Paul did not disappoint! He got the audience interacting and engaging right from the start, and he was able to share a complex message in a simple way that people could really grasp hold of.

Marina Moroney

Client at Granicus

The challenge for event organisers

Whether you're kicking off a conference, running a leadership retreat or wrangling a room full of humans who’ve had too much coffee, there's a lot to manage.

I love speaking with smart audiences about how to get traction on what matters.

People describe my talks as light-hearted, engaging, authentic, and insightful.

Paul brought a lot of energy and a message that really hit home for our conference opening. He got people thinking about the bigger picture, and I really valued what he said about staying curious and asking better question. If you're um'ing and ah'ing about having Paul as a speaker, I'd say just lock him in!

Dr Ellen Clark

President, Society of Hospital and Community Dentistry

3 topics I regularly speak about


Leading with Curiosity (in Complexity) - Why Smart Leaders Ask More and Talk Less

As leaders, we don’t always get to control the big picture, but we can choose how we show up in it. 

When we're busy and drowning in change, it’s tempting to lead by jumping in with answers. But that approach comes at a cost.

In this keynote, Paul McGregor explores the hidden cost of answer-driven leadership - from bottlenecks and burnout to disempowered teams and missed opportunities. Through engaging stories and practical frameworks, he shows why asking better questions much leads to better answers.

This is an energising session perfect for leaders and teams feeling a bit overwhelmed.


Stepping Up - From Expert to Manager to Leader

You got promoted for doing great work. But nobody warned you how managing people would be a completely different job.

Shifting from expert to manager to leader is one of the hardest moves to make. The skills that made you great in your field - knowing the answers to technical problems - can start to work against you when you're leading others.

In this keynote, Paul McGregor unpacks why the transition is so tough (and so common), and what to do about it. You’ll walk away with a fresh take on leadership, practical tools to make the shift smoother, and a few “oh wow, that’s me” moments along the way.

Ideal for both new and experienced leaders, or anyone still trying to shake the urge to fix everything themselves.


Experiences that Engage - How Small Moments Create Big Impacts

What if the everyday moments in your organisation were your biggest untapped advantage?

Whether it’s a client call, a customer visit, or a casual email, your people are creating experiences every day. Are they doing so by accident or by design?

With the rise of automation and our everyday busyness, many of these important interactions are becoming forgettable - or worse, frustrating.

In this energising keynote, Paul McGregor shows how small, intentional changes can transform ordinary moments into memorable experiences - boosting retention, reputation, and results.


Or perhaps you need an MC to bring your event theme to life

MCs play a critical role in the success of your event. When a speaker is dull (it happens), they can help lift the energy up. When the audience is confused, they can extract key messages in a way that resonates. 

I take the role of event MC quite seriously. We'll prepare together beforehand, thinking about how you want to bring your theme alive, and what role you want each session to play.

On the day, I arrive early, keep things moving, and keep the energy up - lifting the experience for everybody.

I think of the role like a lighthouse: shining my light brightly so everybody can have a safer and more enjoyable passage through your event.

What people have said about me

Paul was recommended as a really engaging speaker for our Granicus Digital Engagement Roadshow. He did not disappoint! He got the audience interacting and engaging right from the start. He was able to share a complex message in a simple way that people could really grasp hold of. There was a mixture of stories, data and models, which worked really well. You could hear people still talking about the model over lunch, which was awesome. And we got lots of requests for access to the practical tools he shared too.

Marina Moroney

Client at Granicus

We've worked with Paul a few times now and the feedback is always outstanding. This year, he ran two workshops at our sector conference. We got lots of feedback about his fantastic presentation and delivery.

Ann Hill

Business Event Manager, Sport NZ

Paul was the opening speaker for our Hospital and Community Dentistry Conference and we've had so much great feedback. He brought a lot of energy and a message that really hit home. It's the first time we've had a professional speaker and it made such a difference to the start of our conference. Paul really got people thinking about the bigger picture, not just the technical side of dentistry. I got lots of comments from people saying how they appreciated his stories about growing up with a dad as a dentist. Personally, I really valued what he said about staying curious and asking better questions - and I think that's helpful in so many areas of life (including being a parent!) If you're um'ing and ah'ing about having Paul as a speaker, I'd say just lock him in!

Dr Ellen Clark

President, Society of Hospital and Community Dentistry

On behalf of the entire team, I wanted to extend our heartfelt thanks for your work as the MC at our recent conference. Your professionalism, positive vibe, and ability to engage the audience contributed significantly to the event's success. Your time keeping, insightful introductions, and the way you kept the energy high throughout the day were appreciated by both the attendees and the organising team. Over the two days we received so much positive feedback from participants who specifically mentioned how they enjoyed your presence and how it enhanced their overall experience.

Grant Davidson

CEO, Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network

There's a good reason why we're getting Paul to MC our Tourism Summit again this year. His professionalism, charisma, and ability to engage with our diverse audience was exceptional. His skill in facilitating the panel discussions was particularly impressive. He asked insightful questions, managed the conversation with ease, and ensured that each panellist had the opportunity to share their expertise. His ability to connect with the audience and create meaningful conversations contributed greatly to the success of the summit.

Jade Mahuika

Project Manager at Development West Coast

Paul is an exceptional MC and really extracted the most out of the event and the presenters for our Tourism Summit. He has a superb way of engaging both the audience and presenters - I am so grateful to have been part of an event that included him as a master of ceremonies! The pre-planning was led with confidence and strategic intent, Paul understood our objectives and delivered an event that exceeded our expectations! Thank you Paul! Can’t wait to work with you again!

Patrick Dault

GM, Love Taupō

Paul was an outstanding MC for the recent Manaakitanga ki te Tai Poutini Hui. Despite a packed agenda, he masterfully kept things on track and energised. He even averted the usual post lunch slump. I loved his energy, enthusiasm and sense of humour.

Jessie Creedmore

Creedmore Communicate

Paul is like a postman. Every time I see him in action, he delivers. He ran a session at our sector conference this year on how to have hard conversations. As always, I took heaps away from it. He made it interactive, with lots of laughs, stories and models that really brought the content alive.

Josh Margetts

National Partnership Manager, Sport NZ

Paul recently MCed our 2-day New Zealand Symposium and he was just brilliant. We had so much positive feedback. Whenever he was on stage, you could just feel the energy increase. Basically, he just kept things running smoothly and this just made my job so much easier. From an audience perspective, bringing the light-heartedness up in between sessions was so good. It wasn't just "this is happening next"; he was listening and bringing things back to the conference theme, and really getting people excited about what was next.

Katie Healey

IAP2

Recently enjoyed Paul's facilitation of the IAP2 Symposium held in Christchurch. He was an engaging and confident MC who brought a lot of authenticity to the role. He was quick to adapt to any issues and got more than a few laughs from the group. Would highly recommend Paul as your next MC!

Rachael Shiels

ChristchurchNZ

I had the pleasure of being one of the speakers at an event where Paul was the MC, and he was absolutely brilliant. He has a calming presence that instantly put everyone at ease, yet he energised the room, keeping the event lively and engaging throughout. He was masterful in keeping the flow of the event running smoothly, ensuring that everything stayed on schedule while being empathetic and flexible. He struck the perfect balance between humour and professionalism, helping make the day both enjoyable and interesting.

Julia Roberts

The Marketing Club

Paul was the MC at a two day IAP2 Symposium recently and what a fantastic MC he was. He knocked it out of the park. His energy and charisma kept the energy consistently high and he used a number of tools from his diverse and varied toolbox to assist him as well. Paul came across as his genuine self.

Nicky Astwood

Plat4m