Exclusive

Eric O’Neill

Cybersecurity Expert, Former FBI Operative Featured in the Film Breach, Bestselling Author, Technology Futurist, and National Security Strategist

Renowned as the spy catcher who took down the most notorious traitor in U.S. espionage history, Eric O’Neill is a former FBI counterterrorism and counterintelligence operative and authority on all aspects of cybersecurity. His story became the Hollywood thriller, Breach, starring Ryan Phillipe as O’Neill, his own bestselling book, Gray Day, and now, motivational keynotes that use the thrilling world of espionage as a captivating background. A top speaker on cybersecurity, O’Neill customizes his highly motivational and informative talks to educate, elevate awareness and inspire engagement in your organization’s cybersecurity goals. He also addresses the new SEC cybersecurity reporting requirements, the threat to U.S. security posed by terrorism, cyber threats to critical infrastructure, foreign intelligence, Neural Network AIs like ChatGPT, and the national conscience in a monitored society.

  • Eric O’Neill Keynote Speaker Fee Fee range is for U.S. events, depending on location and organization type

    Please Inquire

  • Languages Spoken

    English

  • Travels From

    Washington DC, USA

  • Eric O’Neill Keynote Speaker Fee Fee range is for U.S. events, depending on location and organization type

    Please Inquire

  • Languages Spoken

    English

  • Travels From

    Washington DC, USA

Suggested Keynote Speaker Programs

CYBERSECURITY: SPIES, LIES & CYBERCRIME: PROTECTING YOUR DATA IN A DARK WEB ECONOMY

Dive headfirst into the heart of the digital battleground, where data reigns supreme as the currency of our lives. Amidst the interconnected web of technology, the relentless tide of foreign espionage, Dark Web cybercrime, and the looming threat of AI...

Dive headfirst into the heart of the digital battleground, where data reigns supreme as the currency of our lives. Amidst the interconnected web of technology, the relentless tide of foreign espionage, Dark Web cybercrime, and the looming threat of AI-driven deepfakes, the battleground for data security intensifies. No longer confined to the shadows, today’s adversaries navigate the digital landscape with precision and cunning, exploiting vulnerabilities with every keystroke. The Dark Web has ascended to the third-largest economy on the planet, where trust is an uncommon commodity amidst the sea of generative AI deception. Brace yourself against the relentless onslaught of deception, impersonation, and ransomware attacks, draining billions from unsuspecting victims. As we hurtle towards the future, cyber theft of information from every organization and consumer will surpass $20 trillion USD, a stark reminder of the imperative to fortify our defenses in this ever-evolving digital frontier.

Join cybersecurity expert, acclaimed author, and former FBI spy hunter Eric O’Neill in this engaging and enlightening presentation. Drawing from his extensive experience as an undercover operative within the FBI and as a seasoned security consultant, O’Neill shares compelling true stories to impart invaluable insights on thinking like a spy hunter to safeguard your data against cyber-attacks.

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WHAT JAMES BOND & JASON BOURNE WOULD NEVER TELL YOU ABOUT ACHIEVING YOUR COMPANY’S MISSION

You’d never see James Bond give a game-changing keynote to a leadership team. Or, see Jason Bourne coach corporate audiences on how to turn obstacles into accomplishments. Luckily, we have real-life FBI cybersecurity expert and celebrated spy ...

You’d never see James Bond give a game-changing keynote to a leadership team. Or, see Jason Bourne coach corporate audiences on how to turn obstacles into accomplishments. Luckily, we have real-life FBI cybersecurity expert and celebrated spy catcher, Eric O’Neill. 

O’Neill weaves his edge-of-your-seat espionage story—featured in the Hollywood hit, Breach and his own bestseller, Gray Day—into highly actionable, irresistibly motivational takeaways to help achieve both personal success and your organization’s goals and mission.  Highlights include:

  • “Luck is for lottery winners.” How to not only identify opportunities, but create them.
  • Achieve success even when you’re not set up for it.
  • Manage setbacks and turn them into triumph.
  • Why time is the most valuable commodity.
  • “Don’t just have a Plan B, have a Plan C.”

O’Neill’s thrilling espionage story of catching the most notorious cyberspy in U.S. history imparts invaluable lessons in a unique, captivating and unforgettable way. Audiences learn how to set goals and achieve them with confidence, determination, and in O’Neill’s case, the courage to triumph like Bond or Bourne. Yes, even when the mission seemed impossible.

