10 Leading LGBT Speakers for Your Next Online Event – Voted by Popularity
What Are the Benefits of Hiring an LGBT Speaker?
Hiring an LGBT keynote speaker can energise your virtual audience and move the culture forward; these speakers draw on lived experience to inspire acceptance and authenticity, which fosters a more inclusive workplace. Evidence matters: diverse companies are 35% more likely to outperform competitors and 70% more likely to capture new markets; with just over 10% of young adults in the UK identifying as LGBT in 2023, doubling since 2018, representation on stage sends a powerful signal, and, because about one in three LGBT employees have left a job after feeling unwelcome, visible role models, allyship and belonging become strategic essentials. Delivered virtually, these messages reach dispersed teams at once, reduce costs and time zone friction, and create interactive Q&A moments that surface questions, build empathy and translate inclusion into everyday behaviours across regions.
On a motivational level, LGBT speakers share stories of overcoming adversity and breaking barriers across sport, business and public service, translating courage into practical lessons in resilience, leadership and empathy that teams can use immediately. Audiences leave inspired and better equipped, collaboration increases as people bring their full selves to work, and the effect ripples through the organisation, so booking an LGBT speaker for your online event becomes an investment in people and performance that sparks meaningful conversations, anchors inclusive behaviours and drives progress long after the screen goes dark for everyone.
Why Hire a Virtual Keynote Speaker?
Virtual keynote speakers are a convenient, powerful way to inspire, educate and unite teams wherever they are. Since the pandemic, online events have become mainstream for good reason. A virtual format expands accessibility and reach; you can include employees, clients and partners worldwide without travel costs or venue logistics. Everyone hears the same message at the same time, reinforcing company values across regions. Virtual events are cost-effective and flexible, needing only a reliable connection and a well prepared speaker, so even high profile LGBT speakers can be booked more affordably than in person. They are also highly interactive; live Q&As, polls and breakout chats let audiences engage directly. The result is a dynamic experience with participation. Recordings extend impact, creating value long after the session.
Who Are the Best LGBT Speakers Trending in the UK?
This official selection of the 10 leading LGBT speakers for online events in the UK is based on vetted data collected from 251 LGBT-themed events, exclusive speaker evaluations and comprehensive audience polls. Each speaker on this list has been ‘voted by popularity’, meaning they have consistently wowed audiences and earned top marks for their content and delivery. These are the in-demand LGBT role models who blend lived experience with practical business takeaways – perfect for virtual conferences, webinars and company events looking to make an impact.
- Dame Inga Beale – Inclusive leadership in finance
- Gareth Thomas – Culture change and allyship in sport
- Nicola Adams OBE – Breaking barriers and inclusive performance
- Jake & Hannah Graf – Trans inclusion and authentic leadership
- Kellie Maloney – Transition, resilience and brave conversations
- Colin Jackson CBE – High performance with pride
- Mark Foster – Elite mindset and LGBT visibility
- Tom Daley OBE – Purpose, perseverance and inclusion
- Dame Kelly Holmes – Winning habits and wellbeing
- Matt Lindley – Psychological safety and inclusive leadership
Dame Inga Beale
Former CEO of Lloyd’s of London, Dame Inga Beale led cultural and digital transformation while championing Pride@Lloyd’s and inclusive policies. A respected FTSE-level leader who is openly bisexual, she shows how authenticity, data and sponsorship drive performance and reduce risk. Inga translates board strategy into everyday actions, from inclusive hiring to measurable culture change, with examples from modernising a 330-year-old market. Book her for a virtual keynote when you need a credible voice linking inclusion to commercial outcomes; she engages senior leaders and frontline teams, and consistently scores highly with online audiences for clarity, candour and real-world impact.
Inga’s Official Testimonials
“We chose Dame Inga Beal to be the first key note speaker hosted by our global LGBTQ+ ERG. The event was to mark the international day against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. Overall we were extremely happy with the talk Dame Inga gave. Champions UK were also extremely helpful and always at hand throughout the whole process of organising the event.
We would highly recommend Dame Inga, we received fantastic feedback from the session with many people commenting on how impactful, inspirational and personal the story Dame Inga shared with us was. Her willingness to tackle any difficult questions that were raised during the talk made the event even more powerful and enabled us to convey the importance of an inclusive culture in the workplace.” – Christopher, UCB
Gareth Thomas
Rugby legend Gareth Thomas reshaped attitudes in sport as one of the first elite male players to come out while competing. He blends moving personal stories with simple behaviours teams can use the next day, from bystander action to inclusive language and allyship that sticks. Gareth speaks candidly about resilience, mental health and leadership under scrutiny, sharing lessons from captaining Wales and living authentically. Choose Gareth for a virtual keynote that unites global teams; his relatable delivery and practical tools earn top ratings in audience polls and make him a standout LGBT speaker for culture change, Pride programming and values roll-outs.
