Sir Bob Geldof

Leadership. Inspiration. Global Affairs. Philanthropy. Human Rights. Corporate and Social Responsibility

Shooting to fame as the lead singer of the Boomtown Rats, Bob Geldof was a major player in the 70s punk rock movement and enjoyed over a decade of hits between 1975 and 1986, including “Rat Trap”, “I Don’t Like Mondays” and “Up All Night”. After leaving the band, he launched a successful solo career, published his best-selling autobiography, “Is That It?” and worked as a radio DJ, journalist and television presenter.

In 1984 Geldof was watching the news one night when he was horrified by a report on the famine in Ethiopia. As we all now know he got on the phone. The result was the all-star band aid and the song he co-wrote with Midge Ure – “Do They Know it’s Christmas?”, which went on to sell over three million copies and become the biggest selling song in the UK. He subsequently inspired and joined the American response – “We are the World” the biggest-selling single in the world. Six months later, on July 13, 1985, came Live Aid – “the biggest and greatest event in pop history”. $200 million was raised for the starving and the dying in Ethiopia. Geldof established and continues to be the chairman of the Band Aid trust, which operates in eight African countries.

Geldof currently serves as an adviser to the One Campaign, co-founded by fellow Irish rock singer and activist Bono, and was a member of the Africa Progress Panel. He was a member of prime minister Blair’s Commission For Africa and is currently Founder and Chair of the 8 Miles private equity fund for investment in Africa.

“What an incredible speech! He [Bob Geldof] really is the best orator I have ever seen.”