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About Keynote Speaker Eric O’Neill

Best known for his role in capturing the most notorious spy in United States history, Robert Hanssen, Eric O’Neill is a cybersecurity authority, motivational speaker, former FBI counterterrorism and counterintelligence operative, and technology futurist. He is the bestselling author of Gray Day, and the inspiration for the film Breach, in which he was portrayed by actor Ryan Phillipe. O’Neill is the founder of The Georgetown Group, a premier investigative and security services firm, and former national security strategist for VMware Carbon Black, the leader in next-generation network and endpoint security. In addition to cybersecurity, O’Neill also addresses the new SEC cybersecurity reporting requirements, the threat to U.S. security posed by terrorism, cyber threats to critical infrastructure, foreign intelligence, Neural Network AIs like ChatGPT, and the national conscience in a monitored society.

More About Eric O’Neill

As a highly engaging speaker, Eric O’Neill weaves real-life experiences worthy of a Hollywood spy thriller and the bestseller list into talks that are entertaining, informative, and inspiring. As a cybersecurity expert, he provides practical cybersecurity insights into real work situations relevant to many industries. Key to all of his talks is his captivating first-hand account of capturing Robert Hanssen, the notorious spy responsible for the greatest security breach in U.S. history.

Eric O’Neill began his career in counterintelligence and counterterrorism as a graduate of the FBI’s Intelligence Program. He spent the first five years of his FBI career as a special surveillance group field operative monitoring foreign, national, and domestic terrorists and spies. He transitioned from field operative to direct undercover work focusing on Hanssen. The unique nature of the assignment, one with huge significance but little backup or support, required O’Neill to tap into deep reserves of courage and inner confidence—experiences that he now draws upon as a motivational speaker. 

Currently, Eric O’Neill is a founding partner of The Georgetown Group, a premier investigative and security consultancy specializing in counterintelligence operations, investigations into economic espionage, cybersecurity penetrations, internal investigations, catching the trusted insider, and security risk.

He formerly served as the General Counsel and Chief Ethics Officer for Global Communities, a charitable humanitarian relief organization serving 20 million people each year. He is also the former National Security Strategist for VMWare Carbon Black, the leader in next-generation network and endpoint protection, where he provided insight and advice on strategic cyber-security issues and ensured that they are an active participant in the national conversation on cybersecurity strategy. O’Neill graduated with honors from George Washington University Law School and is a practicing attorney.

In addition to his book and the movie it inspired, O’Neill has told his story on CNN, ABC, Fox, MTV, and NPR, including programs such as Nightline, Hardball with Chris Mathews, Fox News Power Player of the Week with Chris Wallace, CSPAN’s Washington Journal, NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross, World News Now, Access Hollywood and CBS’s FBI True.

His speaking engagements include Fortune 100 companies and strategic clients such as AT&T, Salesforce, TIAA, IBM, Dell, Raymond James & Associates, Roche Diagnostics, and Allstate.

Testimonials

“Eric was an excellent keynote speaker for our corporate conference. He is a talented storyteller who did a great job engaging the audience with his tales of espionage and cybercrime, while also incorporating important insights into how to deal with a cyberattack should it occur.”

Ogletree Deakins

 

“Eric O’Neill absolutely killed it. Our audience absolutely loved him; and I think the 2-keynote flow was excellent and engaging. Eric may have been our all time favorite once again!”

Major NYC Telecom Company

 

“Eric goes out of this way to ensure his talk is aligned with your event goals, theme, and audience makeup. He asked the right questions in our pre-event brief, and customized his content to meet our needs. The feedback we received from our attendees was outstanding and we look forward to working with Eric again in the future.”

Justin

Director of Marketing for North America, Egress

Eric was a wonderful addition to our Company-wide Conference and, for many of our attendees, his presentation was the highlight. He was engaging, animated, charming and able to extract important business lessons from his experience with the FBI. I appreciated his candor, the tailoring of his message to our theme and the time he took to spend with our team. I’d recommend him as a speaker at any corporate event.

John, President & CEO

Johnny Rockets

Eric is a consummate professional, with a relaxed demeanor, he was the absolute hit of our event!  We had a record attendance at our meeting, and due to his great presentation we have new exposure for our ISACA chapter!

