Testimonials

Executive Speech Coaching

"Simon allowed me to sharpen my communication skills at a time when I was truly struggling to communicate my ideas clearly and eloquently.

He equipped me with the confidence and boost I needed while making me realize where my issues were stemming from.

He was able to identify clearly my struggles and provide great recommendations. Truly grateful for this opportunity Simon - thank you so much."

Melanie Anne Cremona, Project Coordinator at Thomson Reuters Foundation, Oxford MPP, Public Policy Consultant - July 2021

"I found the coaching sessions I had with Simon immensely beneficial and also enjoyable. One of the best parts was how bespoke they are and how good Simon is at listening and tailoring advice to specific and individual circumstances.

His wealth of experience is very evident - I especially like how he is able to model certain verbal approaches and communication methods and draw on examples to illustrate different techniques.

I hope to continue to build on what we learnt in our sessions, especially in regards to Plant Your Future and the use of storytelling to better communicate key messages."

Jenny Henman, Policy Lead Natural Climate Solutions at bp - May 2021

"I worked with Simon over a period of 4 months about 2 years into my first FT job in consulting. We established a clear set of goals for improving my communication and presentation skills, then used each session to introduce & experiment with practical skills, prepare for upcoming meetings/presentations, and practice the art of telling my story.

He also provided support inbetween meetings, taking impromptu calls and giving feedback on 'rehearsals' ahead of key meetings.

Simon was a truly fantastic coach whose teachings stay with me today. The tactics he shared with me enabled me to progress at work, interview successfully for my dream business school, and build my brand here in Silicon Valley.

I sincerely recommend him as a coach regardless of the stage you're at in your career, and would not hesitate to turn to him again in mine."

Victoria Germanova, Strategy & Ops @ Salesforce I MBA Candidate at Stanford

"One of the best investments in personal development I had at BP was to engage Simon Bucknall as a personal public speaking coach.

He was phenomenal and key to my moving from being a very nervous public speaker to a strong and confident one.

Simon is now the world number 2 at public speaking and has a masterclass in London at the end of this month.

I thoroughly recommend this to all my friends."

Joe Little, Self-employed, Former CTO - Senior Technology Consultant at BP

"In 2019 I had the pleasure of working with Simon while pitching at the final of The Venture, the most important competition for social entrepreneurs. Simon not only helped me to deliver a perfect pitch to an audience of 2,500 people, he also helped me to improve my body language and storytelling abilities.

I am very certain that I won that contest thanks to Simon's help."

Javier Larragoiti Kuri, Founder of XiliNat, Researcher, Department of Chemical Engineering, Mexico, Global Winner of The Chivas Venture 2019

"Simon, the direction you took me in within a 25 minute phone call opened my eyes to a whole concept in my TEDx speech I was yet to uncover.

I can now absolutely see why you have the reputation that you do.

To say I am thankful is an understatement."

Sarah-Ann Macklin, Nutritionist & Model, Founder of the Be Well Collective, TEDx Speaker, 'THE JAMIE OLIVER OF NUTRITION' Marie Claire Magazine

"Thank you for your incredible contribution to the Chivas Venture 2018 - from the initial inspiration during the Accelerator Programme in Oxford, all the way through to the Final Stage in Amsterdam.

I was blown away by how the Top 5 Chivas Venture finalists stepped up and delivered such impressive and engaging pitches in front of 2,500+ people, following their work with you.

You tailored your advice to meet each entrepreneur's needs and your coaching made a real difference to this year's Final event."

Laurence Mainaud, Global Brand Manager, Chivas Venture

"In 2018, Simon coached me with public speaking, style, helped write my pitch, and gave me every imaginable tip to manage my nerves, present with esteem, conviction and win over the audience - with his help I went on to pitch to 3,000 people and win the World Social Enterprise competition.

I cannot recommend him more highly to any CEO or senior executive looking to perfect their speaking and win over an audience."

Cemal Ezel, Founder of Change Please, 2017 UK Social Entrepreneur of the Year, Global Winner of The Chivas Venture

"I recently had the privilege of Simon's 1-2-1 mentoring, both developing as a speaker and building speaking as a business. Simon has excellent knowledge and experience in these areas. His style is direct, honest and inspiring.

I can recommend Simon to anyone looking at taking their speaking or speaking business to the next level."

Cameron Blair, Expert public speaking coach helping you speak, persuade and lead in business

"In helping us prepare for a series of investor-critical presentations, Simon worked one-to-one with our entire team of speakers over several months.

He made a huge difference, helping them speak with a confidence I've not seen before. Key stakeholders from the audience made a point of commenting on how impressed they were by the value and impact of the presentations.

Simon has made a significant and permanent difference to our people's effectiveness as speakers."

Nic Humphries, HgCapital London

"Simon has supported DPD over the last three years to great success - he's the 'Go To Man' for Senior Managers in our business who want to develop their presentation skills."

Paul Sartain, HR & Development, DPD Group

"A few hours spent with the awesome Simon Bucknall - worth every penny. If you're looking for public speaking coaching, Simon's your man."

Andy Hart, Financial Advisor, Founder Maven Advisor Ltd

"Working with Simon really changed both my work and my academic life... building and inspiring confidence in speaking publicly as well as understanding how to build a message to deliver. Be that a business powerpoint presentation or an academic argument in a multi thousand word document.

I would recommend Simon to any individual looking to grow their skills and confidence as well as any organisations looking to build how their employees take the business message out to the market and engage with clients."

Richard Robinson MBA CMgr FCMI, VMware Cloud on AWS - Partner Success Manager EMEA

"My presentation was a huge success! What's more, my future career is brighter as a result of the presentation and the know-how I learnt from you. Meeting Simon was one of the best things that has happened in my career. Huge thanks..."

International Brand Manager, a global beverages firm

"If there's one person who can make public speaking sound easy, it's Simon Bucknall."

The Chivas Venture, (Simon coached finalists from initial 2,300 global social entrepreneur applicants in 2016, in March 2017 and again in March 2018) at Said Business School, University of Oxford

"The Blavatnik School of Government [University of Oxford] is dedicated to a world better led, served and governed. These aspirations depend on a deep ability to communicate and connect and we are incredibly fortunate to have Simon guiding us on a range of techniques and skills.

His experience, counsel and passion are all hugely appreciated by decision makers from across 70 different countries."

Oliver Blake, Director and Co-Founder, Blake Evans & Co

"Simon has been working with graduate students at Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government and I can personally say that I have learned so much from my one-to-one session with Simon.

His feedback and advice are so specific, practical and applicable.

I am thrilled to have met Simon, and will continue to recommend him to all doctoral students I come across who need to work on translating their ideas into understandable speeches and presentations.

Thank you Simon!"

Jieun Baek, Ph.D candidate in Public Policy, Blavatnik School of Government

"Simon gave me excellent advice on my upcoming talk for TEDxLBS - great pointers on both narrative and delivery that really put the final polish on my presentation!"

Kelly Price, Senior Vice President, Oncology Business Unit at The Planning Shop international

"Working with Simon is a real inspiration. He helped me with writing and delivering an important speech from my heart ... presentation style and my voice ... I find sessions with Simon priceless.

He has a great talent of storytelling ... you can develop your key messages, find roots of creating connection to the audience and in the end - persuade and make a change!

He is very kind and supportive ... believes that words matter ... you are beginner or an expert in public speaking - you will find Simon's assistance as one of the most important experiences for your professional life.

In any field where you need to speak up and win your arguments - Simon is a great person to help you with achieving it! Highly recommended!"

Lisa Yasco, Master of Public Policy Candidate, President of Oxford University Ukrainan Society, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford

"I employed Simon for one-on-one presentation skills coaching, as I was required to speak at my company's annual conference.

With Simon's advice, coaching and guidance, I gained valuable knowledge and confidence which made a huge difference to, and significantly improved, my delivery on the day.

Simon is a great coach, and I will certainly consider using his services within my business going forward."

Gary Pryke, Managing Director, Rohlig UK Ltd

"I was recently promoted into a role where public speaking and inspiring people has become more central to my ability to be effective. I was amazed by how effective just one session was.

I heard indirectly that my presentation had been particularly inspirational - one person even contacted the Director of my organisation to say how impressed he had been. Without any exaggeration, I give all the credit for this success to Simon."

Esther Stevenson, former Head of Africa, Christian Aid

"Working one-to-one with Simon was a terrific experience. It was tailored to my individual needs and I found the feedback particularly helpful. I can recommend Simon to any professional looking for greater impact as a communicator."

