Maz Farrelly

Maz Farrelly has lived life at the fast and fabulous end of the media. She began her career as a journalist and stylist in London — her agent was the inspiration for Absolutely Fabulous — before going on to lead some of the world’s most iconic television shows.

Maz has produced and run five series of the groundbreaking Big Brother, along with The X Factor, The Celebrity Apprentice, The Farmer Wants a Wife, The AFL Recruit, Dancing with the Stars, Strictly Come Dancing, Ready Steady Cook, The Big Breakfast, Friends Like These, Noel’s House Party, Light Lunch, Late Lunch — and co-created the long-running, Logie-nominated Q&A in Australia. Across three continents, she’s led some of the biggest teams, budgets and audiences in the high-pressure world of global entertainment media.

As Creative Strategist for BBC Worldwide, Director of Television Content at Fremantle Media Australia, and Executive Editor of Format Entertainment at the BBC in London, Maz has overseen multi-million-dollar projects that have been watched more than eight billion times worldwide. Her shelves groan under the weight of BAFTAs, Logies, ASTRAs, National Television Awards, National Comedy Awards, Royal Television Society Awards, and a Bronze Rose de Montreux (though she insists these were mostly won because she hired people far smarter than herself). She even once broke X (Twitter)… on purpose.

Maz has worked alongside a glittering list of global icons — from Beyoncé, Snoop Dogg, Elton John and Ed Sheeran, to King Charles, President Trump, Richard Branson, and Usher — giving her rare insights into what it really takes to be extraordinary.

Today, Maz shares those lessons with the business world as a sought-after speaker and business development expert. With unforgettable stories and powerful strategies borrowed from the most successful and influential people on earth, she helps teams become more confident, creative and strategic.

Business giant Mark Bouris calls her “a genius with people.” Mel B says she has “The X Factor.” And Usher? “Maz is smooth, and I’d work with her again in a heartbeat.”

Topics

ATTENTION – Winning The Attention Economy

Key Takeaways:

• Lose the White Noise and be unforgettable, unswipe-able
• Create your Netflix Ad – deliver one concise, uniform and simple story across all assets
• De-bore your business – when was the last time you wished your business interactions were duller?
• Know why you and your company need to exist – create a message so sharp, you could shave your back with it
• Know your audience – no point selling beef pies to vegans, and yet companies do

CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION – Predatory Thinking

Key Takeaways:

• Think like a tv producer
• The two ways producers think and create the most successful shows on earth
• Create influence and interest in your brand
• Motivate your teams to think, change and grow
• Why the voice beat the x factor and how this can boost your business
• How disruptive thinking made ‘the weakest link’ a worldwide hit
• How thinking harder creates brand loyalty and interest

LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT – Leadership Lessons From Behind The Lens

Key Takeaways:

• How to Lead in Chaos: How to keep calm and steer the show when everything’s going to sh**
• Managing Big Egos: Practical strategies for helping those big personalities be less of a pain in the bum
• Turning Failure into Fuel: Mistakes happen. I’ll show you how to use them to build momentum and turn that frown upside down
• Motivating in Crisis: Keep your team moving when they’re running on fumes. Because if you’re not currently in a crisis, one’s about to arrive in the next episode
• Problem Solving Under Pressure: Let’s be real, there’s always pressure

STORYTELLING – From Hollywood to the Boardroom

Key Takeaways:

• The Art of Simplicity – Storytelling makes the complex clear and understandable. Simple narratives stick
• Build Emotional Connection – Data doesn’t win audiences or awards, but stories do, so inspire action, create connection and build loyalty
• Cut Through the Noise – It’s not about being louder; it’s about being memorable, so create stories that stand out and demand attention
• Know Your Audience – Great stories hit the right audience like an Olympic archer on a good day. Craft stories that target your precise audience – your clients, investors, board, employees, whoever
• Drive Business Results – Storytelling is not just for branding; it’s a tool for sales, marketing, and leadership – great stories grow sales, engage employees, and create customer loyalty
• Storytelling for Every Industry – Customise your storytelling strategy to suit your industry, with actionable insights tailored to your world
• Practical, Real-World Examples
• My strategies and techniques are gleaned from my experiences working with global brands, world leaders, and A-list celebrities. See what works—and what doesn’t—from the crazy world of the highest-stakes storytelling on earth
• Unforgettable and Fun Learning Experience – I don’t just inform—I entertain, because when you’re laughing, you’re learning. This is designed to be engaging, memorable, and leave a lasting impact on your audience
• Funny business – Engage your audience by being just a little bit funny – nobody is on their phone at a comedy night
• Stories That Stick – Box-ticking doesn’t work – If your story isn’t memorable, you’re never front of mind
• Ditch the Jargon – When we speak in common phrases, or what we like to call ‘White Noise’ you may be speaking, but no on is listening

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: Show Business Meets Your Business

Key Takeaways:

• Keeping Customers Hooked: Create a customer experience so good, they will love you forever
• Turning Complaints into Comebacks: How to front up, engage, and recover in style
• Creating Emotional Connections: they have to love you – and it’s your job to make sure it happens
• Simplifying the Experience: Make your processes seamless and simple and make yourselves easy to buy cos frankly, who has time for complicated?
• Feedback Loops That Work: Build feedback systems that keep your customers happy and loyal. We listen, intently

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE – From Stage and Screen to Business Strategies

Key Takeaways:

• Hope is not a strategy
• Entertainment-industry know-how that transforms disengaged staff into motivated teams.
• Inspire lasting engagement.
• Turn passive clients into loyal fans
• Get everyone to do exacly what you’d like them to do, but they want to do it