Award-winning journalist, media trainer, and founder of Curly Top Media — storytelling specialist for leaders.
Emma Hannigan is an award-winning journalist, television presenter, and the founder of Curly Top Media — a practice dedicated to helping leaders and organisations tell their stories with the clarity and impact that good journalism demands but most business communication fails to achieve. Based in Queensland, she has spent her career at the intersection of media, communication, and leadership — and her work as a media trainer draws directly on what she has learned from both sides of the microphone about what makes a story land, and what makes an audience switch off.
The core of Emma's work is a conviction that narrative is not a soft skill — it is a strategic one. In a media environment where attention is scarce and trust is hard-won, the organisations and leaders who can communicate a clear and compelling story have a decisive advantage over those who cannot. Her training programs are built on the techniques of professional journalism — concision, evidence, human specificity, and the art of the lead — translated into frameworks that executives, spokespeople, and leadership teams can actually apply in the real conditions of media appearances, stakeholder presentations, and public-facing communication.
As a conference presenter and media trainer for business events, leadership programs, and communications workshops, Emma Hannigan offers something that most communication trainers cannot: the direct experience of being the journalist on the other side of the interview. She knows what she was looking for, what landed, and what missed — and she brings that clarity to every session she runs. Audiences leave with a more honest understanding of how their communication is landing with the people they most need to reach.
Emma Hannigan is a keynote speaker and MC based in Queensland who speaks on business strategy, media & journalism and women in business. Book through Executive Speakers Australia.
Storytelling for Business and Leadership. In a digital age, your business is telling a story, tell the story you want people to hear.
Stories engage and words have power – but only if they ring true. How to communicate more authentically.
The stories women leaders tell has the ability to empower others to reach their full potential. You cannot be what you cannot see.
A key component of leadership is the ability to tell your story. How to tell the right stories at the right time to the right audience.
Emma Hannigan holds a room like to no other, she engages her audience from the first moment and keeps them inside the event all the way through to the end. She delivers with humour and grace and has a genuine interest in the people involved. We gave Emma the greatest challenge – keep an 20 category Awards program audience engaged for two and half hours ONLINE … in a green screen studio … with a 90 page script. We are still receiving the most positive feedback from business leaders involved - a month later. Emma is a superstar and I would highly recommend her as an MC, panel facilitator or interviewer for any event or function where you want the confidence of knowing you will have a great outcome.Regional Manager / Business NSW
Emma was an excellent and engaging interviewer and was able to really connect with the speakers and audience. It's clear she has a passion for storytelling and she was able to work with the speakers to get raw and insightful outcomes. We had great feedback from the event and Emma was a pleasure to work with.Business Chicks
Having seen Emma hold the attention of an audience of many hundreds at black tie award dinners and conducting Q&As at cocktail parties, I can confidently say that she has a combination of a professional and personable style as well as substance that makes her a captivating MC. She reads her audience perfectly, gets and holds their attention, pitches to their interests, times it well and engages with them while bringing an authentic humour and knowledge to each event and helps make them a success.Head of Membership / Australian Industry Group
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