Speakers

Feargal Sharkey’s remarkable journey began shortly after leaving school, when his job delivering televisions for Radio Rentals was interrupted by a life-changing invitation from the BBC. His band, The Undertones, had been asked to perform their debut single, “Teenage Kicks,” on Top of the Pops, a moment that launched one of the most iconic careers in British music. Over the next twelve years, Feargal toured the world, released a series of acclaimed albums, and experienced the full spectrum of life on the road from late nights to questionable transport-café cuisine across the UK. His solo career reached its peak with “A Good Heart,” a global chart-topping hit that became a defining moment in pop music history. In the early 1990s, Feargal moved into the business side of the industry. As A&R Manager at Polydor Records and later Managing Director of EXP Ltd, he continued shaping the sound of British music. In 2008, he became CEO of British Music Rights, transforming it into UK Music, the leading organisation representing the collective interests of the UK’s music industry. Under his leadership, Feargal played a central role in several landmark initiatives, including the Digital Economy Act, the Live Music Act, extended copyright protection for sound recordings, and the creation of the Creative Industries Council. His policy work helped define how British music adapted and thrived in the digital age. After leaving the music industry, Feargal Sharkey became one of the UK’s most passionate and outspoken advocates for river health and water quality. Beginning in the late 2010s, he turned his attention to the growing environmental crisis in Britain’s waterways campaigning tirelessly to hold water companies, regulators and government bodies accountable for pollution and mismanagement. Through public advocacy, media appearances and an active online presence, Feargal has inspired a national conversation about the state of the UK’s rivers. His campaigning focuses on ending sewage discharges, reducing agricultural pollution and restoring transparency and accountability in water management.