Damien Balmet, VP Corporate Development, Mumtalakat Bahrain Investments

"Simon helped me transform a dull standard webcast for 330 professionals in 55 countries into something exciting, inspiring and effective."

Tony Craddock, CEO Global Prepaid Exchange

"An expert on presentations - if you ever need help or a refresh, he's your man."

Claire Young, BBC Apprentice Finalist & Motivational Speaker

"My session with Simon was hugely beneficial. The way he helped me to isolate my key message and then build from there really paid dividends. If anyone needs help in sculpting a speech, Simon should be your first port of call."

Neil Bakewell, 'The Man Who Lost 20 Stone' & Motivational Speaker

"I just wanted you to know that my client presentation went very well. I felt it flowed much better than usual, making it more engaging for the client. The new approach to the material also matched their thinking very closely. So a success!"

Mary Longhurst, Managing Director and Founder, Epoch Communications

"I needed some guidance in terms of voice pitching and techniques. Simon was efficient in spite of the short time allocated. I highly recommend his services for those who decide to make SPEAKING part of their career. The best."

Wafa Al Hamed, Inter-cultural Trainer, Culture and Company, United Arab Emirates

"After I won the London Speech Contest, I thought my contest speech was really good, but Simon amazingly managed to find a way to make it even better and polish it up.

He made a lot of valid suggestions which I took on board and placed 2nd in UK & Ireland Speech Contest a few weeks later. He also gave me a lot of useful tips about how to behave on a big stage when speaking to a large audience. He's also a very friendly guy and I enjoyed a lot working with him on that speech!"

Jakub Pawloski, Senior Java Front Office Developer at BP, London Division B Governor at Toastmasters International

"Simon is not only highly accomplished in the art of public speaking; he is also a terrific public speaking coach. His practical, insightful feedback makes a real difference. If you are a high-achieving professional, and you want to achieve greater impact when speaking in public, then contact Simon."

Rafael Tselikas Mauro, Development Manager, MKG Group, and Winner of the 2012 JCI UK Public Speaking Championship

Masterclasses

"Simon runs captivating classes for the Public Policy students at the Blavatnik School of Government. I have learnt the art of story-telling, the skill in answering tricky questions and how to speak confidently in front of an audience.

Simon's personal flare and ability to engage is outstanding. The professional classes have embodied the top quality teaching that Oxford is renowned for."

Tessa Vincent, Public Policy l Climate Action l Food Waste Reduction (Event at Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford)

"Dear Simon, Thank you for gracing us today with your presentation! I've never been so engaged for 10 minutes let alone 3 hours. Thank you for also sharing your story and bringing us confidence and lowering fear levels about such a necessary item as public speaking.

Imperial College hit a grand slam by working with you."

Yanni Melissas, Sales/Business Dev. & Entrepreneur, Imperial College London

"Packed full of insights into the power of communication and advice on how to maximise the impact and increase the engagement of a presentation."

Katie Butcher, Consultant at Vendigital, Young MCA Masterclass in Communication, Management Consultancies Association

"During his sessions in both Brussels and Potsdam, Simon quickly established a strong connection with all of the EWA participants. In addition to providing technical guidance, Simon enabled the EWA participants to discover their own unique motivation and courage to speak more confidently, powerfully and effectively.

In over 20 years of working in international politics and training candidates, I have never seen a more remarkable improvement in speaking abilities in such a short amount of time."

Ian Marquardt, Director of the European Women's Academy, ALDE

"I'd just like to let you know how well received your recent session was. We've had extremely positive feedback from the MBAs."

Emma Cooper, Careers Consultant, Imperial College London

"I just wanted to say thank you for a truly amazing workshop last Wednesday at LBS [London Business School]. During my eight years at different universities, we received several presentation and communication trainings but this was by far the best and most useful one."

PhD student, London Business School

"An extraordinary night ... Simon taught us how to divide segments of your communication goals and deliver in a brilliant way. In addition he gave us several tips about how to start a sentence when giving a speech to achieve impact on people.

The "REP" structure he gave us is very helpful and easy to implement in our daily speakings.

He also made the workshop lively by inviting several attendees to interact with him on the stage and point out the key things for communication we've to notice.

The workshop was fully booked 2 days before the event and we had very high attendance."

Liang T Li, President, MLP London Bridge Speakers

"I had the great pleasure of following Simon Bucknall's public speaking training at University of Oxford recently. What a pleasure to see such a professional in action. I have followed public speaking trainings before, including for when I was running for a seat in parliament.

But Simon is a class of his own. He is public speaking.

We left the training empowered and we can't wait to put his lessons into practice."

Gerhard Mulder, 2017 Executive MBA Candidate, Said Business School, University of Oxford

"Your training at Rosendale [school staff] was excellent and massively improved my public speaking. It has helped develop my communication skills in ways that go far beyond addressing audiences.

The training equipped me to speak, both publicly and privately, with greater assurance and poise. Simon's approach has helped me structure and express my ideas in a concise and clear way.

Even four years on, it remains the most useful training I have ever had at work - the impact on my career has been huge."

Joe Halloran, Computing Teaching and Learning Consultant (delivered retrospectively on Staff Training, Rosendale Primary School, West Dulwich, London)

"If there's one man who can make public speaking sound easy, it's Simon Bucknall."

The Chivas Venture

"Incredible advice from Simon Bucknall on how to get our pitch perfect."

I-Drop Water, Finalist at Chivas Venture, Accelerator Week, Said Business School, University of Oxford

"I attended Simon's public speaking coaching sessions at the Said Business School, University of Oxford. Simon led by example and provided clear tips on structure, inserting words, leading with stories and stance.

Now I can sense the distinct uptick in engagement in a room of diverse nationalities and backgrounds. I can also prepare far more comfortably around my key messages and theme. I hope to keep practicing and coming back for more sessions to continue progressing."

Tarun Varma, Pershing Square Scholar, University of Oxford, 1+1 MBA, MSc Child Development and Education Fellow 2011, Teach for India

"THANK YOU again for last week's sessions. What I've appreciated most has been the increased thought the team has been putting into how they come across and what they say.

Colleagues in other teams have already commented on the improvement in both skills and confidence."

Emma Truswell, Deputy Head of Services, Open Data Institute (ODI)

"In the last 10 years I have never devoted so much time to a course as this one.

This is due to the quality of the presenter, Simon, who was extremely impressive as a speaker and also very personable, genuinely interested in helping participants which made the experience enjoyable."

Nadeem Masud, Head of Corporate & Investment Banking for Middle East & North Africa, Deutsche Bank

"People in leadership positions have to take this course."

Mahmoud Jamjoom, Joint MD, Jamjoom Pharmaceuticals, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

"I would say that Simon has changed something in my life. His course is one I have been waiting for a long time."

Othman Khalid Al Otaibi, Lawyer, Laws2U, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

"The best course I have ever attended. I definitely recommend it."

Rashid Salem Al Saedi, Chief Administrative Officer, Ministry of Presidential Affairs, United Arab Emirates

"Great experience."

Peter Osterman, Director, Global Hub, GAC, United Arab Emirates

"Empowering. Enjoyable. Valuable. Brilliant course... my public speaking has improved, but general communication improved even more.

I would be much more comfortable standing up and presenting either formally or informally, both in terms of personal presence and how I would structure what I am going to say for maximum impact."

Richard Potts, DC Manager, GAC Logistics, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

"Simon, you have this amazing ability to captivate the audience that makes your sessions such a pleasure to attend!

I thoroughly enjoyed the session and picked up some very useful tips to improve my presentation skills; the feedback from my colleagues has been extremely positive as well."

Harijot Chauhan, Director, Human Resources, Atlantic The Palm, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

"Personally speaking, very few trainers that I've come across have impressed me.

Simon Bucknall's sessions not only impress but also bring that change in a personality that you always thought was lacking... he is a guaranteed booster to your confidence."

Rizwan Ali, Media Manager, Engro Foods Limited, Pakistan

"Excellent! Simon managed to balance everyone's needs.

By making it highly interactive, he made everyone really practice and improve."

Abdul Munin Sheikh, Engro Fertilisers Limited, Pakistan

"Extremely helpful. Helped me identify flaws in my delivery which I never thought existed."

Nauman Ahmed, Senior Manager, Unilever

"Very interactive - the tone you set meant audience members were really engaged. I can understand why you get such great feedback for these sessions!"

Pauline Isherwood, Learning & Development Manager, Shell plc

"Simon's workshop on Creating Impactful Communications generated great feedback and a strong level of engagement with the audience. It was clear that he understands just how to tackle a number of the communication issues that senior executives face throughout their careers.

