Record-holding international referee, Nigel Owens is a key figure of Rugby Union and has been presiding over matches since 1987. The calm amongst the chaos of the game, Nigel’s ability to make effective decisions and perform under pressure has seen him lead an impressive career, and as a speaker, he now translates these skills to the boardroom. Nigel’s influence doesn’t stop on the pitch as he is also recognised for his contributions to LGBT+ and mental health advocacy, having been one of the first in the male-dominated sport’s history to come out as openly gay. With such an extensive career and public reach, Nigel is perfectly placed as a captivating after-dinner speaker or insightful diversity keynote speaker.
A referee for the Welsh Rugby Union, Nigel is one of only five to hold the professional title in the league. The recipient of the World Rugby Referee Award 2015, Nigel has since gone on to take the reins on some of the most prestigious competitions in recent history. From regular appearances on the International Rugby Board World Sevens Series to making his 150th professional appearance on Judgement Day 2017, Nigel has an earned respect amongst players and fans alike for his reliable leadership in games. Using good judgement, managing risks and effectively communicating are all key skills Nigel transfers into the boardroom as a speaker. Currently, he is the world record holder for the most test matches refereed.
Using his international platform in a male-dominated industry, Nigel came out publicly as gay in 2007, which in turn opened the conversation for the sport to encourage diversity and inclusion. Sharing his experience of attempted suicide, bullying and bulimia that had come from hiding his sexuality, Nigel’s honesty brought essential awareness to LGBT issues, particularly in sports. For his influential advocacy work, Nigel was named Stonewall’s Gay Sports Personality of the Year 2007, Gay Sports Personality of the Decade and was appointed MBE in 2016 for Services to Sport. Hailed as one of Wales’ Leading LGBT Figures on the 2017 Pinc List, Nigel continues to be committed to supporting diverse rights and is a patron of the Wooden Spoon Charity. In 2022, Nigel became an Ambassador for Accelerate Sport, working with the company to engage sports clubs on equality, diversity, LGBT+ inclusion and mental health.
At events, Nigel provides a professional and personable talk, backed by his experience as the host of the Welsh show ‘A Minute to Go’. Recognised from his sporting success, media work and LGBT commitments, Nigel is guaranteed to impress and engage audiences as your chosen speaker. Whether he is discussing his career on the pitch or harrowing journey with mental health, Nigel captivates audiences of all demographics.
Books
Half Time: The Autobiography
Derek And Nigel: Two Heads, One Tale
Nigel Owens: The Final Whistle: The long-awaited sequel to his bestselling autobiography!
How to hire Nigel Owens
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Nigel Owens 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.
Feedback From Virtual Events & Webinars
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigel attended many virtual events, booked as the exciting guest speaker. Read the feedback he has received below.
"Nigel Owens was a first class and most genuine gentleman. We were absolutely thrilled that he was able to join us for a call and he was sheer brilliance! The manner in which he spoke and conducted himself was first class. What a true gent. He was open, honest and truly inspirational. We would have him back again to join us. The feedback from the staff following our call was immense and everyone was thrilled. He absolutely has a wonderful brand and is so down to earth." - Eleri, Executive PA, Principality
"I just wanted to extend my thanks to Nigel for his talk; we had a great turnout and have already received some very positive feedback about the talk. It was very powerful and engaging and was exactly what we had hoped the talk would be. An example of some of the feedback we've had 'Nigel was very real and I think it was very easy to empathise with him. I think that was the most crucial element - he didn't have a corporate agenda or aim, he was just a real person sharing a real issue. It was brilliant!'. Many thanks" - Victoria, Head of Responsible Business, Berkeley Homes Limited
"It was absolutely brilliant. Loved it! The audience asked loads of questions and the feedback has been so positive" - Jenny, Pursuit Manager, Merkle
"On behalf of all the staff at Gilead, we would like to thank you for such an inspiring webinar today. The messages we have received have been overwhelming. We had just over 200 on the call (some were watching from a large screen in our meeting room). Thank you so much for your time and I wish you all the best in the future" - Donna, HR Business Partner, Gilead
"Yes, in terms of the quality of both speakers, very happy. Nigels speech has gone down well with staff" - Ed, Project Manager, Weston AC
"Please can you extend our thanks to Nigel for today, everyone really enjoyed the session." - Fiona, Merlin Homes
"Wow! Nigel was excellent! Very powerful talking about his experiences we had a lot of nice comments from the delegates, some moved to tears." - Caroline, Admin Officer, Weston College
"I was so impressed that I have asked my Director of Quality to book Nigel for our Academic conference." - Dr. Paul Phillips, Principle & Chief Executive, Weston College
Just wanted to drop a note to say what a fantastic speaker Nigel was yesterday. Unscripted authentic and both our Directors and staff were really inspired yesterday. He's a great speaker! - Hiral, VOA
"Great speaker" - Bev, We Are Social
Feedback From In-Person Events
Nigel is also booked as a speaker for a range of in-person events, read his latest feedback below.
"Nigel was amazing. Can't express how much the team and the 240 colleagues valued the conversation with him. Some really sensitive topics discussed with a few tears (a lot) in the audience, but it really resonated with a lot of colleagues on the line." - Pfizer
"Nigel was fantastic and has received really positive feedback" - Partners Capital LLP
"Just a quick note to say that Nigel was fantastic on Monday, delivered two powerful talks and was very kind & friendly - gave us more time than he needed to!" - Chris, Head of HR, IMI Truflo Marine
"Nigel was fabulous and everyone said how brilliant he was. He had us all laughing which is just what we needed after the seriousness of the conference." - Therese, Manitou Group
- 2022 - Published Nigel Owens: The Final Whistle: The long-awaited sequel to his bestselling autobiography
- 2007 - Stonewall's Gay Sports Personality of the Year
- 2016 - Appointed MBE for Services to Sport
- 2015 - Stonewall’s Gay Sports Personality of the Decade
- 2015 - Received the World Rugby Referee Award
- 2017 - Made his 150th Professional Refereeing Appearance
- 2017 - Named on the Leading LGBT Figures Pinc List
- Host of ‘A Minute to Go’
