Brighton public speaker named national ‘Speaker of the Year’ 2015

Business media & communications specialist Steve Bustin has been honoured by The Professional Speaking Association with three awards.

A Brighton based professional speaker and event compére has been named national ‘Speaker of the Year’ by the trade body for the speaking industry, The Professional Speaking Association.

Steve Bustin, who speaks at business events across the country on media and communications topics, was given the accolade at the Association’s Spring convention in London last weekend (Saturday 16th April). At the same event Bustin was also named as top speaker of the year by both the Thames Valley and the Yorkshire regions of the Association. 

The awards are voted by all the members of the Professional Speaking Association, so are awarded by possibly the toughest audience for any speaker – the UK’s top speakers. The title ‘Speaker of the Year’ recognises excellence not only as a speaker but also as someone who upholds the professional standards of the industry. Bustin is a Fellow of the Professional Speaking Association, having joined as an Associate and worked his way to full Member and then been made Fellow in under two years.

Steve Bustin has been speaking and compering professionally for business events and conferences for many years after starting his career in journalism and public relations. He is recognised as one of the UK’s top experts in effective business communications including PR, social media and presentations. He also runs masterclasses and coaches business leaders in public speaking and media interview skills. He also provides accredited CPD workshops and masterclasses through a number of Chartered Institutes.

In Brighton, Bustin is probably best known as compére for many Chamber of Commerce events including debates and their annual Summit, and has also hosted local comedy nights, fundraisers and charity events as well. Bustin speaks regularly at events for The University of Brighton, including sessions on presenting skills for entrepreneurship students in the Business School. Outside Brighton he has spoken at venues including the National Exhibition Centre and London’s Excel and compéred events at The Queen Elizabeth Hall and a number of West End theatres.

Bustin says the awards were a complete surprise:

“I had no idea I had even been nominated for these awards so it came as a complete surprise. It’s not often, as someone who speaks for a living, that I’m lost for words but I was completely gob-smacked!

“It’s a particular honour to have received this award from my peers, my fellow speakers. To be recognised by them means a huge amount as I have always had the utmost respect for their talent and commitment to delivering the best audience experience possible whether they’re speaking to a hall of thousands or a room of a handful of people.”

To contact Steve visit his profile on the Chamber website. 

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk