Thomas Bach

Thomas Bach is a distinguished sports administrator and legal professional who served as the ninth President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 2013 to 2025. A former Olympic fencer, he secured a team foil gold medal at the 1976 Montreal Games, making him the first Olympic champion to later lead the organisation. Following his competitive career, which included a world championship title and multiple national honours, he transitioned into law and sports governance. He currently holds the title of Honorary President of the IOC and remains an influential figure in global athletics. Throughout his presidency, Thomas introduced transformative strategies such as Olympic Agenda 2020 and Agenda 2020+5, designed to modernise the Games and improve their sustainability, accessibility, and cost-efficiency. He navigated the movement through significant global disruption, including the logistical complexities of Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022. His tenure was marked by a commitment to gender equality, digital innovation, and the protection of clean competition. Before his election as President, he held several key leadership roles, including serving as President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation and Chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission. Thomas is recognised for his diplomatic approach to the intersection of international sport and politics. He offers audiences a masterclass in leadership under pressure, drawing on his unique perspective as both an elite athlete and the head of a major international institution. His presentations explore the unifying power of sport, the importance of integrity in governance, and the strategies required to manage complex, multi-stakeholder organisations in a rapidly changing environment. On stage, Thomas Bach is best known for talks on Leadership and Reputation. Audiences leave with a clear, practical view of the subject rather than a generic overview — every keynote is shaped around the brief and the room. Their work resonates with leaders across Sport, where the themes translate directly into team decisions, customer experience and growth strategy. Thomas Bach is regularly booked for Business Speaker and Conference Speaker, adapting tone, length and format to suit the event — from a 20-minute opener to a full conference keynote with Q&A. To check availability or request a tailored brief for your event, send an enquiry and we'll come back with fees, dates and a short summary of how Thomas Bach would approach your audience.