He offered valuable insight and some clear messages that a broad range of participants could assimilate and easily apply to improve performance in their own particular business environment.

Thank you!"

Helen Stevens, President, INSEAD Alumni Association (UK)

"Fantastic, inspirational and spot-on stuff we need to improve our communication."

Mary Lou Masko, Course Director, Laing O'Rourke Centre for Construction Engineering and Technology, University of Cambridge

"Excellent trainer, the content was relevant and engaging. I will take a number of tools and frameworks to use. Highly recommended."

"Worth attending, very useful. Will definitely make a difference to my future presentations. Thanks very much."

"I think this course will dramatically change my approach to preparing talks and influence my prior reluctance to take on any talks/teaching."

NHS Hospital Consultants and other Senior Healthcare Professionals, UK

"Simon brought his vast experience to the subject of storytelling which he masters wholly. He guided members through his unique series of techniques for both developing and delivering business stories that, by definition, can belong only to each individual business concerned.

An excellent morning and highly recommended."

Gordon Bromley, Chairman, Surrey & SW London Academy for Chief Executives

"It was very useful and everything is applicable. I learned a lot of useful things and heard excellent stories."

Ms Tetiana Sakach, HR Manager, CredEx, Kiev, Ukraine ('Leaders as Storytellers; high impact business communication' with Simon Bucknall at MIM Kyiv courtesy of KA Group)

"All the tips were easy and ready to apply in everyday life from the very next day. Thank you very much. I found answers to all my questions, practiced my executive presence and know exactly the points of improvement."

Sr. Manager, Business Integration, AVON, Ukraine

"Amazing masterclass that allowed me to improve my communication skills and raise self-confidence while public speaking. Great thank you to Simon and KA Group."

Strategic Insight Manager, JTI, Ukraine

"The sessions were of great value. I am confident that I will apply the knowledge and skills learned not only in making formal presentations but during staff meetings and one-to-one conversations.

Understanding that the audience must see value to THEM early during my presentation is of the greatest importance."

Mickey Mullay, Chief of Party, FHI 360, Ukraine

"Thank you for a wonderful session. Feedback is frighteningly good!"

Joseph Wilkes, Associate Director Careers, Executive MBa & MBA, Hult International Business School, London

"Simon's masterclass on pitching and effective communication attracted over 60 MBAs and other post-graduate students from across Oxford during the exam period.

I would recommend it to anyone, especially mid-career professionals, looking to enhance their ability to communicate their ideas with conviction."

Soushiant Zangenehpour, Manager, Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Said Business School, University of Oxford

"The school is at the start of an ambitious journey. You have helped us set the standard for the remainder of the year and further ahead.

I hope you will return to the School in the future and inspire subsequent cohorts of MPP students."

Professor Peter Kemp, Associate Director, The Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford

Keynotes

"Simon, thank you again for your online keynote session at our Business Administration Congress, it was an absolute pleasure working with you.

The feedback has been very positive - for many people, it was their favourite session in the entire congress!

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, you are truly an inspiration!"

Karla Montano Sanchez, Secretaria de la Mesa Directiva de Administracion de Empresas en Universidad de las Americas Puebla - April 2021

"Sincere appreciation to Simon Bucknall for delivering a phenomenal presentation on "Communication Secrets from the World Championship of Public Speaking" at the opening day of the 2021 EFMD Global Virtual Fairs by Highered, contributing to the career education and trajectories of the talent in our network, as well as Career Services professionals.

9,000 students and alumni from 150+ EFMD Global schools from around the world joined, and Simon's Digital Conference was an absolute highlight - impeccable structure, content and delivery.

Simon kicked it off with one of the contest speeches that got him 2nd place out of 30,000 competing speakers in the Final of the World Championship of Public Speaking in Vancouver, Canada!

Truly career changing public speaking tips!

He was simply amazing and it was evident how much the audience enjoyed the session."

Amber Wigmore Alvares, PhD. Chief Talent Officer at Highered - April 2021

"Simon recently gave an online talk for our professional network ZiDCEP.

He was hugely engaging, practical and relevant for our audience.

The fact that so many people not only dialled in for the session but also "stayed until the end" (!) speaks for itself.

Highly recommend Simon for any network, group or organisation wanting a dynamic and inspiring talk on professional skills - whether online or face to face."

