It started in Grade Four
I gave my first competitive speech at nine years old — and promptly lost. Gave another in Grade Five… lost again. But something clicked in Grade Six. I wrote from the heart — literally from the perspective of a baseball — and ended up winning a public speaking competition that took me through many levels of competition.
The hockey jacket and yellow pants are (mercifully) long gone. But what stayed with me was the realization that I could move people through story — especially when the writing was good.
In high school, I became editor of the school newspaper and immediately steered it in a new direction — away from being a yawner and toward something unexpected: satire.
The result? A publication that raised eyebrows among students… and faculty. But more importantly, I figured out that a story is made even more powerful when it has a distinctive and authentic voice.
“The Hound”. Not only did I take it across Canada to get to the NWT, I also took it all the way to Mexico City when I left.
Then I took a Greyhound across Canada
A few days after graduating journalism school at Carleton University, I boarded a bus and headed across the country. I promised I wouldn’t get off that stinking Greyhound until I had a newspaper job — somewhere. Anywhere. It took me fifteen days on that Greyhound until I landed a job… in the Northwest Territories.
I expected to join a newsroom. I quickly learned I was the newsroom.
Those reporters and photographers I’d been promised? Live and learn, kid.
For months, I ran the paper almost entirely alone — reporting, photographing, editing and laying out pages. It was trial by fire, in one of the most complex, culturally rich, yet virtually unknown parts of the country. I worked to earn the trust of Indigenous, Métis, and settler communities — listening and learning to write clearly, accurately and, admittedly, being something of a shit disturber.
Along the way, I helped lead the paper’s transition from print to digital — making it one of the first local Canadian newspapers to publish online, and transforming the news from a weekly “here’s pictures from last week’s garden show” to daily coverage of territorial politics and events.
That experience taught me what no journalism course or internship ever could: Write honestly. Listen deeply. Work hard. Tell a damn good story. And always earn your audience.
Today I Bring:
Experience That Travels
From the UN system to Fortune 500 boardrooms, I’ve supported leaders at the highest levels, with a focus on leadership storytelling, executive messaging and clear, human voice.
Messages That Work Across Audiences
From ministerial addresses to boardroom briefings and strategic op-eds, I’ve written across formats and audiences. I’ve also led speechwriting panels and workshops in Oxford, Berlin, London, Washington and beyond.
Clarity in Climate and Sustainability
I’ve worked extensively in climate change and sustainability — helping leaders move beyond “let’s just work together” platitudes and “meh, good enough” messaging, toward clarity, substance and personification using real stories from real people. Imagine!
A Human-First Approach
AI can generate content — and it’s an incredible research tool. But the kind of work I do is collaborative, trusted and voice-driven. It’s about finding the authentic beating heart of the message.
It’s about sounding like you.
I learned that early. I made it my career.
And if it matters to your work — I can do it for you.
About Me
I’m Brent Kerrigan.
I’m a Strategic Story Consultant, which means I help leaders and organizations take their many ideas and messages and craft them into a story arc. It’s not about sitting around the campfire and telling ghost tales (although I like that too!), It’s about shaping the overall story we want to tell — about a leader, an idea, or an organization.
It’s work that’s needed. Over the past two decades, I’ve worked with global institutions, government leaders, Fortune 500 CEOs and multilateral organizations. That includes a decade writing senior-level speeches and honing my communications chops in two Canadian government ministries.
I also spent more than five years as Head Speechwriter at UN Climate Change (UNFCCC), where I supported high-level speeches during some of the most sensitive and visible climate negotiations of this generation.
But enough with the résumé.
Because my relationship with words started long before all of that.
Let’s Make Your Story Land
Whether you’re preparing for a keynote, shaping a bigger story, or trying to bring clarity to a complex message — I’d be pleased to hear more.
I offer short advisory sessions, strategic speechwriting, and longer-term consulting partnerships.
I’m based in Geneva and work globally.
Please use the form below. You won’t be added to a mailing list — and your message won’t disappear into a void. I respond personally to all inquiries within 24 hours and will always respect your confidentiality.