Social Mobility, Resilience, inspiration

Antony Harvey is a motivational speaker, entrepreneur and former director of a high-profile executive search firm who has worked at the highest levels of public life with senior politicians, civil servants, business and charity leaders.

Raised in a council house by working-class parents, he became the first in his family to earn a degree, graduating with a First Class LL.B from what was then City University before heading off to travel the world for a few years. Yet behind the achievements, much of his 20s and 30s were marked by uncertainty, major depression and drift. A question from a very successful friend “What do you actually want?” lingered unanswered for years, until the stillness of the 2020 - 2021 lockdowns gave him the space to confront it. That period became a turning point, reshaping his life, career and sense of purpose.

He went on to become a director in a leading executive search business, advising on and placing senior leaders into critical public sector roles, before founding his own consultancy. As the first entrepreneur in his family, he now helps executive search businesses work more effectively with the public sector, improving their processes, interviewing techniques and the way they present candidates to very senior stakeholders. He is also a renowned executive coach, helping board level operators get the most out of themselves.

Alongside his professional journey, Antony spent two years nursing his wife through a rare and aggressive cancer affecting her nose, sinuses and upper jaw. Multiple surgeries, chemo, radiotherapy, long hospital stays and the realities of tube feeding have given him a deep, lived understanding of resilience, love and what truly matters. 

Today, he brings all of these experiences together on stage—sharing a story that moves from working-class beginnings and professional success to profound personal struggle and renewal. His talks are raw, relatable and practical, helping audiences at every level find direction, build resilience and turn adversity into a more meaningful way of living and leading.

For more information, please contact us here.