Tafadzwa Chaduka, MSt IDBE BSc (Hons), MRIC MCInst CES, Data Insight Project Manager, Costain Group PLC - Feb 2021

"I just wanted to say that your session was most inspirational and I have learnt so much.

I had an opportunity to present to an audience just a couple of days after and it was the most successful public speaking I've ever done."

Agnes Guzik, Category Manager, FM & Trading Assets Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd.

"Engaging, skilled, personable and memorable in the view of myself and a panel of top international speakers - he simply blew us away!"

Roger Harrop, The CEO Expert & Past President of the Professional Speaking Association (PSA-UK)

"Simon has a rare talent for taking information and presenting it in a memorable and entertaining fashion. His use of strong, meaningful content was augmented with humour and masterful delivery.

When he finished speaking I found myself thinking, 'No, tell me more!'

That said it all for me!"

Phillip van Hooser, MBA, CSP, CPAE, Member, Speaker Hall of Fame, President of the National Speakers Association (NSA-USA)

"Your mastery of the stage and your eloquent use of words made your presentation the winner."

Lindsay Adams, Past President of the Global Speakers Federation

"Simon is an incredibly talented and eloquent speaker."

Darren LaCroix, 2001 Toastmasters International World Champion of Public Speaking

"Simon is an engaging speaker who will take you and your organisation from where you are to where you want to be.

Oh, and you will enjoy every step of the way!"

Craig Valentine, 1999 Toastmasters International World Champion of Public Speaking

"I had the pleasure of being in Turku, Finland when Simon became the 2008 JCI European Public Speaking Champion.

Simon is a terrifically engaging public speaker who displays the enviable qualities of commitment, passion and preparation to his endeavours.

It also helps, of course, that Simon is a thoroughly decent bloke."

Will Noble, Director, Simply Mirror TV

"Very interactive - the tone you set meant audience members were really engaged. I can see why you get such great feedback for these sessions."

Pauline Isherwood, Learning and Development Manager, Shell plc

"Simon is a public speaker of note - he was calm in the frenzy of a live event; he was polished in his delivery; he was a perfectionist; he was Simon Bucknall."

Kevin Harrington, Chairman of Results Through Digital

"You have this amazing ability to captivate the audience... such a pleasure to attend... feedback from my colleagues has been extremely positive as well."

Harijot Chauhan, Director, Human Resources, Atlantis The Palm, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

"Simon is an inspirational speaker of huge talent with the ability to pass on his skills to others with ease."

Nigel Cutts, Author, Founder, Love at Work Foundation, Principal, Author and Leadership Consultant at Cutts and Cons

"Simon is without doubt one of the country's top speakers, combining deep subject knowledge with an entertaining and powerful delivery. He is certain to ensure audiences both enjoy his sessions and retain all the information for maximum benefit. Simon's talks are a great experience."

Bob Ferguson, Owner, Speaker and Communications Coach at Confident Communications Ltd.

"I continue to be amazed by his storytelling skills - Simon delivers a masterclass in connecting with his audience every time he speaks."

Alexander Lowry, Principal Consultant, PA Consulting Group

Talks for Schools

"I had the pleasure of working with Simon in July 2019 during the Oxford Global Summit for Young Leaders - a conference which my team and I organised together with Byron College in Athens, Greece.

Simon's lecture was outstanding. He captured the students' (as well as the faculty's) attention with his dynamic and interactive style of teaching. He truly listens to the audience and makes his teaching personal and stimulating!

Fantastic teacher and speaking expert. Heartily recommend."

Ti Xu, Physicist, Educator, Entrepreneur, Innovation Programme Manager

"Simon shared some interesting personal anecdotes and some very useful tips which really resonated with our audience. First and foremost, he reassured everybody that public speaking is a skill and not a gift and that, therefore, it can be learnt and perfected.

He explained how in an interview scenario the interviewee is not tested on the knowledge transferred but rather on their ability to access what is relevant to answer the question and highlighted the importance of being able to structure an answer on the spot.

His final piece of advice for public speaking was 'make a point to tell a story or tell a story to make a point'."

Francis Holland School

"Simon has run presentation classes at New College of the Humanities for four years. His seminars are consistently amongst the most popular and useful parts of the student experience at NCH.

The NCH model is very unusual for a university in that it blends a conventional academic programme with development of the capabilities that will be required by students on graduation.

Simon's counsel on the development of this model has been invaluable. He is a good friend of the college."