Gareth’s Official Testimonials
“The speech from Gareth went fantastically well and he responded to the questions brilliantly and there were plenty. He is such a lovely and warm person considering his life success and stardom. It was a real pleasure to be able to meet him. Thank you for all your assistance with arranging Gareth’s attendance, it made our conference really special and made all the stress in the preparation worth it.” – KeolisAmey Docklands Ltd
Nicola Adams OBE
Double Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams OBE broke barriers in a male-dominated sport and became a powerful voice for representation. She shares concrete habits for performing under pressure, building confidence and sustaining success, while reflecting on visibility moments such as her same-sex partnership on Strictly. Nicola’s warmth and humour land with mixed audiences, from graduates to senior leaders, and her takeaways on growth mindset are immediately usable. Book Nicola for an online event when you want a household name who links inclusion to performance; her sessions lift morale, spark conversation and model the value of authenticity in high-stakes environments.
Nicola’s Official Testimonials
“Fantastic! Nicola was open, honest and inspiring. It went amazingly well and we can’t wait to have her back.” – Macquarie Group Services
Jake & Hannah Graf
Captain Hannah Graf MBE, formerly one of the highest-ranking transgender officers in the British Army, and filmmaker Jake Graf deliver a compelling joint keynote on trans inclusion and authentic leadership. They move beyond policy to the human realities of recruitment, onboarding, language and support, using Q&A to build confidence and psychological safety. Their openness disarms audiences, while their practical guidance equips managers and ERGs to act. For virtual conferences, the Grafs’ dialogue format keeps engagement high and creates a safe space to learn; they’re a popular LGBT choice when you want empathy, clarity and actionable steps that improve belonging.
Jake & Hannah’s Official Testimonials
“Not only are Jake and Hannah charismatic, passionate, and informed speakers, but Jake’s films generated a lot of important discussion and questions from our audience. Their honesty around transition and candid answers to questions was endearing, and we have had only positive feedback from our event. Jake and Hannah were a pleasure to work with- happy to adapt to whatever style of speech we wanted them to deliver, and their charity work brought a lot of new faces to our company” – Alexandra, Business Analyst Citi
Kellie Maloney
Celebrated boxing promoter turned speaker, Kellie Maloney guided Lennox Lewis to world titles before publicly transitioning and rebuilding her life. She talks frankly about identity, media scrutiny and mental health, using wit and honesty to open brave conversations at work. Kellie gives leaders tangible ways to show compassion, set respectful norms and support colleagues through change. She resonates with large online audiences who value real stories and real solutions. Book Kellie for a virtual event when you want a popular LGBT speaker who will spark dialogue, reduce stigma and leave teams with practical actions for a kinder, more inclusive culture.
Kellie’s Official Testimonials
“We have just finished working with Kellie on a large scale conference. The theme was around gender identity and stereotypes, and our audience was split between practitioners and members of the public. Kellie was an absolute joy to work with from the start. Kellie arrived early to conduct media interviews which she was incredibly professional at doing. Kellie spoke on a stage to 700 people for about 40minutes and absolutely captivated the audience throughout. I have had a lot of positive feedback since the event, all because of Kellie’s presentation, and the way she spoke about her personal experiences. Kellie has a true talent for public speaking, and is a great name to attract people to your event. My thanks also to team at Champions UK who were easy to work with, and always communicated with me promptly.” – Rhiannon Greenslade, Safer Poole Partnership
Colin Jackson CBE
World champion hurdler and broadcaster Colin Jackson CBE brings elite performance lessons to life with infectious energy. He shares the routines that kept him composed on the world stage, then ties them to business performance, confidence and adaptability, while speaking with pride about LGBT visibility. Expect uplifting stories, crisp tools and honest reflection on authenticity. Colin is ideal for online kick-offs and all-hands where you need a lift and lasting takeaways; his positive presence holds attention on screen, and his inclusive message reinforces the core of this blog: book a leading LGBT speaker to boost performance and belonging.
