Katie Piper

Katie Piper is a bestselling author, TV presenter and above all inspirational campaigner for burns victims. In 2008 Katie was the victim of a terrifying acid attack by her ex-boyfriend leaving her with horrific facial injuries and blindness in one eye. Following 40 operations she began to rebuild her life and has gone on to become one of the most enlivening and influential diversity and inclusion speakers on the circuit.

Following her recovery, Katie became a media sensation. In 2009, just a year after the attack, she released Katie: My Beautiful Face, a Channel 4 documentary that outlined Katie’s emotional and turbulent journey. The feature won Best Documentary at the Broadcast Awards, a testament to her inspirational impact. As well as this she has documented her story in a number of best-selling books such as Beautiful, Things Get Better and Things I’d Tell My Child which can be found on bookshelves all over the world.

Prior to her attack, she worked as a model-making several appearances at beauty pageants and for high-profile brands. Katie’s modelling work saw her named Miss Winchester in 2006, however, following the attack, she feared her career was over. But her experiences have captured the hearts of businesses and the public, and despite worrying that her facial scarring would not be accepted in the beauty industry, global brands like Pantene and L’Oreal have worked with Katie to promote acceptance and diversity. This work has helped her to redefine what we consider ‘beautiful’ and as a speaker, she gives her insight into the problems she has faced professionally and how corporate environments can work towards being more inclusive.

Now, Kate continues to champion several good causes. This includes establishing the Katie Piper Foundation which supports victims of burns and acid attacks and in 2019 she opened her own rehabilitative centre. Having received innovative treatment for her burns in France she realised there was nothing like it in the UK so created the centre to make these treatments more accessible in the UK. Alongside this, she is a popular TV presenter who hosts Songs of Praise and has competed on Strictly Come Dancing. In 2022 in recognition of her work she received an OBE.

At her diversity and inclusion events, Katie can share her insights on how to fight back from being a victim and become a survivor, inspiring audiences everywhere with her remarkable way of overcoming adversity.