Matthew Batstone, Co-founder, Director, Convenor for Professional Skills at New College of the Humanities, London, UK

"Your training at Rosendale [School] was excellent and massively improved my public speaking. It has helped develop my communication skills in ways that go far beyond addressing audiences.

The training equipped me to speak, both publicly and privately, with greater assurance and poise. Simon's approach has helped me structure and express my ideas in a concise and clear way.

Even four years on, it remains the most useful training I have ever had at work - the impact on my career has been huge."

Joe Halloran, Computing Teaching and Learning Consultant, London clc [following Simon's School Staff training - 4 years later!]

"Very many thanks for keeping a captive audience of 200+ teenagers enthralled - I have had a stream of enthusiastic praise for the session to pass on to you!"

Maria Trafford, Teacher of English, The John Lyon School, Harrow on the Hill, London

"It was a very interactive session and Simon really knew how to engage the audience. It was surprising how many girls wanted to volunteer to participate in his speaking exercises - a testament to Simon's ability to make a connection with the audience.

He is a talented teacher and knows how to make people listen. I am always looking for speakers who can genuinely present well and engage audiences and Simon did not disappoint.

I will certainly invite him back. The learning was effortless and fun."

Kerri Fox, Head of Sixth Form, Wycombe Abbey School

"[Simon] Large numbers of students went out of their way to thank me for inviting such a fantastic speaker in; they learnt a huge amount about public speaking and were gripped by both the material and the warmth with which it was delivered.

The only downside was that the teachers to whom these students went afterwards were made aware that there was little chance of providing such an exciting and enriching experience in their own lessons, so instead spent most of them listening to the students discuss Simon's talk. Thank you."

Dr Langdon, Head of University Admissions and the Sixth Form Lecture programme, Kingston Grammar School

"Simon made an immediate connection with our students, got on their wavelength using humour, and challenged them to perceive themselves as others might.

An excellent and stimulating session."

Ian Sheldon, Head of Chemistry & Director of UCAS, Bedford School

"[Simon] I thought that it was really useful and certainly will have taken the boys outside their subject specific comfort zones. Given the high proportion of scientists in the room I thought that you did a really excellent job of getting them to engage with the room, make eye contact and so on.

I don't think it is possible to over-emphasise the softer side of interview technique and I also know that teachers will always focus on content rather than delivery in practice interviews so I think that this session fills a really important gap."

Charlie Fisher, Head of Oxbridge, Bedford School

"Simon's story, which takes his audience on Simon's journey to winning the UK & Ireland Public Speaking Championship, had the boys gripped. By using the boys to illustrate his techniques which can improve communication, his message about the importance of communication really hit home to the boys.

His follow up session with the students looking to apply for courses at Oxford, Cambridge and other competitive courses and institutions gave vital interview techniques, many of which I wish I had known in the past. He will certainly be back to speak to the boys again."

Seth Bolderow, Head of Sixth Form, The John Lyon School, Harrow

"[Simon] Just brilliant... the Year 11 said it was their best ever presentation from a speaker."

Philip Bowen, Deputy Headmaster, Bromsgrove School

"Simon led two workshops for our Oxbridge candidates. He really made them think about how they engage with their subject and helped them to improve their interview technique. The pupils learned much and were inspired to continue their own preparation.

Many thanks again for your help."

Mark Beet, Head of Modern Languages, Bromsgrove School

"Charismatic, clear, motivational."

"I think it was the best Head of Year we've had this year."

"Friendly, interesting, inspiring, funny, motivating... Most probably the best Head of Year during my time at the school."

"Definitely a very memorable HOY but it also had significance to our lives. It was extremely good and the whole audience felt like they were involved. Interesting, inspirational and memorable. Thank you."

"These tips are particularly useful in GCSE English Speaking and Listening Tasks (as I had to participate in one of these a couple of days after the Head of Year session)."

"When will you find this helpful? English GCSE Speaking & Listening exercises; at sports events when as captain of a team, I have to give a speech of thanks to the organisers; French oral, by helping me to control my breathing, pronounce my words clearly and not allow nerves to get the better of me."

"It's given me a completely different view about giving talks and how to act whilst in an interview. Simon was funny, interesting and a gripping talker... A great talk which I have learnt much from."

"Simon is inspirational... Thoroughly enjoyed the session and would love to talk to Simon again. Showed me the way in which I would be interested in pursuing my career. Moving doesn't describe it!"

