Bob Geldof

About

Bob is an Irish singer/songwriter widely respected for his activism, especially his ongoing anti-poverty efforts concerning Africa. Frontman for the late 70s to late 80s band, the Boomtown Rats Also wrote and produced Band Aid’s tune, “Do They Know It’s Christmas-time?” with musician Midge Ure. Band Aid later evolved into Live Aid, the first international real-time concert, broadcast across the globe for two days.

Bob Geldof (Robert Frederick Zenon “Bob” Geldof, KBE) started his musical career as a journalist in Vancouver, Canada, for the weekly publication Georgia Straight.

Geldof rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980.  The band had hits with his compositions “Rat Trap” which was the first New Wave chart-topper in Britain and “I Don’t Like Mondays”.

Geldof’s first major charity involvement took place in September 1981, when he performed as a solo artist for Amnesty International’s benefit show The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball.

In 1984 he and Midge Ure founded the charity supergroup Band Aid to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. They went on to organise the charity super-concert Live Aid the following year and the Live 8 concerts in 2005.

In total, Live Aid raised over £150 million for famine relief. Geldof was subsequently knighted, at age 34, for his efforts. His autobiography, written soon after with Paul Vallely, was entitled Is That It?. Bob is also a recipient of the Man of Peace title which recognises individuals who have made “an outstanding contribution to international social justice and peace”, among numerous other awards and nominations.

In 2005, Geldof was awarded the Honorary Patronage of the Trinity College Dublin University Philosophical Society and was a winner of the North-South Prize.

In a list compiled by the magazine New Statesman, in 2006, Bob Geldof was voted third in the list of “Heroes of our time.

Geldof has also signed up to be one of the Counsellors at One Young World a non-profit organisation which hopes to bring together 1500 young global leaders of tomorrow from every country in the world.

He currently serves as an adviser to the ONE Campaign, founded by fellow Irish humanitarian Bono.

Bob’s considerable experience in a number of industries, combined with his pleasing manner, informed approach and articulate delivery, make him a natural choice for personal appearances, motivational and after dinner speaking, as well as corporate days and promotions.