Resilience keynotes for Birmingham conferences and exhibitions
Birmingham hosts the UK’s largest exhibition centre and a growing financial and professional-services sector. The Grit Code gives its audiences practical tools for pressure.
The UK’s exhibition heartland
The NEC near Birmingham is the UK’s largest exhibition centre, and the ICC in the city centre hosts international conferences. That makes Birmingham one of the busiest places in the country for trade shows and association events.
The city is also home to HSBC UK’s headquarters and a long manufacturing heritage, with Jaguar Land Rover among the major employers in the wider West Midlands.
Manufacturing, automotive and banking teams are all managing change. Paris’s keynote is about keeping going and adapting the plan, built from real expeditions.
Who Paris speaks to in Birmingham
Trade shows and exhibitions
Main-stage keynotes and hosting at large exhibitions.
Automotive and manufacturing
Resilience sessions for operational teams.
Banking
Conferences for financial-services teams.
Leadership offsites
Practical tools for leading through change.
Where Birmingham meets
The NEC and ICC run a full calendar of exhibitions and conferences across the year.
- The NEC – the National Exhibition Centre, the UK’s largest exhibition centre
- ICC Birmingham – the International Convention Centre on Broad Street
Ways to book Paris in Birmingham
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 →
Tested at sea, on the ice and on stage
7 marathons, 7 continents
Antarctica, Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid, Fortaleza and Miami in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
Rowed the Pacific
4,800 km in 2023, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
As well as keynotes, Paris hosts and MCs events, keeping long exhibition programmes on track. The Grit Code keynote · Past speaking events
Speaking in Birmingham, in person or virtually
Available for in-person events in Birmingham, 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.
Birmingham’s economy and who the talk is for
Birmingham has a population of about 1,137,100 (2017 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Businesses with their headquarters in Birmingham include Severn Trent (water collection, treatment and supply) and IMI plc (mechanical engineering).
Manufacturing and engineering (IMI plc). Manufacturing and engineering audiences value process. The Grit Code breaks grit into habits that can be practised on a production line or a project site, using the discipline of a 4,800 km ocean row as the example.
Other large venues in Birmingham
Beyond the main conference halls, Birmingham also has large venues for major events, including Arena Birmingham.
Paris is comfortable on any stage, from an arena to a boardroom, and can also host the main stage as MC. Event host and MC →
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 Birmingham 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 Birmingham
These are typical Birmingham events for The Grit Code:
- Kick-off meetings for new financial years, projects or teams.
- Industry association conferences and trade-show main stages.
- Executive retreats that pair the keynote with a Grit Deconstruction workshop.
- Hybrid all-hands meetings with a virtual version for remote staff.
Credentials at a glance
- In 2023 he rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
- 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.
FAQ
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Birmingham?
Yes. Paris speaks at conferences, exhibitions and company events in Birmingham, in person or virtually.
Can Paris host or MC our event?
Yes. Paris hosts and moderates full-day events as well as delivering keynotes.
Does Paris speak at exhibitions at the NEC?
Yes. He can give a main-stage keynote or host the programme at large trade shows and exhibitions.
Which Birmingham industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Birmingham it suits manufacturing and engineering 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 Birmingham?
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 Birmingham?
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.
Bring grit to your next Birmingham event
Share your date and audience, or book a call.
More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact