NMP LIVE LIMITED - Key Persons

Afua Hirsch

Afua Hirsch is a former barrister, award-winning journalist, broadcaster and human rights campaigner. She regularly writes for the Guardian and Observer newspapers, moderates corporate seminars and plenary sessions, speaks at conferences, and delivers keynote speeches on diversity and inclusion, social justice, anti-racism, identity, unconscious bias and the media. She was raised in Wimbledon, a testing ground for her observations about the divisions in modern Britain; London is one of the most diverse cities in the world, yet the privileged, hillside enclave, where Afua grew up was almost exclusively white. From a young age, she had to make sense of the ways in which people racialised her - a mixed-race, black girl with an African name and a middle class upbringing - while at the same time claiming that they "did not see race". Afua had to work out for herself the history of where those ideas originated, and why that history has shaped our world in so many profound ways, addressing it rarely and in the most selective ways. Afua Hirsch left school in 1999 and studied philosophy, politics and economics at St Peter's College, University of Oxford. There she focused on African politics and wrote a thesis on how the traditional role of women in Ghanaian society had shaped postcolonial contemporary national politics. After graduating in 2002 with a degree in politics and a law degree, Afua qualified as a barrister in 2006 at the Bar of England and Wales, and trained at Doughty Street Chambers. A chamber which has pioneered advocacy and jurisprudence on human rights in England and Wales, and around the world. There, she practiced human rights law in criminal defence, public and international law before realising that, ultimately, what she really wanted, was to communicate the importance of these struggles to a wider audience. And so she turned her focus to journalism. In 2008, Afua Hirsch became the legal affairs correspondent for the Guardian Newspaper. Then in 2011, she moved to Ghana as the Guardian's West Africa correspondent, covering a large part of West and Central Africa for the newspaper. Having moved back to the UK several years later, Afua began making TV in earnest in 2014 when she joined Sky News as the Social Affairs editor, a position she held until 2017. She reported on stories ranging from the return of slums in the UK's deteriorating private rental sector, to the girl born into and trapped in a cult until her 30's. She is currently a regular contributor to Sky News debate show The Pledge, and participates in other current affairs programmes including C4 News, BBC2 Newsnight, BBC1 Question Time, and CNN. Afua also writes feature length articles for publications ranging from Time Magazine, Vogue, the Sunday Times and the Observer. Afua Hirsch is a Booker Prize judge, the world's leading literary prize for works of fiction in the English language. She is also one half of the fashion brand Sika, which creates ethically-made, African inspired men's and women's wear clothing, made in Ghana, sold globally. Her first published book, released in 2018, Brit(ish): On Race, Identity And Belonging was awarded a Royal Society of Literature Jerwood Prize for Non-Fiction and is an Amazon best-seller. In October 2020, Afua co-presented Enslaved: The Lost History of the Transatlantic Slave Trade alongside Hollywood movie icon and human rights activist Samuel L Jackson. Enslaved is a critically acclaimed and groundbreaking six-part documentary about the transatlantic slave trade, which aired on BBC2 and shone a light on 400-years of human trafficking and the millions of Africans who were shipped to the Americas. To book Afua Hirsch, please submit an online enquiry to booking.agent@nmp.co.uk or contact one of our booking agents on +44 (0)20 3822 0003.

Alex Macqueen

Job Titles:

BAFTA Nominated Actor Best Known for the Thick of It and the Inbetweeners

Alex Macqueen is a BAFTA nominated actor and qualified Barrister. He is best known for his roles as Julius Nicholson in the BBC's 'Thick Of It' and Neil's Dad in the Channel 4 comedy 'The Inbetweeners'. He is a very experienced and engaging speaker, sharing anecdotes from the world of film and TV, as well as insights from his experience as a Barrister and Master of the Bench, at London's Middle Temple. He has chaired the 'Downing Street Debates' at Number 10 and hosted conferences and awards including the ULTRA Travel Awards, Simpsons Healthcare conference and the Middle Temple Annual Dinner. He is in demand as an entertaining after dinner speaker, both for the legal profession and audiences who like to hear what really goes on backstage in the theatre, on film sets and in court. He has a long association working with Sir Kenneth Branagh, which began when he was directed by him in Disney's 'Cinderella', before going on to star opposite him in the West End version of 'The Painkiller', and the Sony Classic movie, 'All Is True'. Most recently, he starred opposite Hugh Bonneville in the 'Downton Abbey: A New Era', Will Ferrell in Jesse Armstrong's 'Downhill' and Michael Caine in Paolo Sorrentino's 'Youth'. He was nominated for a BAFTA for the HBO comedy, 'Sally4Ever' and an Evening Standard Award for the Film 4 thriller, 'The Hide'. He's also appeared in family favourites, The Durrells, Outnumbered, Miranda, Peaky Blinders, The IT Crowd, Black Mirror and This Is England… to name but a few. To book Alex Macqueen, please submit an online enquiry to booking.agent@nmp.co.uk or contact one of our booking agents on +44 (0)20 3822 0003.

Alexandra Wilson

As a barrister, Alexandra specialises in criminal and family law To book Alexandra Wilson, please submit an online enquiry to booking.agent@nmp.co.uk or contact one of our booking agents on +44 (0)20 3822 0003.

Alison Steadman

Alison Steadman has established a career that spans over film, television, theatre and radio. As the star of Mike Leigh's plays and films, one of her best known roles was as the lead actress in Abigail's Party.

Andrew McMillan

Job Titles:

Customer Service and Experience Expert

Andrew McMillan spent 28 years with John Lewis Department Stores, the last eight of which he was responsible for customer experience across the department store division. That customer experience culture is something that has now became synonymous with the John Lewis brand. Andrew started his career as a management trainee with the John Lewis Partnership at Brent Cross. He quickly moved up through the management ranks and led a number of selling teams in different branches culminating in managing the furniture floor in the flagship Oxford Street branch. From there he moved to the head office to take charge of the department stores' customer-centric Intelligence Team. They acted as an internal business consultancy reporting on competitive strategy, product differentiation and value, catchment area demographics for new branches and customer service. In 2000, Andrew McMillan was asked to lead on customer service for the department store division. The role saw him develop JLP's market-leading culture and attitude towards customer service and sales with the 20,000 customer-facing Partners in 26 John Lewis shops across the UK. During his tenure, JLP won awards for customer service from Which?, Verdict and Retail Week and were frequently cited in the media as a leading customer oriented organisation. Andrew was also responsible for the management and resolution of the group's escalated customer complaints. While at John Lewis, Andrew advised many other non-competing organisations on their customer service strategy and became recognised as an expert in the field. Andrew McMillan joined the Customer Experience Committee at the British Council of Shopping Centres during his time at John Lewis; he was asked the Chair the committee in 2010. This role maintains Andrew's strong links with the retail community, where he has a particular interest in promoting the viability of the UK's shopping centres and High Streets as valuable social spaces in addition to the commercial benefits they bring. During Andrew's chairmanship the committee developed and grew the awards substantially to well over 100 shopping centre entrants which has raised the profile and importance of customer experience in the retail property sector. Andrew McMillan speaks at conferences and seminars worldwide, and across all business sectors, as well as local government, health and not-for-profit. In presentations, he explains that great customer experience cannot be taught but reflects a great internal culture. By developing a personality and values that are realistic, honest, and shared, organisations can deliver a degree of long lasting, competitive differentiation that few achieve, but many aspire to. Content for Andrew's speeches is created collaboratively and tailored to the exact requirements of your event, so no two presentations are ever identical. Along with stories and examples from his extensive experience, presentations also include practical solutions that can be implemented quickly and with minimal cost. To book Andrew McMillan, please submit an online enquiry to booking.agent@nmp.co.uk or contact one of our booking agents on +44 (0)20 3822 0003.

Anthony Hilton

Job Titles:

Evening Standard Financial Editor and Wincott Business Journalist of the Year

Azeem Rafiq

Job Titles:

British Asian County Cricketer. Author of ‘It's Not Banter, It 's Racism

Azeem Rafiq is a British Asian cricketer who played professionally for Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC), Derbyshire County Cricket Club, and Lincolnshire County Cricket Club, making his senior debut at the age of just 17 and captained the England under-15 and under-19 sides. In 2012, he became the youngest man to captain a Yorkshire side as well as the first person of Asian origin to do so. In 2018, Azeem's world changed forever. He lost his baby son, and soon after he also lost the career that he had worked his entire life for. While at YCCC, Azeem suffered racism and bullying and it took him many years to fully understand the impact of his suffering, particularly his treatment by the club during a very difficult time. In 2020, he spoke out about the discrimination that not only he faced but discrimination across the game and took legal action against the club hoping to create change across the sport. His brave actions forced an overhaul of the toxic culture and behaviour both present at YCCC and in the sport more widely. As a consequence, several other cricketers have felt empowered to come forward with their experiences of discrimination. Azeem hopes that future generations of aspiring cricketers will be able to play the game they love without fear of humiliation. A Cricket Discipline Commission proved charges Azeem led and have brought the game into disrepute through their clear use of racist and discriminatory language. For Azeem, this experience was about confronting the institutionalised racism that's been going on for decades in English Cricket and starting to promote change in a community that is very naïve and hesitant to change. Azeem is keen to use his experience to help society to understand the lived experience and impact of conscious and unconscious bias, as well as having a renewed purpose and mission to campaign for a meaningful change in global sport. Rafiq has entered a new and exciting chapter and has authored his book "It's Not Banter, It's Racism: What Cricket's Dirty Secret Reveals About Our Society". To book Azeem Rafiq, please submit an online enquiry to booking.agent@nmp.co.uk or contact one of our booking agents on +44 (0)20 3822 0003.

Belinda Carlisle

To book Belinda Carlisle, please submit an online enquiry to booking.agent@nmp.co.uk or contact one of our booking agents on +44 (0)20 3822 0003.

Ben Collins

Job Titles:

Expert

Ben Collins is an expert on driving and the mental aptitude required to be a professional. He is able to communicate what it feels like to race, where split-second timing, high pressure and total focus are key, and then to adapt these skills to the challenges of everyday life. His strength of character was revealed very early on, when as a child his family moved to America and he was enrolled into a local swimming team. His competitive nature drove him to nationwide competition and a gruelling training regime of 30 hours a week by the age of 7. Winning was etched into his ethos and the determination to succeed has remained a constant throughout his life. Ben Collins understands the corporate world well, and as Brand Manager for Hornby Scalextric for several years, he was responsible for a significant upturn in sales. Ben spends a great deal of time hosting corporate events and track days and is sensitive to the complexities of the business world. Ben Collins is continually in demand as an after dinner speaker and motivational speaker due to his unique career and continuing success. His entertaining anecdotes and tales of incredible stunts make for a truly unique experience, with a story of strong commitment and an iron will that has helped establish Ben as a world class performer. Ben Collins has a wealth of stories from his eight years as Top Gear's The Stig, from coaching the likes of Tom Cruise, Ellen MacArthur, Gordon Ramsay and Cameron Diaz to organised high voltage car chases and testing hundreds of priceless cars. To book Ben Collins, please submit an online enquiry to booking.agent@nmp.co.uk or contact one of our booking agents on +44 (0)20 3822 0003.

Bill Grimsey

Job Titles:

Retail Expert & CEO Positions With Several Major UK and International Retailers

Bill Grimsey Retail expert & CEO positions with several major UK and international retailers

BJ Cunningham

Job Titles:

Branding and Communications Expert

Björn Ulvaeus Legendary singer-songwriter, selling more than 400 million records with ABBA

Bruce Dickinson

Job Titles:

Lead Singer of Iron Maiden, Entrepreneur, Business Investor and Speaker

Bruce Dickinson Lead singer of Iron Maiden, entrepreneur, business investor and speaker

Cally Beaton

Job Titles:

Award Winning Comedian, Writer and Business Mentor

Caspar Berry

Caspar Berry speaks in his capacity as a former professional poker player who lived and worked in Las Vegas for three years and went on to become the UK's premier poker TV commentator and the poker advisor on Casino Royale. To book Caspar Berry, please submit an online enquiry to booking.agent@nmp.co.uk or contact one of our booking agents on +44 (0)20 3822 0003.

