Resilience keynotes for Aberdeen’s energy and offshore teams
Aberdeen is the energy capital of Europe and hosts Offshore Europe. Paris brings The Grit Code and his ocean story to its offshore teams.
Offshore resilience
Aberdeen has been the centre of the UK’s North Sea oil and gas industry since the 1970s, and is now building a renewables sector.
P&J Live hosts Offshore Europe, one of the largest energy exhibitions in Europe.
Paris studied at the University of Edinburgh, and he knows the open sea. In 2023 Paris rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Who Paris speaks to in Aberdeen
Oil, gas and renewables
Keynotes for offshore teams.
Marine services
Talks for vessel teams.
Universities
Sessions for students.
Conferences
Opening keynotes.
Where Aberdeen meets
P&J Live hosts Offshore Europe and other large energy events.
- P&J Live – at the TECA site near Dyce
- City-centre hotels – around Union Street
Keynote, workshop or virtual
Options: keynote, 45 to 60 minutes · workshop, 90 minutes up to half a day · virtual session, 30 to 45 minutes · host or MC for your event. Compare formats →
Endurance you can measure
A marathon on every continent
7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes, from Antarctica to Miami via Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid and Fortaleza.
4,800 km of open ocean
The 2023 Pacific row, which raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Watch the Pacific row film. 39 days at sea: the Pacific row film · Keynote speaker Edinburgh
How a booking works
Available for in-person events in Aberdeen, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers typically book UK speakers about three months ahead, so get in touch early to secure your date.
See also keynote speaker in the UK, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
A British speaker with real UK roots
Paris Norriss is British-born and British-educated. He was born in Bath, which he calls his home town, and grew up in Somerset, where he went to Millfield School and was captain of the Somerset County Athletics Association.
He went on to the University of Edinburgh, graduating with an MA (Hons) in Business Studies, and worked in the City of London for a short time before his career took a very different turn into adventure and television.
Since then he has rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates (2023), run seven marathons on seven continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes, and become CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, whose adventure TV shows are distributed in 123 countries. He is also an active member of the British Chamber of Commerce Dubai.
In London he delivered The Grit Code for Durlston Partners. For Aberdeen organisers, that means a British speaker who knows UK audiences, UK humour and UK business culture, with the stories to back up every point.
Paris gave my team a gripping talk on grit in London this Summer, filled with his real life stories and passion for adventure.
Aberdeen’s economy and who the talk is for
Aberdeen has a population of about 200,680 (2016 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Businesses with their headquarters in Aberdeen include FirstGroup plc (public transport) and John Wood Group plc (petroleum industry).
Aviation, transport and logistics (FirstGroup plc). Aviation, transport and logistics teams work around the clock and against the clock. Paris has spoken for DHL and Dubai Airports, and his record-breaking marathon challenge, run to a tight timetable across seven continents, is a natural fit for operations audiences.
Energy and resources (John Wood Group plc). For energy and resources businesses, grit is about consistency over decades-long assets. Paris shows how small, repeatable routines beat bursts of motivation, using the 7 marathons on 7 continents as the case study.
How a Grit Code session works
- Before the event, Paris speaks with the organiser about the audience and the outcome they want.
- On the day, the 45–60 minute Grit Code keynote mixes adventure film, stories and practical tools.
- Afterwards, teams can go deeper with a Grit Deconstruction workshop of 90 minutes to half a day.
The content is shaped around Aberdeen organisations and their goals, so the room hears examples that match its own challenges. Paris presents as an adventurer and CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, not as a theorist.
Where the talk fits in Aberdeen
In Aberdeen, the most common bookings fall into a few groups:
- Leadership offsites and strategy days, where senior teams need energy for a hard year ahead.
- Sales kick-offs and annual conferences, where the talk resets ambition and stamina.
- Awards nights and staff celebrations, where Paris can speak or host.
- Graduation, alumni and entrepreneurship events.
Credentials at a glance
- His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views.
- He is the CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company.
- He ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
- In 2023 he rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Common questions
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Aberdeen?
Yes. Paris takes Aberdeen bookings for keynotes, workshops and hosting, live or virtual.
Does Paris speak at energy conferences?
Yes. The keynote is tailored to the pressures of offshore work.
Is Paris Norriss British?
Yes. He was born in Bath, grew up in Somerset, went to Millfield School and graduated from the University of Edinburgh.
Has Paris spoken for UK companies?
Yes. He delivered The Grit Code for Durlston Partners in London.
Which Aberdeen industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Aberdeen it suits aviation, transport and logistics and energy and resources audiences in particular, along with leadership teams, sales kick-offs and all-hands meetings in any industry.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Aberdeen?
Yes. The Grit Deconstruction workshop runs from 90 minutes to half a day and turns the keynote’s ideas into team habits and actions.
Can the keynote be delivered online for teams in Aberdeen?
Yes. A 30–45 minute virtual version is available for remote or hybrid audiences, delivered in your local time zone.
Who has Paris spoken for?
Past clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact