About Melanie
Melanie Marshall is an energetic and captivating speaker who spent over 20 years as a BBC journalist in some of the world’s most high-risk places.
Working under immense pressure, for high stakes, she led teams to award-winning results, and emerged wiser with both her sanity and sense of humour intact.
Now from the TEDx stage to the boardroom, Melanie uses these hard-won lessons to help leaders, teams and companies thrive in uncertainty by leaning into bravery, deliberate optimism and action.
Her work has earned a Peabody, Royal Television Society and Edward R. Murrow awards, plus multiple Emmy nominations.
She is the founder of Imrama Media. The World Economic Forum honoured her as a Global Leader for Tomorrow.
She knows that even if you're never in a warzone, the same skills that guided her will help you find your way now.
When she's not on a mission as an 'Agent of Hope,' she can be found cuddling her dog, Sonora; someone else's dog or any other animal that will let her.
“The service you do for others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” – Muhammad Ali
Giving
Service is baked into the DNA of Melanie's work. 20 per cent of her time and profits go to causes which matter most to her - connecting people, protecting animals and empowering the most vulnerable among us.
Please email to ask if she can help your organisation with a 'give-back speech or consulting work.
Here are a few charities that inspire her. In her words, here's why she supports their missions.
Brooklyn Debate League - "Debating changed my life. It was a place where I found my tribe, where I found my voice and those skills have carried me to my success today. "
The Brooklyn Debate League gives that gift to kids who don’t have access to a lot of open doors.
Kiva - "I know that we can all achieve more by acting together than by going it alone. I also know that directly connecting with each other’s humanity blasts through distance and apathy. "
Kiva is a microlending organisation that does both things at the same time. It’s a chance to see who you’re helping directly, and amplify your impact.
Sheldrick Wildlife Trust - "ORPHANED BABY ELEPHANTS! Surely, I don’t need to say more? Visiting their elephant nursery is one of my lifetime highlights. There is a transformational power in connecting with animals. "Based in Nairobi, Sheldrick has been saving wildlife all over East Africa for over a generation.