Francesca Kennedy Wallbank Speaker | Enterprise & Careers & New Speakers & Women & Well-being & Mathematics & Adventure

Francesca Kennedy Wallbank

BBCs Apprentice Candidate. STEM Advocate. Eco-Warrior. Energising Entrepreneur.

Francesca is a dynamic entrepreneur and sustainability advocate dedicated to simplifying sustainable choices for all. Her journey is a testament to her drive and innovation, from founding H2OSQD, a personalised reusable water bottle business, during the pandemic, to launching CarbonBright, an Climate Tech company using AI to empower brands to get to net-zero.

With a background in Mathematics, Francesca earned top honors and secured a coveted spot in the Unilever Future Leaders Programme, specialising in Supply Chain. Her career took her across diverse roles, from spearheading logistics projects in Poland to managing operations at the Pot Noodle Factory in Cardiff at the remarkable age of 23.

Taking a bold career break at 24, Francesca pivoted to entrepreneurship, single-handedly building H2OSQD from scratch, mastering web development, social media management, and customer relations along the way. Returning to Unilever in Marketing, she swiftly advanced into Brand Management, overseeing renowned brands like Cif, before making her mark on Series 16 of The Apprentice.

Beyond business, Francesca is a thrill-seeker with a penchant for adventure, having volunteered in Sri Lanka, sailed the Atlantic, and embraced adrenaline-fueled activities like bungee jumping and skydiving.

An inspiring speaker, Francesca shares her expertise on various topics including:

STEM careers
Women in Tech including AI
Entrepreneurial journey
Sustainability
Goal setting

Her talks resonate with audiences seeking practical insights and actionable strategies to pursue their ambitions and make a positive impact.

Francesca embodies the ethos of turning aspirations into accomplishments, and her compelling story motivates others to do the same. Invite her to inspire your students and ignite their passion for realising their dreams.

Testimonials from Teachers

"The students really enjoyed the talk, and came away buzzing with ideas that they want to try out themselves. Francesca explained some complicated concepts in a very clear way, with lots of specific examples that the students could relate to, and she managed to be relatable but also genuinely inspiring. A lot of our students are aiming to set up businesses or to work as a freelancer, so the session was very useful to them."

– Louise Gaskin, Head of Creative Media, Nescot

"Listening to her talk made me feel like ‘if she can do it then so can I’, so I’ve got new energy now."

– Yasha, Creative Business Student, Nescot

Francesca came to our school, Wrenn School, to deliver a seminar on how to succeed in business, whether within in a company or on your own. She met with students across years groups 10 to 13 and was extremely effective in her presentation. She enthused the students and confirmed the need to have a vision, work hard and “go for it”! She has an infectious personality which the students were able to pick up on and they were confident to ask her questions which she answered enthusiastically. She has great experience with both a multi-national company and from setting up her own business and she was able to share this with the students. I have no hesitation recommendingFrancesca to other institutions for similar events. She certainly brought a “sparkle” to the occasion.

Christine Hunt (Former Deputy Head, Wrenn School)

– Christine Hunt, Former Deputy Head, Wrenn School

"Francesca talked to all of our Sixth Form pupils about her journey and how to reach for the stars. Her talk was engaging and uplifting for the them. Her talk was tailored to all pupils, and she engaged the most difficult of pupils at times. Francesca is an inspiring, genuine, and excellent speaker.”

– Mrs C Miller, Assistant Head Upper School, Ashford School