Resilience keynotes for Ajman businesses and campuses
Ajman is the smallest emirate by area but has a busy free-zone economy and the Gulf’s first private university. Paris brings The Grit Code to its events.
Small emirate, big ambition
At 259 square kilometres, Ajman is the smallest emirate by area. Historically its economy rested on fishing, pearl diving and dhow building.
Ajman University, founded in 1988, was the first private university in the GCC. Ajman Museum sits inside an 18th-century fort.
Paris has spent the last 17 years working, filming and having adventures across the Gulf, making TV shows that uncover the culture of the Middle East.
Who Paris speaks to in Ajman
Free-zone companies
Keynotes for SME and trading teams.
Universities
Talks for students at Ajman University and Gulf Medical University.
Hotels and tourism
Sessions for resort teams.
Leadership teams
Resilience for managers.
Where Ajman meets
Ajman’s beachfront hotels host conferences, awards and company events.
- Ajman Saray – a beach resort with the Medar Ballroom
- Ajman Corniche hotels – along the seafront
Keynote, workshop or virtual
The Grit Code keynote (45–60 min) · Grit Deconstruction workshop (90 min to half day) · virtual keynote (30–45 min) · event host and MC. 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.
See the keynote overview, or Paris’s page for neighbouring Sharjah. The Grit Code keynote · Keynote speaker Sharjah
How a booking works
Available for in-person events in Ajman, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers in the Middle East typically book speakers one to two months ahead, so get in touch early to secure your date.
See also keynote speaker in the UAE, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
Business in Ajman
Ajman is the smallest of the seven emirates, but it has a busy free zone, a growing manufacturing, trading and education sector and a strong community of small and medium-sized businesses.
Those companies often run lean, with founders and small teams doing a lot with a little. The Grit Code speaks directly to them: how to keep going when resources are tight, how to adapt a plan when conditions change and how to keep a clear head under pressure.
Paris is available for conferences, university events, company offsites and virtual sessions in Ajman, and as a host or MC for award evenings and panels.
Why Paris knows Ajman's audiences
Paris Norriss moved to Dubai around 2009 because he believed in the UAE's long-term vision, and he has lived in the country ever since: 17 years of building a career, a company and a home here.
He presented Guy in Dubai, the adventure series that ran for four seasons and 26 episodes on Dubai Television and has more than 22 million views. His shows have aired on Dubai TV, OSN, Emirates, flydubai, Etihad Airways and Air Arabia. Today he is CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, the production company with offices in Business Bay, Dubai, and at twofour54 in Abu Dhabi.
Over those years he has worked as an ambassador for Land Rover Middle East, TAG Heuer Middle East, The Capital Club, Paramount Hotel and Rove Hotel, and he is an ambassador for the charity Gulf for Good. He has spoken at COP28 at Expo City Dubai (December 2023) and at Expo 2020 Dubai (2021), and UAE clients include Nokia, Kraft Heinz, Dubai Airports, Dulsco, Al Kabeer Foods, IHG and the Sharjah International Travel and Tourism Forum (SITTF).
That is why The Grit Code lands in Ajman. It is not a visiting speaker's generic script; it comes from someone who has lived through the UAE's growth and understands the teams building it.
Common questions
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Ajman?
Yes. Paris takes Ajman bookings for keynotes, workshops and hosting, live or virtual.
Can Paris speak to a free-zone business community?
Yes. Sessions for founders and SME teams focus on persistence and adapting the plan.
Does Paris speak to SMEs and founders in Ajman?
Yes. The Grit Code works well for founders and small teams, and Paris also speaks at entrepreneur events across the UAE.
Has Paris lived in the UAE long?
Yes. He moved to Dubai around 2009 and has lived in the UAE for 17 years.
More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact