From record-breaking explorers and elite athletes to world-class leaders, these Top Resilience Speakers have faced extreme challenges and emerged stronger. Their insights inform and guide some of the world’s largest organisations.
We are spotlighting the extraordinary people who turn obstacles into opportunities and equip others with the tools to do the same.
Whether navigating personal hardship, high-pressure leadership, or extreme environments, these renowned keynote speakers prove that resilience is the key to sustained success.
Ronan Harrington
Resilience Expert with an Inspiring Story of how to Overcome AdversityRonan Harrington is a leading expert on building resilience and overcoming adversity, who advises global companies on how to create healthy, high performance cultures.
His keynotes uncover the drivers of burnout and how outdated ways of working put us on a trajectory that hampers both health and revenue.
Audiences are introduced to a new way of working, grounded in the neuroscience of resilience, with practical tools to operate at peak performance without compromising our health. He teaches the secret formula that winning teams use to perform at peak levels without burning out and losing morale.
With rare vulnerability, Ronan Harrington shares how he went from leading a global movement of the 21st century to being diagnosed with a debilitating chronic illness. Clients often describe being deeply moved by Ronan’s story of burnout and credit him with inspiring a deeper commitment to change how they work.
Christopher Lemons is a highly specialised deep sea saturation diver – which involves living in a decompression chamber for up to 28 days at a time, travelling daily to the sea-bed in a diving bell, and working 900 feet below the surface for up to 6 hours.
With over a decade of working in high-pressure environments, requiring both individual and team performance, Lemons has continually demonstrated remarkable resilience in many scenarios.
A pinnacle moment of resilience occurred in September of 2012, when the vessel he was working under failed, leaving him on the sea-bed, 300 feet under water, with no oxygen, light or heat for over 40 minutes. His miraculous survival story has baffled doctors ever since.
The popular Netflix/BBC documentary, “Last Breath”, uses the raw footage from this accident, moving audiences globally.
Chris – who lives to tell the tale – inspires others through his valuable insights… while continuing to dive.
Christopher Lemons
Deep sea Saturation Diver featured in Netflix documentary 'Last Breath'
Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier is an award-winning workplace mental health expert, psychologist, advisor and speaker. She’s one of only a handful of work psychologists holding both a PHD and MBA.
Marie-Helene brings a signature mix of business and clinical expertise to the groups she works with. She translates psychology research (about health, resiliency, and overcoming challenges) into strategies professionals, business leaders and their teams need to thrive.
Her keynotes cover; resilience and change: harnessing the opportunity of the moment, mental agility: preventing and managing compassion fatigue and burnout, the creative power of resilience for leaders and managers, and creating your growth mindset.
Lewis Pugh pioneers swims in the most vulnerable ecosystems on Earth to call for their protection.
Over the past three decades, he has undertaken more swims around famous landmarks than any other swimmer in history. He was the first person to complete a long distance swim in every ocean of the world. He was also the first to swim across the North Pole, and the first to swim the length of the English Channel.
The mental strength and resilience required to create and complete these ventures is palpable. The captivating storyteller inspires and motivates audiences with his insights on performance, resilience and more.
Lewis has been instrumental in protecting over 2 million km2 of vulnerable ocean. His dream is to help protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.
Bruce Daisley
Former European boss of Twitter who has become one of the leading experts on the evolving nature of workBruce Daisley's international bestseller, Fortitude, tackles the subject of resilience and reveals the secrets to inner-strength. Based on extensive research, Daisley sets out a "practical path to greater self-confidence and courage for us all." The Financial Times has declared Fortitude the best business book of the year.
Bruce is an expert on the transformations that modern work is undergoing in the era of hybrid jobs – acting as a consultant for a wide range of companies – from the hottest new technology sensations to centuries-old manufacturing firms.
Whether addressing governmental bodies or banking organisations Bruce has been praised for sharing an inspiring vision of the future work and leaving audiences with actionable insights into their own companies.
Watch our exclusive interview with Bruce.
What makes the difference between the ones who succeed and those who fail? Why do some choose to quit whilst others come back even stronger when facing adversity? Why are some more resilient than others?
Karina Hollekim was one of the world’s best extreme sports athletes. In 2006 she miraculously cheated death in a near fatal accident. She was told she would spend the rest of her life in wheelchair, yet overcame this and returned a winner.
By raising awareness of our choices she challenges our willingness to change. Karina shows the importance of coming out of your comfort zone to achieve your goals.
Karina Hollekim
Professional Free-skier and BASE jumper and Co-Founder and Head of E-Learning of Young Happy Minds
Dr. William Tan is the personification of both passion and compassion. He contracted polio at the age of two and is paralysed from the waist down.
Notwithstanding his disability, he has shown outstanding strength in overcoming adversities. Upon graduation from the National University of Singapore and joining the Civil Service, he ventured abroad for postgraduate studies, with dreams of becoming a scientist and medical doctor. He graduated from Harvard University with a First Class Honours in Physiology, and trained at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic.
Tan is also an accomplished sportsman. An Asian-Pacific Games triple gold medalist, he has also competed in the 1988 Seoul Paralympics, the World Games as well as the Commonwealth Games. He holds six endurance marathon world records including the “Fastest time to complete Three marathons in Three Consecutive Days in Three countries”.
Once a rising star in French motocross, Axel Alletru's world changed in an instant after a crash at the 2010 World Championships left him paraplegic. But instead of giving up, he defied all odds.
Just three years later, he became a European para-swimming champion and claimed 12 French championship titles. He took on one of the toughest races on the planet, the Dakar Rally, and made history as the first disabled competitor to win a category in the legendary race.
Today, Axel is an unstoppable force, sharing his story to inspire others to build resilience.
Axel Alletru
First paraplegic pilot to win the Dakar rally against able-bodied participants
Felicity Aston MBE is a record-breaking polar explorer, scientist, and resilience expert.
As the first woman to cross Antarctica solo on skis, she truly embodies resilience. The metaphor of exploration has always chimed with business and leadership as it unites a disparate group of people to strive for a common goal under conditions of extreme stress.
Felicity analyses the qualities that are needed in extreme physical feats of endurance, such as resilience, courage and ingenuity, and transfers them into the boardroom.
Felicity’s story inspires leaders to navigate uncertainty, build resilience, and push beyond limits.
Alexandra Panayotou is a powerhouse of resilience and endurance. As one of the rare experts who takes a 360-degree approach to creating lasting change.
Whether she’s coaching top leaders, delivering dynamic keynotes, or leading transformative workshops, Alex’s expertise in leadership, stress management, and sustainable success is game-changing.
With her infectious energy and captivating storytelling, she inspires individuals and teams to achieve enduring excellence.