Program Committee Chair

ISACA Virginia

Eric O’Neill’s presentation on “An Insider’s Look into the Robert Hanssen Investigation: How the FBI Caught the Worst Spy in American History” is a breathtaking insight into one of the worst spies in United States history. Eric presented on never before heard facts that wowed the audience and left everyone wanting more. His professional approach and mild-mannered attitude were spot on for an engaging delivery. Everyone was so focused on Eric for the full hour that you could have heard a pin drop in a room of 1,000+ attendees.  Eric is truly a once in a lifetime speaker that everyone should see and hear in person!”

NCMS Seminar Committee

 

Eric does an incredible job engaging an audience through the telling of espionage stories, while masterfully weaving in what it means today in the world of cybercrime. He captivated the attention of over 350 business leaders, who left with clear insight into the non-negotiable importance of strategic cyber-security.

Melody, CCB Technology

 

“Eric was the perfect guest speaker for our event. With an audience of IT Security folks, he not only captivated the room with his thrilling espionage story, but also incorporated our latest cyber-security report and other cyber-security themes into his talk. Eric has a long list of interesting topics he can speak on, and we hope that we can bring him back to speak again in the future.”

Carrie

Manager, Events & Partner Relations, CloudLock

Eric O’Neill spoke at our Qualcomm conference and our group was very pleased. He hit home with the importance of being diligent to protect personal and company data – with many examples of ways we are all being targeted. The threat is REAL, and people need to take it seriously.

Rachel

Qualcomm

I want to tell you how fabulous Eric was. I was personally so impressed with his keynote address and his delivery style.  He is a fantastic story teller. I was also fortunate enough to meet him as well.  An incredibly intelligent and thoughtful individual. The feedback we’ve gotten thus far has been overwhelmingly positive.  We’ve had multiple attendees comment that he was by far our best keynote address to date.  We are so grateful to him for his participation.

Melanie

Connecticut Education Network

Eric O’Neill is absolutely fantastic!! ExtraHop hired Eric to speak about his experience in the FBI as a counter-terrorism and counterintelligence operative. The passion and energy he was able to convey through his storytelling kept our audience captivated the entire time. Eric made it a point to talk to every attendee and did a book signed with a personalized message for each person.

Danielle

ExtraHop

Media

Article

Mar 21, 2024

What your Organization can Learn about Achieving Success from a Famed Spy Catcher

Imagine tapping into the mind of a famed spy catcher to elevate your business strategy. Eric O’Neill, the former FBI...

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Article

Nov 27, 2023

Eric O'Neill Spills Robert Hanssen Case Details in Recent 'FBI True' Episode

Last week’s episode of FBI True brought a curious case back into the public eye: the deception and betrayal perpetrated...

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Article

Oct 9, 2023

Join Eric O'Neill in an Exploration of Lies, Betrayal, and Psychological Warfare in his NEW Thrilling Spy Podcast Series

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the mind of a spy? Eric O’Neill, a former FBI counterterrorism and...

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Article

Jun 7, 2023

Goodbye Robert Hanssen: Reflections from the FBI Operative who Helped Capture him

  The news of the FBI’s most damaging spy Robert Hanssen’s passing in his jail cell yesterday has left Eric...

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Article

Feb 16, 2023

Cybersecurity Expert Eric O'Neill Joins the Star-Studded SXSW 2023 Lineup

Our exclusive speaking partner and longtime friend Eric O’Neil will join the roster of thought leaders and celebrities heading up the...

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Webinar

Jun 14, 2022

The Latest On Cybersecurity: How To Protect Your Data In The Age Of Remote Work And International Espionage

The past several years made global workforces, economies, government agencies, and individual fortunes susceptible to cyber-attacks. Lockdowns demanded the early...

Watch

Article

May 20, 2022

What do Healthcare Professionals need to know about Cybersecurity?

Did you know medical records are worth anywhere from $1- $1,000 on the dark web and second only to passports...

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Article

Feb 18, 2022

21st Anniversary of Eric O'Neill's Famous Capture

Today marks the 21st anniversary of the capture of the world’s first cyber-spy: Robert Hanssen. BigSpeak Exclusive Speaker Eric O’Neill...

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Article

Feb 18, 2021

20th Anniversary of Eric O'Neill's Arrest of the First Cyber Spy

Today is the 20th anniversary of the arrest of the most notorious spy in American History: Robert Hanssen. BigSpeak Exclusive...

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