Steph McGovern

Steph McGovern is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster who demystifies complex economic issues with warmth, wit, and real-world insight. With over twenty years in financial journalism, including eight years on BBC Breakfast and roles presenting Watchdog and co-hosting The Rest Is Money with Robert Peston, she has reported from over five hundred businesses across the UK, engaging everyone from factory workers to FTSE 100 CEOs. Her sessions equip audiences with practical tools to understand financial trends, navigate economic uncertainty, and communicate business stories with clarity and confidence that drives meaningful engagement and informed decision-making.

At nineteen, Steph McGovern won the title of Young Engineer for Britain whilst working as an apprentice engineer at Black & Decker, where she saved the company £150,000 annually by improving production techniques. That early achievement marked the beginning of a career defined by making complex subjects accessible, a skill she has since applied across more than two decades of financial journalism and broadcasting. Today, she co-hosts The Rest Is Money with Robert Peston, exploring economic issues that impact daily lives, decoding business jargon, and revisiting major financial events of the past fifty years. She will host the British Book Awards in 2026 and speak at London Tech Week, whilst also launching a new business venture in Newcastle.

Steph's credibility in financial journalism stems from over twenty years of experience reporting on the real economy. Before her on-air career, she was the lead producer of financial news for the BBC, working alongside Robert Peston during the award-winning coverage of the credit crunch and banking crisis. She then moved into broadcasting, delivering business news on 5Live, Radio 4, and the Chris Evans show on Radio 2 before securing a full-time role on BBC Breakfast, where she spent eight years as the main business presenter. During that time, she travelled across the UK, broadcasting live from over five hundred businesses and engaging with everyone from factory workers to FTSE 100 CEOs. Her work has extended beyond news into consumer affairs, co-presenting five series of Shop Well For Less and four series of Watchdog, whilst her CBBC show Pocket Money Pitch sought the next generation of entrepreneurs. On BBC Two's Made in Great Britain, she explored the skills and industries that built the nation, and she presented Channel 4's live daily lunchtime magazine show, Steph's Packed Lunch, featuring segments like the Small Business Market and Job Clinic.

Steph equips audiences with the tools to understand financial trends, navigate economic uncertainty, and communicate business stories with clarity and confidence. Her sessions demystify complex economic concepts, making them relevant and actionable for diverse audiences, from corporate leaders seeking strategic insight to organisations aiming to improve financial literacy across their teams. Beyond the stage, she remains deeply committed to community and education projects, mentoring young people in her native Teesside, running workshops with schoolchildren across the North East, and serving as patron of the charity Rubies, which supports disadvantaged children. Her ability to connect technical expertise with human impact ensures audiences leave with practical knowledge they can apply immediately, fostering informed decision-making and meaningful engagement with the economic forces shaping their work and lives.