Benjamin Mee
Owner of Dartmoor Zoo, inspiration behind the film We Bought a Zoo
*Fees are a guide only. Exact cost will be dependent on requirements and are subject to change.
About Benjamin Mee
Born in Australia and raised in Surrey, Benjamin’s early years were shaped by curiosity and a challenging relationship with conventional education. His fascination with animal intelligence was cemented after an encounter with a dolphin, leading him to study psychology at UCL, followed by an MSc in Science Journalism at Imperial College London. Benjamin went on to contribute to major national publications, including regular columns for Men’s Health and The Guardian, and produced extensive work for The Independent, The Telegraph, and The Daily Mail.
A defining moment in Benjamin’s life came in 2006, when he and his extended family made the bold decision to buy a failing zoo in Devon, despite having no prior experience and only ten days’ worth of funds. This leap of faith brought enormous challenges, from rebuilding animal enclosures to mastering animal welfare and business operations. During this time, Benjamin faced devastating personal loss as his wife, Katherine, battled a recurring brain tumour, passing away just as the zoo prepared to open. Against all expectations, Benjamin reopened Dartmoor Zoo in 2007.
His book, We Bought a Zoo, became an international bestseller, published in 23 countries and adapted into a major motion picture. The family’s journey was later captured in the BBC documentary series Ben’s Zoo. Today, Dartmoor Zoo operates as a thriving charitable trust, dedicated to conservation and education, and continues to grow under Benjamin’s stewardship.
Benjamin’s inspirational keynote talks draw on this extraordinary life journey. Audiences ranging from corporate leaders to students are captivated by his relaxed, authentic and emotionally resonant style. He delivers powerful insights into resilience, leadership under pressure, overcoming adversity, and the lessons nature and animals offer for personal and business success. His ability to blend humour, emotion and practical advice ensures his talks leave a lasting impact.
Beyond the zoo, Benjamin is an ambassador for Brain Tumour Research, a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ communications committee, and a recipient of an honorary doctorate from Plymouth University for his contributions to science communication. He continues to write, mentor and influence global conversations around conservation, animal behaviour and sustainable business, cementing his reputation as one of the UK’s most experienced and engaging motivational speakers.
To book Motivational Speaker Benjamin Mee, contact The Speakers Agency on +44(0)1332 810481 or email enquiries@thespeakersagency.com
Motivation & Inspiration
An uplifting story of resilience, hope and perseverance, centred on buying and saving Dartmoor Zoo against the odds.
Overcoming Obstacles & Adversity
Practical lessons on navigating personal loss, professional setbacks and high-pressure challenges with courage and clarity.
Teambuilding & Collaboration
Insights into building committed, resilient teams and fostering collaboration during periods of uncertainty and change.
Achieving Goals & Leadership
Exploring authentic leadership, ambition and decision-making when steering organisations through complex challenges.
Change Management & Innovation
How to embrace change, take calculated risks and innovate under pressure, using real-world transformation experience.
Sustainability & Conservation
Lessons on sustainability, animal welfare and the role nature plays in long-term wellbeing and responsibility.
Adventure & Taking Risks
Encouraging bold thinking, opportunity-spotting and turning vision into reality through decisive action.
Natural Capital
Understanding biodiversity as a vital asset that underpins health, resilience and economic prosperity.
Nature Therapy
The mental and emotional benefits of connecting with nature, with insights from community and wellbeing initiatives.
Videos
Testimonials
"Benjamin was truly inspirational, a story told from the heart and very different to the usual motivational speakers. It was the first time I have seen delegates queue to shake a speaker's hand."
Royal Mail
"Benjamin spoke to an audience of over 300 retail professionals with the utmost passion and enthusiasm about his story of buying a Zoo. His empathetic approach engaged the audience and they continued to listen to his every word. Benjamin has a natural ability to inject humour into his speech whilst at the same time delivering some very serious points on this amazing risk taking project. This is a unique story with many important business messages and one which the audience will remember for a long time to come. We look forward to working with Benjamin again in the near future."
Jan Jenkins, Managing Director, Room 54 Ltd – Tesco
"A pleasure to work with. Our delegates were touched by his story and the queue afterwards is testament to how well Ben was received."
People Fluent
"Really enjoyable! A very interesting story to tell with a lot of humour. A new and fresh way of motivational speaking."
Just Retirement Ltd
"We were delighted when Ben was available to be our key guest speaker at our National Operations Conference in Crewe. Ben immediately captured the 120 delegates with his sincere and engaging personality; the conference room was filled with a range of reactions from complete silence as they listened intently to minutes later raptures of laughter. Ben weighted his talk exactly right for the audience, and the feedback forms post-conference were all indicating that he was one of the highlights. Ben kindly stayed after his presentation and signed copies of his book which again was a lovely touch—we would definitely love to work with Ben again in the future and would recommend him highly."
Tanya Vigus, Head of Operations, Cats Protection
""He was mesmerising and inspiring." "Hugely interesting, emotionally engaging and a great insight into the challenges/pressures directors face when their business is struggling." "I think he should have presented in the last session of the day—he left the audience feeling really energised and was a difficult act to follow!". "I don’t normally come to R3 conferences to enjoy myself however I really enjoyed myself thoroughly due to Benjamin Mee.""
Conference feedback, R3 - Association of Business Recovery Professionals:
"Please pass on my sincere thanks to Ben for speaking yesterday. He was honestly the best speaker of the day, and everyone really enjoyed his inspirational and exceptional story."
Kirsten Sculley, Courses and Conferences Marketing Executive, R3
"Benjamin Mee has a wonderfully unique story to tell. An uplifting and inspiring story that resonates with everyone; the need to carry on despite adversity, to persevere against the odds, and to create a home for one's family. Combined with Ben's unwavering resolve and clear focus, the learning that he weaves into his fascinating anecdotes of wolves and 'big cats' can be readily applied to the corporate world of today. Ben is a charismatic and compelling storyteller and a genuine pleasure to listen to."
Andy Parker, Deputy CEO, Capita PLC