Clive Coleman

Clive Coleman is the BBC's Legal Correspondent, a role he arrived at via a career as a barrister, Principal Lecturer in Law, and then one of the country's leading comedy writers. He works across television news and radio, appearing regularly on the Today programme, Five Live, Breakfast, The News Channel and BBC news bulletins.For six years from 2004-2010 he presented the BBC's flagship legal analysis programme 'Law In Action' on Radio 4, a role for which, in 2009, he won the Bar Council's Legal Broadcasting Award. Clive has presented many other television and radio programmes for the BBC including Panorama (BBC1), Profile (R4), Pick of the Week (R4), The Cases That Changed Our World (R4). Clive Coleman began his career as a barrister in 1986 at the chambers of Robin Stewart QC at 2 Harcourt Buildings, Temple. Working in both crime and civil law, for prosecution and defence, his career started in spectacular fashion when he managed to get his first client off with a mere six-month prison sentence. That was for a parking offence, though, to be fair, he had just parked on top of his social worker! So, it's perhaps not surprising that he saw the funny side of life in court and wanted to write about it. His television credits include: 'Dead Ringers', 'Spitting Image', 'Smith and Jones' and 'Chambers' his hit BBC1 sit-com about barristers, starring John Bird, James Fleet and Sarah Lancashire. He's also written a huge amount of comedy for Radio with credits including, 'Weekending', 'The News Huddlines' and his sit-com 'Spending My Inheritance', starring Kris Marshall. Clive Coleman's also written television drama for the ITV series 'The Bill' (for whom he has also acted as a legal consultant on court based story lines). In 1992, Clive Coleman won the prestigious BBC Radio Light Entertainment Contract Writers Award. In 1998 he won the BBC's inaugural 'Frank Muir Award', for outstanding comedy writing. He has also written regularly on 'The Times' comment pages and for 'The Guardian' and 'The Independent'. Clive Coleman has delivered keynote and after dinner speeches to an array of UK based and multinational companies, trade and professional bodies. Not restricted by any means to the legal profession, Clive's after dinner speech will delight audiences from all professions and walks of life - offering a hilarious and unique perspective on the quirkiness of the world in which we live today. To book Clive Coleman, please submit an online enquiry to booking.agent@nmp.co.uk or contact one of our booking agents on +44 (0)20 3822 0003.

Colin Maclachlan

Colin Maclachlan spent nearly 17 years in the military, the latter half with UK Special Forces (Mountain Troop, 22 SAS). During his time in the Special Forces he held various roles from Sniper Commander, Driver Commander, Instructor on Selection Training Wing, Surveillance Operator, Forward Air Controller, Medic, Bodyguard, SF Exchange Programme with Delta Force and Seal Team 6. He left the SAS in 2006 after his high profile capture and subsequent rescue in Iraq. Since then he has been involved in bodyguarding the likes of the Saudi Royal Family, ‘A List' Celebrities and large news networks. Colin holds an MA (Hons) in History from Edinburgh University and an M.Litt. in Terrorism from St. Andrews. He currently writes articles and commentates on military and terrorism related topics. Colin Maclachlan was involved in some of the most successful and high profile operations in the SAS's recent history. More recently, he has been involved in the highly acclaimed Channel 4 series SAS: WHO DARES WINS and has appeared on several TV and Radio shows as well as writing many pieces for national newspapers. Colin has also been undertaking motion capture work and consultancy for video games such as Rockstar Games and is credited on Grand Theft Auto III, IV, and V, Red Dead Redemption and LA Noire. He is involved in a number of charities including being a Patron for the Lee Rigby Foundation, Ambassador for the Pilgrims Charity, Help for Heroes and many more. To book Colin Maclachlan, please submit an online enquiry to booking.agent@nmp.co.uk or contact one of our booking agents on +44 (0)20 3822 0003.