After Dinner SpeakersFrank Gardner OBE is the BBC’s security correspondent, Broadcaster, Author, Inspirational Speaker, and After-Dinner Speaker.
Gardner reports on domestic and international security issues, notably Al Qaeda and ISIS-related terrorism.
In 2004, Frank Gardner survived being shot six times at close range by Al Qaeda terrorists in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
His cameraman Simon Cumbers was killed; however, Frank’s miraculous survival was most likely due to a small Qur’an he was carrying with him, which his attackers found when attempting to rob him.
After many months in hospital, he returned to the BBC to resume his job. In June 2005 he was awarded an OBE for services to journalism.
Frank Gardner’s fascination with the Middle East began as a teenager, when he met Wilfrid Thesiger (who travelled extensively and photographed the Middle East).
A fluent Arabist with a degree in Arabic and Islamic studies from Exeter University, Frank spent nine years as an investment banker in New York, London and Bahrain before switching to journalism and becoming the BBC’s Middle East correspondent based in Cairo.
Frank Gardner has reported extensively on the so-called ‘War on Terror’ in Guantanamo Bay, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East.
In May 2006, Transworld published Frank’s first book, Blood and Sand, reaching number three on the Sunday Times Bestseller List.
The book is a remarkable snapshot of the Middle East over several years and a poignant story of what can happen to your belief system when the culture you have embraced tries to kill you.
Frank Gardner – Keynote Speaker:
A highly respected speaker, Frank offers audiences a unique perspective on resilience, courage, and the complexities of world affairs.
From reporting on international terrorism, conflict and global security to rebuilding his life following a near-fatal terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia, Frank brings a rare combination of frontline journalism, personal determination and expert geopolitical insight to the stage.
As an inspirational speaker, he explores overcoming adversity, adapting to unexpected challenges and finding strength in the most difficult circumstances.
Equally compelling as an after-dinner speaker, Frank Gardner combines gripping real-life stories, sharp observations and engaging humour to entertain, inform and inspire.