Colin’s Official Testimonials
“Colin, a huge thank you for being such a superb host for our National Training Award events. You hit just the right note, made the winners feel special and brought your own personal energy and enthusiasm to all the events. We were also delighted that your own skills development journey mirrored our aims and objectives so well. Thank you.” – National Training & UK Skills Awards
Mark Foster
Six-time World Champion swimmer and five-time Olympian, Mark Foster blends poolside stories with practical advice on focus, composure and being yourself at work. After coming out publicly, he became a trusted voice on authenticity in high-performance environments, showing how openness strengthens teams and leadership. Mark’s relatable style and light humour suit broad audiences, sports fans or not, and his pressure-management tips translate straight into daily routines. For virtual events, he engages effortlessly through chat and Q&A. Choose Mark when you want a popular LGBT speaker who connects elite mindset with inclusive culture, raising confidence and collaboration across remote teams.
Mark’s Official Testimonials
“I’d like to thank Mark for his massive contribution to our event. He was a total hit with the audience and is scoring 10/10 in our post event survey! From my perspective, he encapsulated the brief perfectly and got all the messages I needed out to the team in a really compelling but down to earth way. His style was relaxed but he had everyone hooked from the start, right through to the end. The Q&A was a real highlight and I really appreciate him addressing the many questions from the floor in such an encouraging way. Inspirational! Mark was open, warm, friendly and extremely polite to everyone he met on the night and very accommodating to the many ‘selfie’ requests. Genuinely a lovely human being! Everyone was still talking about Mark the next day which shows the deep impact he had on the team and I’m sure this will encourage them to test themselves ‘beyond limits’ in the future.” – Nathalie, BT & EE
Tom Daley OBE
Olympic champion Tom Daley OBE mixes star power with substance, speaking on perseverance, purpose and pride. He reflects on life in the spotlight, coming out, and using his platform to champion LGBT inclusion, while sharing practical methods for resilience and goal-setting. Tom’s stories, including his Tokyo knitting focus hack, make performance lessons memorable and fun. He resonates with global audiences and external clients alike, making him a headline choice for webinars and all-hands. Book Tom for a virtual keynote when you want a widely recognised LGBT speaker who inspires action, unites teams and anchors your event in inclusive values.
Dame Kelly Holmes
Double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes is candid about the highs of victory and the realities of mental health, identity and sustainable success. She teaches simple, repeatable habits that improve performance and wellbeing, and explains how authenticity and support networks fuel long-term results. Kelly’s accessible style makes complex topics manageable for any team. She shines on virtual platforms, where her Q&A demystifies resilience and inclusive leadership. Choose Kelly when you want a leading LGBT speaker who will motivate, reduce stigma and leave people with tools they can use immediately, aligning perfectly with this blog’s focus on impact at online events.
Kelly’s Official Testimonials
“Kelly was fantastic. We enjoyed having her on stage and the audience were clearly engaged – she covered a wide variety of topics in a relatable way. I have heard nothing but positive feedback from attendees. The crowd were particularly interested in her charitable endeavours. She was both humble and inspiring.” – Indeed
Matt Lindley
Former RAF fast-jet pilot and airline captain Matt Lindley translates aviation’s briefing and debriefing into practical routines managers can run next week. As one of the RAF’s first openly gay pilots, he shows how leadership behaviours create psychological safety, enabling people to speak up early and improve outcomes. Matt’s calm, methodical delivery lands well online, with clear frameworks and relatable case studies. He’s a top pick for virtual manager training, risk teams and ERGs seeking inclusive leadership skills. Book Matt when you want a popular LGBT speaker who turns inclusion into process, raising performance and trust across dispersed, hybrid organisations.
Matt’s Official Testimonials
“The delivery by Matt was exceptional, his take on his experiences in the RAF really hit the mark and his humour/story telling was appreciated by so many. From those that I have discussed this with they were extremely impressed with his presentation, there was so much contained within it that it really gave food for thought on how the RAF was then and how it is now. His range was truly amazing from his sexuality, his drive and motivation, mental health and leadership (being able to listen) everyone listening was able to take something from it. Truly remarkable and in all honesty I so glad we could have him deliver for us.” – Paul, RAFC Cranwell
Book an LGBT Speaker Today
Booking an LGBT speaker energises audiences with inspiring stories and actionable advice while reinforcing your commitment to inclusion. These speakers embody resilience, authenticity and change, sparking innovation, boosting morale, and fostering inclusive cultures that leave lasting impact and motivation at any online event.
Ready to elevate your virtual event? Explore more speakers on our website or get in touch with our team to find the perfect match for your audience. Book an LGBT speaker today to ensure your next conference or webinar is both empowering and unforgettable. For enquiries, feel free to reach out via our Contact Us page, or call The Virtual Online Speakers Agency on 0203 9317 391. Let us help you create an online event that celebrates diversity, inspires excellence, and leaves a lasting impression!
- Diversity & Inclusion
- 7 November, 2025
