Founder & President of Matchroom Sport, Former Chairman of the Professional Darts Corporation, Former Chairman of the World Professional Billiards & Snooker Association & Former Chairman of Leyton Orient FC

Barry Hearn OBE is one of the most influential sports promoters in modern history, best known as the Founder and President of Matchroom Sport. Over more than five decades, Barry has transformed the commercial landscape of numerous sports, including boxing, snooker, darts, fishing, pool and golf, helping to create some of the world’s biggest sporting events and personalities. His innovative approach to sports promotion has revolutionised how major competitions are marketed and broadcast internationally. Awarded an OBE for services to sport, Barry is now a highly sought after keynote speaker, sharing invaluable insights into entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation and building globally successful businesses.

Barry originally trained as a Chartered Accountant before working with several international accountancy firms and moving into the commercial world as Finance Director of Kensal House Investments. He later gained experience in property development and the fashion industry before entering sport in 1974 as Chairman of Lucania Snooker Clubs. After recognising the commercial potential of snooker, Barry founded Matchroom Sport and built an unrivalled stable of players led by Steve Davis, helping transform the sport into a television phenomenon. During the 1980s, he expanded into boxing promotion, staging his first major event between Frank Bruno and Joe Bugner before promoting world champions including Chris Eubank, Lennox Lewis, Nigel Benn and Steve Collins. Barry later founded the Prizefighter Series before becoming Chairman of the Professional Darts Corporation in 2001. Under his leadership, darts experienced unprecedented global growth before he stepped down in 2021 to focus on his role as President of Matchroom Sport, overseeing strategy and international development.

Barry’s achievements have earned widespread recognition throughout the sporting world. In 2021, he was appointed OBE in the New Year Honours for services to sport and was also inducted into the Professional Darts Corporation Hall of Fame. As Chairman of the World Professional Billiards & Snooker Association, he played a significant role in the continued growth of professional snooker, while Matchroom Sport has become one of the world’s leading independent producers and distributors of sporting events. Barry has also appeared on the High Performance Podcast and delivered a widely acclaimed address at the Oxford Union, discussing entrepreneurship, leadership and the future of global sport.

Today, Barry is regarded as one of the foremost authorities on sports business, commercial growth and leadership. His keynote presentations explore innovation, negotiation, branding, resilience and building successful organisations in highly competitive markets. Drawing on decades of experience creating world class sporting brands and managing elite athletes, Barry delivers practical business lessons alongside fascinating stories from behind the scenes of global sport. His humour, honesty and entrepreneurial mindset make him an outstanding keynote speaker, conference guest and after dinner entertainer for corporate audiences across every sector.

Why Hire Barry Hearn?

Barry Hearn is hired for his unrivalled expertise in entrepreneurship, sports promotion and business growth. As the founder of Matchroom Sport, he has transformed multiple sports into global entertainment brands while managing some of the biggest names in boxing, snooker and darts. His keynote presentations combine practical business insight with entertaining stories from decades at the forefront of international sport. Having also appeared on the High Performance Podcast and spoken at the Oxford Union, Barry delivers engaging, inspiring and commercially relevant presentations that resonate with audiences across every industry.