Helping leaders, organisations and communities create moments that matter.
Professional MC • Keynote Speaker • Facilitator
Across New Zealand & Australia
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How I Can Help
Professional MC
From business summits and conferences to awards dinners and panel discussions, I help create engaging events that keep audiences connected, speakers on track and conversations flowing.
Keynote SpeakerPractical stories and leadership insights drawn from business, governance, philanthropy and life's unexpected challenges – delivered with authenticity, humour and purpose.
FacilitationThoughtful facilitation that encourages meaningful discussion, fresh thinking and genuine audience participation across workshops, strategy sessions and leadership forums.
Governance & LeadershipBringing current executive and governance experience to discussions on leadership, community, philanthropy, organisational purpose and creating long-term impact.
Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand
"Josh has become a trusted and highly valued contributor across a wide range of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand events, including keynotes, panel facilitation, conference and gala dinner awards MC engagements.
He is very personable and a genuine pleasure to work with. His ability to connect authentically with audiences, adapt to the tone of the room and keep conversations engaging is impressive. Whether delivering a powerful message on resilience, facilitating meaningful discussion among panelists, or expertly guiding an awards dinner or Business Summit as MC, Josh brings credibility, energy and confidence to every event."
He is very personable and a genuine pleasure to work with. His ability to connect authentically with audiences, adapt to the tone of the room and keep conversations engaging is impressive. Whether delivering a powerful message on resilience, facilitating meaningful discussion among panelists, or expertly guiding an awards dinner or Business Summit as MC, Josh brings credibility, energy and confidence to every event."
Taranaki | Gallagher Insurance
"Josh delivers his message in a fun and relatable manner that truly resonated with everyone in the room. He seamlessly incorporates his experiences and knowledge into the presentation with humility, engagement, and relatability.
Despite his young age, he has accomplished so much, and we greatly valued the insights he shared about overcoming challenges he has faced. His perspective on the transformative power of a positive mindset was both inspiring and influential in understanding the path to success"
CEO | Community Foundations of Aotearoa NZ
"Josh is great to work with, he’s authentic, trustworthy and has a real ability to connect with audiences. He listens to understand and it’s truly enjoyable to work with him."
CEO | Cancer Society of NZ
"Josh is a charismatic & entertaining speaker. His refreshing, spontaneous approach enables him to adapt the content of his talks tailored to his audience."
Australia | Third Sector Leaders Forum
"Josh Hickford delivered a highly engaging session at the Third Sector Leaders Forum, with excellent attendee feedback on the practical insights he shared around building values-aligned, transformational partnerships.
We would highly recommend Josh as a speaker for organisations and events across Australia looking to deepen their approach to partnerships and drive greater impact."
CEO | Sport Hawkes Bay
"I really enjoyed hearing Josh tell his story to our Hawkes Bay Secondary School students. His inspiring story was presented in a way that clearly captivated the audience."
New Plymouth | LinkedIn Local
"Josh brought exactly what LinkedIn Local is all about – authentic conversations, meaningful connections and stories that stay with you long after the event. He had the audience engaged from start to finish, balancing humour, vulnerability and practical leadership insights in a way that felt genuine rather than rehearsed. The feedback from attendees was outstanding, and I'd happily recommend Josh for conferences, leadership events and community gatherings."
Victoria University of Wellington
"Josh was an asset in connecting the Taranaki community to our academic community in Wellington. Lived experiences and anecdotes helped students to consider Wellington as a viable study pathway. Having him speak at our event was wonderful."
Taranaki | Baker Tilly Staples Rodway
"Josh was our guest speaker at an internal training day and captured everyone’s attention from the second he arrived, speaking openly about tackling life’s challenges.
Josh engaged with the audience through his humour and positivity, enlightening the team with insights to overcome adversity when it arises."