John Carlin

John Carlin

Keynote Speaker: Award-Winning Journalist & New York Times Best-Selling Author of "Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation;" Inspiration for the Oscar-Nominated Film "Invictus"

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John Carlin Biography

Award-Winning Journalist and New York Times Best-Selling Author, Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation, Inspiration for the Oscar-Nominated Film, Invictus

John Carlin in an award-winning British journalist and author whose books have been translated into 18 languages. His inspiring book on Nelson Mandela, New York Times best-seller Playing the Enemy, was the basis for the Clint Eastwood movie Invictus, starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.

A foreign correspondent covering the wars in Central America in the eighties, South Africa’s transition from racial tyranny to democracy in the nineties and, from Washington, the second Clinton presidential term, Carlin has reported from more than 50 countries and written for The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, TIME, Financial Times, The Times and The Observer, among many others. Bilingual, able to write equally fluently in English and Spanish, he has reported frequently on world affairs for Spain’s leading newspaper, El País.

Carlin worked as writer and producer on two major Mandela TV documentaries, one for PBS, Emmy-nominated The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela, and one for ESPN, Emmy-winner The 16th Man. He has been involved in numerous other documentaries for the BBC, Channel Four (UK) and others on politics and/or sport.

Equally authoritative writing about politics, race or sport, he has written Rafael Nadal’s official biography, a book about the tragic and heroic story of the Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius and another about the world’s biggest soccer franchise, Real Madrid, as well as a short and intimate biography titled Knowing Mandela.

Carlin has been a pundit on TV and radio in many countries—from the U.S., to Australia, to Chile—over 30 years and was an on-screen analyst for CBS when Mandela died in December 2013. He was won several awards for his work in the U.S., UK, Spain and Italy, including Spain’s top “Ortega y Gasset” journalism prize, the British Press Award (UK Pulitzer equivalent) for “Food and Drink Writer of the Year” in 2004 and an award received from the hands of the King of Spain in 2009 for his book Playing the Enemy. He has delivered speeches on Mandela as the quintessential example of leadership (in any field) and on other subjects to business, legal, academic and high school audiences in the U.S., UK, Italy, France, South Korea, Argentina, Colombia and Chile.

The Bruce Willis movie Live Free or Die Hard was based on an article Carlin wrote for Wired magazine titled A Farewell to Arms.

Carlin was born in London to a Spanish mother and Scottish father and was educated in Argentina and England. He obtained a master’s degree in English language and literature at Oxford University. He has lived in eight countries and is now based in London. Carlin has one son, James Nelson. His enduring passion is Shakespeare but the current love of his life is Raymond Chandler, all of whose books he has recently read for the fourth time.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on John Carlin and other top speakers and celebrities.

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John Carlin Speaking Topics

Mandela: The Human Factor in Great Leadership

John Carlin, who is equally at ease in English or in Spanish and never speaks from a prepared text, will center his speeches on a man who, like Abraham Lincoln, belongs to the ages, whose lessons and example will ring as valuable and true in a thousand years as they do today. Carlin will select his material in such a way as to maximize the value of his spoken words in accordance with the needs and interests of each audience. For some, lessons in negotiating with rivals might be the key issue; for others, building up a company that has fallen on difficult times; or restoring bruised internal personnel conflicts; or how to blend tactical flexibility with strategic clarity. Then again, some might consider it paramount to learn how Mandela addressed himself to the eternal question of healing race relations. All audiences will be interested, however, in the chief themes that run through all Carlin’s speeches on Mandela: generosity astutely deployed; patient wisdom and bold perseverance; enormous empathy and respect for all people, irrespective of their station in life; integrity—a diamond-hard coherence between what one preaches and what one does—as the engine of all truly convincing, successful leadership.

Additional Presentations by John Carlin:

  • Mandela: Ruthless Pragmatism and Generous Forgiving
  • Mandela: Overcoming Racial Conflict
  • Mandela: The Art of Negotiation
  • Mandela: Appealing to the Better Angels of Our Nature
  • Mandela: People Management Genius

How do I book John Carlin to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like John Carlin for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for John Carlin, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for John Carlin or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book John Carlin for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for John Carlin, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $20,000 - $30,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire John Carlin, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does John Carlin speak about?

John Carlin is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Change Management, Creativity, Social Activism, Innovation, Inspirational, Motivational, Negotiation, Personal Growth, Sports, Human Resources, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Leadership and Overcoming Adversity.

Where does John Carlin travel from?

John Carlin generally travels from UK and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for John Carlin?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like John Carlin for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book John Carlin for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host John Carlin or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

John Carlin is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Change Management, Creativity and Social Activism. The estimated speaking fee range to book John Carlin for live events is $20,000 - $30,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. John Carlin generally travels from UK and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Alden Mills, C.J. Huff and JP Pawliw-Fry. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling John Carlin for an upcoming event.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 19/03/2025.

John Carlin Speaking Topics

  • Mandela: The Human Factor in Great Leadership

    John Carlin, who is equally at ease in English or in Spanish and never speaks from a prepared text, will center his speeches on a man who, like Abraham Lincoln, belongs to the ages, whose lessons and example will ring as valuable and true in a thousand years as they do today. Carlin will select his material in such a way as to maximize the value of his spoken words in accordance with the needs and interests of each audience. For some, lessons in negotiating with rivals might be the key issue; for others, building up a company that has fallen on difficult times; or restoring bruised internal personnel conflicts; or how to blend tactical flexibility with strategic clarity. Then again, some might consider it paramount to learn how Mandela addressed himself to the eternal question of healing race relations. All audiences will be interested, however, in the chief themes that run through all Carlin’s speeches on Mandela: generosity astutely deployed; patient wisdom and bold perseverance; enormous empathy and respect for all people, irrespective of their station in life; integrity—a diamond-hard coherence between what one preaches and what one does—as the engine of all truly convincing, successful leadership.

  • Additional Presentations by John Carlin:

    • Mandela: Ruthless Pragmatism and Generous Forgiving
    • Mandela: Overcoming Racial Conflict
    • Mandela: The Art of Negotiation
    • Mandela: Appealing to the Better Angels of Our Nature
    • Mandela: People Management Genius

  • How do I book John Carlin to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like John Carlin for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for John Carlin, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for John Carlin or any other speaker of your choice.

  • How much does it cost to book John Carlin for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for John Carlin, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $20,000 - $30,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire John Carlin, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

  • What topics does John Carlin speak about?

    John Carlin is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Change Management, Creativity, Social Activism, Innovation, Inspirational, Motivational, Negotiation, Personal Growth, Sports, Human Resources, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Leadership and Overcoming Adversity.

  • Where does John Carlin travel from?

    John Carlin generally travels from UK and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

  • Who is the agent for John Carlin?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like John Carlin for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book John Carlin for your next private or corporate function.

  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host John Carlin or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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