve Wozniak and CEOs of Twitter, Raspberry Pi, Google, and Barclays. Among the first to make intelligible music with GenAI, she speaks candidly on AI, music, creativity, innovation and technology. LJ Rich is now available to hire for keynote speeches, workshops, moderating panels and hosting high-profile events!
LJ Rich's official speaking topics are listed below:
Trust & AI - How To Lead & What To Believe
(business transformation)
The cat is out of the bag - and it’s playing the violin! Join AI thought leader LJ Rich for an energising guide on upping your prompting game, verifying your chatbot outputs and discovering how widespread GenAI use will affect much more than your social feeds. Accompanied by startling and wonderful examples of synthetic media, she’ll help you pick up the skills you need to tell what’s real from AI - at least for now.
Takeaways:
- Get wise to modern AI ‘tells’ in text and music as well as video and photos
- Current limits of AI - choosing when it’s better to use humans
- How trends like Agentic AI change our connection to each other
Travel, Tech & AI Futures (2025)
(travel/hospitality/events industry)
Technology and the travel industry need each other. But what does the future look like? Where does AI fit in? and how can my business stay relevant? LJ Rich has visited 39 countries and counting, either filming with the BBC, performing at the piano, hosting events, or just for fun. She loves travel and understands the work that goes into creating memorable moments, from theatres to theme parks to airports. This entertaining and musical talk encouraged attendees to examine how technology has the potential to create amazing experiences for the travel industry, taking in how AI can help, what to avoid and how to make technology work for businesses and travellers alike.
Takeaways:
- Understand when AI isn’t a great idea
- How experience is more than logistics
- Gamification and Agentic AI in the travel and hospitality industry
Music, Technology & The Future of Work
(Cyber, Financial, adaptable)
LJ has forecasted tech trends for decades, and was among the first in the UK to join social media. Music and technology have always entwined to give us clues on what the future might look like. She was particularly proud when after one talk, the consultant writing the Gartner hype cycle asked her what she thought would happen next!
Creative Music / AI-human-hybrid opening and closing performances
LJ collaborates with artists, event managers and organisations to create powerful opening performances or keynotes, including live piano and creative visuals. She takes into account what the client is looking for and can build collaboratively or to a brief. In 2025 and 2026, her works have been staged in UAE, India, Switzerland, Germany, and South Africa.
The song inside the tune: dancing with data
(Knowledge work, bio tech)
See inside your favourite songs as we explore the surprising ways music can be represented as data, and how businesses can benefit from seeing their work from a new perspective. An entertaining and inspiring keynote with musical demonstrations and novel ways to approach analysis for anyone - regardless of their musical skills.
Official Feedback From In-Person & Virtual Events
“ITU worked with LJ Rich to MC and moderate the landmark AI for Good Global Summit 2019. She is a true master of the stage and did an excellent job keeping the audience engaged and motivated throughout the 4 day event. She has excellent historical, business and technical knowledge which is crucial when dealing with a mixed audience of politicians, academics and leading minds in AI and technology. She is very professional, constantly tweaking the mood and tone with the changing themes of the sessions. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover that she is an accomplished musician and performer which we put to good use during one of the cultural evenings. I would highly recommended LJ for any event and could not imagine running another Summit without her!” - Fred, Head of Strategic Engagement Division Steering and Outreach, AI For Good Global Summit
We have worked with LJ for the last two years on chairing and leading big discussions interviews and panels at our annual event. It is always brilliant to have LJ there, she brings so much enthusiasm to the proceedings and a superb understanding of the topics and agenda’s that we are trying to deliver as part of the programme. It is always a joy and a pleasure to work with her and we look forward to more in the future! - Charlotte, Event Director, Media Production & Technology Show
"I had the pleasure of working with LJ at our Business Analysis Conference Europe 2024. LJ was an absolute joy to work with – she is kind, modest, easy to work with, professional, incredibly talented and is always looking to deliver the best keynote possible." - Shane McGlynn, Managing Director, IRM UK
"The audience really enjoyed your presentation... definitely one of the most popular sessions there" - Adobe Systems Europe Ltd
"Came thoroughly prepared, bringing bags of enthusiasm ...her passion for the subject matter shone through to the audience. It would be great to work with her again." - IBC
"Brought huge amounts of energy, enthusiasm, and humour to the day, keeping our audience entertained along the way" - Creative England (South)
"LJ is truly one of the most inspiring individuals we have had address teens in artificial intelligence." - Acorn Aspirations
"Simply fantastic. Original, professional, charismatic and a joy to work with ...an encyclopaedic knowledge of international tech trends." - Clear Channel
"Feedback so far has been very good. When asked what they wanted to see in next year's conference, a couple said 'Just book LJ again' :-)" - UCISA
"Our feedback from attendees has been full of energy and positivity - very much like the nature of your presentation!" - DAZN
- 2026 - Host & Co-Curator for the 6th time at United Nations AI for Good Global Summit, Geneva
- 2026 - Moderated sessions with UMG, Nvidia, Stability Audio and John Legend for the United Nations
- 2026 - Introduced 4x heads of state and top voices in the world of AI
- 2026 - BBC Radio guest on technology trends / AI
- 2026 - IRM Business Analysis Conference Europe - speaking on the future of experience, London
- 2025 - TravelTech show - speaking on the future of experience, London
- 2025 - Host & MC of Innovation Factory Startup competition Africa
- 2025 - Featured Judge for the International AI Song Contest
- 2025 - Opening Performances and host on stage for AI Everything at GITEX, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
- 2025 - Opening performance and MC at South Africa Impact AI Summit, Johannesburg
- 2024 - Opening performance and MC for World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly, New Delhi
- 2024 - Presented BBC Click Olympics Sport & Talent segment
- 2023 - AI for Good Global Summit, United Nations, Geneva
- 2020 - Selected as part of NASA's Datanaut Program
- 2020 - Hosted UN AI for Good Summit
- 2019 - Hosted UN AI for Good Summit
- 2008 - Presenter of Click on BBC News
- 2007 - Technology Journalist, Virgin Media
- 2002 - Technology Sales Presenter, QVC
- 2002 - Voting Member for the BAFTAs
How to hire LJ Rich
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring LJ Rich 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.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