Fifth Formers' comments following Simon's Keynote, Bromsgrove School

"Simon, Thank you for a very enjoyable session this afternoon - in fact, one of the most enjoyable sessions I have been to in my teaching career! I am sure the pupils learnt a huge amount and will keep your great advice in mind when giving presentations in future."

Sarah Ascough, Head of Year 11, Bromsgrove School

"I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your talk on Monday in our Head of Year session. I think it's safe to say everyone really found what you had to say interesting and useful as we've never had it put to us that way before."

Emily, A Fifth Former

"[Simon] Many thanks for your incredible session at the literacy conference earlier this week. I really took away a lot from the session and am looking forward to being able to try employing some of your techniques in September."

James Canvin, Participant, Teach First Literacy Conference (on Teacher training)

"[Simon] I wanted to write and say how excellent your session was - it was very inspirational and I know it was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone."

Wendy Jacobs, Headteacher of Rosendale School, West Dulwich, London (on Staff Training)

"It was an intimately 'Bromsgrovian' talk with helpful memories of his schooldays for today's pupils and pertinent examples from his own experience.

In a moving ending, he told the Upper Sixth to be bold but above all to be the best Bromsgrovians."

Philip Bowen, Deputy Headmaster, Bromsgrove School (on Simon's role as Speaker at the end of year Commemoration Day for the entire school)

"Simon is a highly accomplished public speaker and a remarkable teacher. I had the great privilege of working alongside him (technically, I was his supervisor) for several summers back in the late nineties in the context of university-level summer education programs.

He never failed to inspire his students and his peers with his intelligence, his creative clarity in front of a crowd, his sense of humor and his unflagging can-do attitude.

Simon is a team player and an absolute pleasure to work with on any project. Highly recommended!"

Tim Weed, Author & Lecturer

Event Planners

"The Construction Engineering Masters Programme here in Cambridge is about developing and inspiring future leaders of our industry.

Simon's high energy sessions help our engineers to communicate with the confidence, clarity and impact they need to achieve that.

For the past nine years, Simon has worked with every cohort to pass through the programme.

It's a testament to how much his expertise is valued and appreciated. Simon is a pleasure to work with."

Peter Guthrie, Vice-President, Royal Academy of Engineering - May 2021

"I just wanted to put on record our warmest thanks for the fabulously informative and spirit-uplifting session today. One bit of feedback already in: "I looooooooved that!"

So the oomph point hit home with someone!

It really was just what I was hoping for."

Dr Catherine Paxton, Divisional Registrar, Social Sciences Division, University of Oxford

"I had the pleasure of working with Simon in July 2019 during the Oxford Global Summit for Young Leaders - a conference which my team and I organised together with Byron College in Athens, Greece.

Fantastic teacher and speaking expert. Heartily recommend."

Ti Xu, Physicist, Educator, Entrepreneur, Innovation Programme Manager

"Packed full of insights into the power of communication and advice on how to maximise the impact and increase the engagement of a presentation."

Katie Butcher, Consultant at Vendigital, Young MCA Masterclass in Communication, Management Consultancies Association

"If there's one man who can make public speaking sound easy, it's Simon Bucknall."

The Chivas Venture

"Thank you for your incredible contribution to the Chivas Venture 2018 - from the initial inspiration during the Accelerator Programme in Oxford, all the way through to the Final Stage in Amsterdam."

Laurence Mainaud, Global Brand Manager, Chivas Venture

"I think Simon's absolutely fantastic the way he can stand on a platform for nearly 2 hours in front of 200 people without a single slide. I think that's phenomonal!"

Haidee Elise, Head of Learning and Development Programmes, IGD

"Simon delivered an outstanding event on how to prepare an Elevator Pitch in a concise and memorable way. The event was engaging and our membership loved it!

We had 100% satisfaction rate and people rated the event as the best ever. Many comments highlighted the virtues of Simon as a speaker. We had requests from other areas to replicate this event elsewhere as they felt inspired and energized by Simon.

We look forward to having Simon back again in the future!"

Carolina Castilla, Loyalty Solutions Expert/Business Development

"An extraordinary night ... Simon taught us how to divide segments of your communication goals and deliver them in a brilliant way. In addition he gave us several tips about how to start a sentence when giving a speech to achieve the impact on people.