Professor Ben Garrod

Keynote Speaker

Professor Ben Garrod's Biography

Ben Garrod is  an evolutionary biologist and primate conservationist. He is also an award winning broadcaster for television and radio.

Ben has written several books, covering a range of subjects from evolution and anatomy to animal behaviour and natural history. 

An expert in his field, Ben has worked on the frontline of conservation in Africa, Asia, South America, across the Caribbean, and the Arctic. He’s seen first-hand the impact of climate change and biodiversity loss on a range of species and ecosystems. As a result, his views on sustainability are also highly thought-provoking. 

An accomplished and highly entertaining speaker, he describes how the stress and anxiety we so often experience “may not have originated here with us”.Drawing fascinating comparisons from across the animal kingdom, having spent over two decades living with and researching the behaviour of great apes.

Searingly honest about his own mental health journey, Ben describes the challenges he personally has faced - with charm, humour, and energy. Why does he suggest we should all sign up to a 200 mile ‘fun run’ at least once in our lives, and what did he learn from befriending Johnny, one of the world’s most dangerous inhabitants?

TV work

Notable TV credits include ‘Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur’ and ‘Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard’ - both alongside Sir David Attenborough for BBC One. Ben also presented ‘Baby Chimp Rescue’, ‘The Day the Dinosaurs Died’ alongside Professor Alice Roberts (BBC Two), and ‘Secrets of Bones’ and ‘Secrets of Skin’ (BBC Four).