Cally Beaton

Cally Beaton is a media executive, entrepreneur, and performer. At the start of her career, she headed an independent television production company that was bought by ITV. She joined the board of the UK’s main commercial broadcaster as both the youngest, and the only woman member (and for a while sat alongside David Cameron). She left ITV to start a creative consultancy and production company as well as joining US studio giant ViacomCBS as Senior Vice President of International Sales.

At ViacomCBS, Cally oversaw a £500 million budget for channels including Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount; if you want someone to blame for bringing South Park and Spongebob Squarepants to the world, you need look no further. Responsible for selling programmes and formats around the world, she combined working with on-screen and production talent with business planning and strategy, bridging the divide between creative and financial priorities - until a chance conversation with the legendary comedian Joan Rivers changed her life.

It was whilst working on Comedy Central that Cally developed her other life as a stand-up comedian. Despite joining the circuit after already establishing an impressive corporate career, the move has seen her perform at clubs and venues around the country, take her own show to the Edinburgh Fringe, and appear on shows including QI, The Apprentice You’re Fired, and Live at the Apollo.

Having left the corporate world for comedy, Cally also explores ideas of reinvention, change and embracing uncertainty and discomfort. Her popular podcast Namaste Motherf*ckers brings together the worlds of comedy, self-help and business. With the help of celebrity guests and experts, Cally explores unusual, personal and entertaining lessons in life, work and wellbeing. Alongside a big social media following with over 100million views of her Instagram reels, the podcast has inspired both the Sunday Times bestselling book and a live tour of the same name, bringing both insight and entertainment to the big changes in life (forced and unforced), and especially for women, what it means to defy expectations.

Bringing humour and energy to her business insights, Cally considers the nature of workplace and leadership culture. She looks at how to engender change (both personal and organisational), inspire teams and develop a positive, agile, and inclusive environment. She also tackles the working priorities and expectations of multigenerational teams, and reveals how to be creative whilst keeping an eye on the bottom line. Her personality, love of performance and business knowledge has also seen her coach and train senior figures from a range of industries.