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Bill Burke

Speaker, Founder of The Optimism Institute, Former CEO of The Weather Channel Companies

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Bill Burke

About Bill Burke

Bill Burke founded The Optimism Institute after a long career as an executive, writer, and producer in media and sports. A former Harvard advanced Leadership Fellow, Bill now speaks on leadership and the power of optimism to transform individuals, teams, and organisations.

BillтАЩs career highlights include serving as CEO of The Weather Channel Companies and working at Time Warner, where he was the founding general manager of Turner Classic Movies.

At just 29, Bill became president of TBS Superstation. He learned valuable lessons from CNN founder Ted Turner, with whom Bill co-authored the top-10 New York Times best-selling autobiography, Call Me Ted. 

Bill Burke also co-owned and chaired the Portland Sea Dogs, the Double-A Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox for fifteen years. As a writer, Bill has co-written, produced, and directed Live Another Day, an award-winning documentary on the U.S. auto industry bailout.

A lifelong optimist, Bill launched The Optimism Institute and the Blue Sky podcast to combat the negative effects of news and social media on mental health.

Through the podcast, Bill Burke has interviewed inspiring leaders, authors, researchers, and big thinkers, including Amy Edmondson on the benefits of psychological safety, and Daniel Pink on the surprising positive power of regret. 

Bill has also appeared on TODAY with Hoda and Jenna and Guy KawasakiтАЩs Remarkable People Podcast to share his optimistic vision of the world and its future.

Book Bill Burke to speak with your team about a more optimistic, transformational view of teamwork and leadership.

Contact us to Book Bill Burke for your next event.
MEDIA
TESTIMONIALS
BillтАЩs ability to combine humor, storytelling, and meaningful insights really resonated with our audience! The session was not only engaging but also provided a valuable perspective that attendees really appreciated.
Charles Schwab
IMPACT Conference
Bill brought tremendous optimism and inspiring ideas to our global Marketing organisation. His dynamic energy, sharp insights, and humor created a strong connection with the team. He offered insightful perspectives, balancing motivational strategies with practical advice on how focus on the positive. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from team members at all levels.
Kathryn McTighe, Sr. Director, Marketing Learning & Development,
Workday
I hired Bill to speak at an offsite and his messages around optimism and how we can manage our social media diets to improve our outlook was particularly effective. He clearly articulated how to practice optimism as a means to an end and his talk made a big contribution toward a successful session for my team.
John Piccone, Regional President
Adform
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Bill Burke Booking FAQs
How do I book Bill Burke for my event?
You can enquire about booking Bill Burke for your upcoming event by contacting Kruger Cowne directly. Simply fill out the enquiry form on this page or call our team to discuss availability, event details and fees.
Bill Burke speaks on a number of subjects and topics including:
On occassion Bill Burke can tailor keynotes based on relevant themes of corporate events, summits, conferences and private events.
Bill Burke is available to speak internationally. Kruger Cowne regularly arranges international appearances and can coordinate travel, schedules, and logistics to suit your event.
Speaker fees vary depending on the type, scale and location of the event. Contact our team for a bespoke quotation and information about Bill BurkeтАЩs availability and engagement options.
Kruger Cowne works directly with Bill Burke to provide a smooth, professional booking experience. Whether youтАЩre looking to arrange a keynote, fireside chat or appearance, our team manages the enquiry, contracts and logistics from start to finish to ensure that all appearances are handled seamlessly.