IIC&G 2019 DINNER GUEST SPEAKER

Simon Weston CBE is one of the most highly regarded keynote speakers on the circuit today, he is a professional motivator with nearly thirty years’ experience.

Simon is a veteran of the Falklands War. With irrepressible humour, he speaks about overcoming adversity and positive mental attitude as well as his experiences of being in the public eye for the last three decades. His humour, infectious enthusiasm and engaging personality have made him a firm favourite with many companies who invite him back to speak again and again.

He has become well-known across the United Kingdom and abroad for his struggle to overcome his injuries and redefine his role in life, and his message is one of achievement, of triumph in the face of adversity, and of seizing the moment and succeeding.

When the RFA Sir Galahad was destroyed in the Bluff Cove Air Attack during the Falklands War, in 1982, on board was Simon Weston, Welsh Guardsman. Simon was severely injured, sustaining serious burns to 46% of his body. He has become well-known across the United Kingdom and abroad for his struggle to overcome his injuries and redefine his role in life, and his message is one of achievement, of triumph in the face of adversity, and of seizing the moment and succeeding.

Following his injuries, Simon's road to physical, spiritual and mental recovery saw him active in a number of highly successful ventures including 'The Weston Spirit', a Liverpool-based young people's charity. His charitable work earned him an OBE in the 1992 Queen's Birthday Honours. He was also awarded the Freedom of the City of Liverpool in 2002 in recognition of his bravery and his charity work in the region. He was honoured as one of the top 100 Welsh Heroes in 2004, and in 2014, in a survey conducted by Freud Communications, Simon was voted top of the UK's Heroes Index, naming him the Nations Favourite Hero.

In early November 2015 Variety Children’s charity awarded Simon a Legend Award for his services to Motivational speaking and in December he was awarded the Freedom of the City of London. In the 2016 New Year's Honours Simon was awarded the CBE for his charitable work.