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Bernard Jackman is a leading high-performance specialist, currently serving as Acting Head of High Performance Sport at Horse Sport Ireland, having prepared the team for the 2024 Olympic Games. A former professional rugby player turned executive coach, broadcaster, and keynote speaker, Bernard is driven by a deep passion for unlocking potential in individuals and teams, whether in sport or business. His expertise in elite performance stems from decades of experience operating at the highest levels, both on and off the field. Bernard speaks regularly on topics including High-Performance Development, Leadership, Digital Growth, Rugby Coaching, and Commentating, inspiring audiences to embrace resilience, strategy, and culture as foundations of excellence.
Bernard’s journey to becoming a high-performance expert began in professional rugby. After being recruited by Warren Gatland in 1998 to play for Connacht, he later represented Sale Sharks—winning the European Challenge Cup in 2002—and joined Leinster Rugby, where he won the Celtic League in 2007 and the Heineken Cup in 2008. He also earned nine caps for Ireland, featuring in all matches of the 2008 Six Nations. Forced into retirement in 2010 due to concussion injuries, Bernard quickly transitioned into coaching, joining FC Grenoble as a forwards coach, then being promoted to Head Coach. In 2017, he took the reins at Dragons Rugby in Wales, before moving into senior coaching and performance consultancy roles.
In recent years, Bernard has diversified his impact beyond the pitch. Since 2018, he has been a respected rugby analyst and co-commentator for RTÉ Sport, eir Sport, and Premier Sports. In parallel, he developed his business acumen as an Account Manager at Refinitiv, followed by an Account Executive role at Gartner, helping senior IT professionals implement strategic digital initiatives. In 2019, he formally launched his career as a keynote speaker, drawing from his vast cross-sector experience. His recent appointment at Horse Sport Ireland underscores his stature as a trusted leader in Olympic-level performance environments.
Bernard’s speaking engagements are anchored in real-world experience, blending insights from elite sport, digital transformation, and leadership development. Whether advising on IT strategy or elite coaching frameworks, he consistently highlights the core drivers of high performance: culture, accountability, adaptability, and mindset. These principles resonate across industries, making him a compelling speaker for corporate, educational, and sporting audiences. Organisations seek him out not only for his engaging delivery, but for his ability to translate performance theory into actionable strategies—making him a powerful catalyst for individual and organisational growth.
Bernard Jackman is regularly booked to engage audiences at events, read their latest feedback below:
“Highly recommend Bernard as a keynote speaker. Hugely experienced in high performance environments in both the sporting and corporate worlds. He brings this experience to life in a very engaging and insightful way through relatable stories, while providing lots of practical takeaways. His core messages really resonate from both a personal and organisational developmental perspective.”
“Bernard was the keynote speaker for the launch of our People Strategy, he was just excellent. He had everyone entertained with his stories and enthralled by his insights into high performance cultures. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him.”
“Bernard has huge experience in many different areas which makes him a very interesting and inspiring person. Not many people I know that you can listen to for hours like Bernard. His thoughts and words were inspirational and make you think in the right direction. Appreciate every session and would always recommend him.”
“I have had the pleasure of working with Bernard Jackman in my capacity at Front Row Speakers, where he consistently proves himself to be an exceptional professional speaker and high-performance consultant. Bernard’s ability to captivate audiences with his deep insights, practical advice, and engaging storytelling is unmatched. Client feedback on his sessions is consistently stellar, highlighting his ability to inspire and deliver lasting value.
“It was also a privilege to work alongside Bernard at Pendulum Summit, where he conducted a masterful interview with World Cup-winning coach Jacques Nienaber on high performance. Bernard’s expertise, coupled with his knack for drawing out actionable insights, made it a standout moment at the event.”
“Bernard has huge experience in many different areas which makes him a very interesting and inspiring person. Not many people I know that you can listen to for hours like Bernard. His thoughts and words were inspirational and make you think in the right direction. Appreciate every session and would always recommend him.”
“Thank you Bernard for delivering a very engaging talk about Culture during our Celebration of Culture Day at AbbVie on October 11th. It was great that we could broadcast your insights across all our AbbVie locations in Ireland. You had so many insights to share, from your experience in sport, business, media and research. We walked away with some great learnings and takeaways. Looking forward to speaking with you again soon.”
“Bernard came and spoke to our Senior Ladies Leadership group within the club. It was a newly formed leadership group, within a gaelic football team Bernard spoke about his own experiences, skills he had acquired, the role of a leadership group and how he felt this leadership group could go about their role within in the group. He interacted with the group, took any number of questions and offered check ins via email. Bernard was a massive part in the club winning their first ever Senior Championship and leagues.”
“Bernard spoke to a Sports Team that I’m involved with. He quickly identified and understood where we are as a group and helped address some of the key performance indicators to help us progress as a unit. Bernard was engaging and motivating and kept the content very relevant to what we wanted to achieve as a team. Thanks Bernard for your time and passion, highly recommend to anyone in a competitive environment that is looking to thrive in their field, whether through sporting or corporate settings.”
“I had Bernard speak with our high performing FinTech SaaS sales team. Bernard displayed all of the key leadership & coaching skills required by top executives in this space. In addition, Bernard’s experiences from the dressing room, to the pitch, to the board room really resonated with the team and were inspirational. His personal style and empathy allows him to build relationships fast. That focus on results, execution, learning & continual improvement/development were some of the stories & themes that the team bought into. It was a real pleasure working with Bernard and productive session for our sales team.”
The High-Performance Speakers Agency is the UK’s leading bureau for teamwork, leadership, and marginal gains speakers. We hire speakers for corporate conferences and events across the world and cater to both in-person occasions and online webinars. Our roster includes sportspeople, business leaders, adventurers and more, to ensure audiences of all industries receive tailored, impactful advice on optimised performance.
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