Dr Alex Connock is a compelling motivational speaker because he brings together academic authority, commercial credibility and a calm, persuasive presence on stage. Alex is a Senior Fellow at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, a Lecturer at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, and a Professor of Media and AI at the University of Exeter. He teaches at BA, MBA, Executive MBA and postgraduate level, working closely with senior leaders who are navigating rapid technological change. His sessions are grounded in real organisational challenges, helping audiences understand how artificial intelligence is reshaping leadership, creativity and decision-making. In 2025, Alex received a Teaching Excellence Award for Innovation at Oxford, recognition that reflects both his intellectual rigour and his ability to engage and motivate diverse audiences.
What makes Alex particularly effective as a motivational speaker is his extensive commercial background. Before returning to academia, he spent more than two decades building and leading media businesses at scale. He was Co-Founder and CEO of Ten Alps, later Zinc Media Group, which he grew into a significant international media company alongside Bob Geldof. He later became Managing Director of Endemol Shine North, overseeing substantial growth in one of the UK’s leading production businesses. Across his entrepreneurial career, Alex was shortlisted six times for UK Entrepreneur of the Year, giving him first-hand experience of resilience, risk, reinvention and sustained performance under pressure. These experiences allow him to speak with authenticity about leadership, uncertainty and long-term thinking.
Alex’s motivational impact comes from his ability to demystify complex ideas without diluting them. He speaks about artificial intelligence with clarity and balance, avoiding hype and fear in favour of practical opportunity. His talks explore how leaders can build confidence in their teams, protect creativity in an automated world, and make ethical, commercially sound decisions as technology accelerates. Audiences value his ability to connect AI strategy to human behaviour, culture and motivation, drawing on insights from boardrooms, classrooms and creative industries.
Alongside his academic and commercial work, Alex holds respected governance roles that reinforce his credibility. He is a Voting Member of BAFTA, a former Vice-Chair and Trustee of UNICEF UK, and a former Director of the Hallé Orchestra. These positions reflect a career shaped by responsibility, public impact and cultural leadership. As a motivational speaker, Alex leaves audiences better informed, more confident and genuinely energised to lead change with purpose and intelligence.
