Before becoming one of the UK’s most inspiring after-dinner and motivational speakers, Kellie Maloney was best known as the manager behind Lennox Lewis, the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World. During her time managing Lewis, she helped him win and maintain the World Championship throughout the 1990s, taking him to the very top of global boxing. Over her thirty-year career as a boxing promoter, Kellie also worked with four further world title-winning boxers, including Randall “The Boxing Binman” Munroe, and promoted David Haye when he became World Cruiserweight Champion. She also guided dozens of British, Commonwealth, European, and international champions to success. After retiring from her role as a professional boxing promoter in 2012, Kellie established herself as one of the most sought-after sports speakers on the boxing circuit. She also stood as an independent London mayoral candidate in 2004 and was named Boxing Promoter of the Year upon celebrating 25 years in the industry.
In 2013, Kellie made global headlines when she announced her plans to undergo gender reassignment. Formerly known as Frank Maloney, her public transition marked a landmark moment for the LGBT+ community, making her the most high-profile sporting figure to undergo gender reassignment surgery. Her courage and honesty helped change the face of transgender visibility in sport and media, inspiring countless others to live their truth. The following year, she appeared as a housemate on Celebrity Big Brother, significantly increasing public awareness of transgender representation in mainstream media. In 2015, she was named Transgender Champion at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards, just a year after completing her transition, and went on to appear on popular programs such as Celebrity MasterChef.
Alongside her professional success, Kellie has faced personal challenges, including serious health issues and the tragic suicide of one of her young boxing protégés. Drawing on both the highs and lows of her journey, she now speaks passionately about resilience, mental health, diversity, inclusion, and authenticity, captivating audiences with her engaging, informative, and inspiring delivery. Her hosting and speaking career has taken her to conferences, corporate events, and television, where she uses her platform to raise awareness of transgender issues and advocate for the LGBT+ community. Honest and eye-opening, Kellie’s story continues to touch audiences worldwide, breaking down stereotypes and encouraging open discussion around gender and identity.
In January 2020, Kellie made a surprise return to boxing, this time promoting a young female boxer early in her career to support and encourage women’s boxing. Determined to champion female athletes as brave pioneers in the sport, she continues to prove her adaptability and passion for equality. That same year, she featured in the Amazon Prime documentary From Frank to Kellie, exploring her life from her rise in boxing to her journey of self-discovery. Most recently, she starred in Knockout Blonde: The Kellie Maloney Story, an authorised documentary examining the truth, denial, and acceptance of her gender transition, which was awarded Best Documentary at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival in New York. A proud advocate for inclusion and authenticity, Kellie remains a trailblazer in sport and a role model in the LGBT+ community, sharing her inspiring story through her inspiring keynote speeches.