Grit for the machinery capital
Changsha calls itself the construction machinery capital of the world and is home to China’s most influential provincial TV network. Paris brings The Grit Code to its teams.
Heavy machines and hit TV
Known as the Construction Machinery Capital of the world, Changsha is home to Sany, one of the largest heavy-equipment makers in the world.
Hunan Broadcasting System, China’s second-biggest state-owned TV network, is based here, and UNESCO named Changsha China’s first City of Media Arts.
The Yuelu Academy, now part of Hunan University, was one of China’s four great academies. The city has four Double First-Class universities.
Who Paris speaks to in Changsha
Construction equipment makers
Keynotes for engineering and sales teams.
TV and entertainment
Talks on creativity under pressure.
Hunan and Central South universities
Sessions for students and faculty.
China–Africa trade
Talks for international teams.
Where Changsha meets
Changsha’s machinery and trade shows use the convention and exhibition center, with dinners in the riverside hotels.
- Changsha International Convention and Exhibition Center – opened on 8 November 2016 in Changsha County
- Orange Isle – a 5-kilometre island in the Xiang River and a national 5A scenic area
- Yuelu Mountain – the university district on the west bank
Ways to book Paris in Changsha
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 →
Stories with the miles behind them
Seven marathons in under six days
Antarctica, Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid, Fortaleza and Miami: 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
Across the Pacific by rowing boat
A 4,800 km row in 2023 that raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Paris makes adventure TV shows. See them, or read how The Grit Code is built. All TV shows · The Grit Code keynote · 39 days at sea: the Pacific row film
Speaking in Changsha, in person or virtually
Available for in-person events in Changsha, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers typically book speakers about three months ahead, so get in touch early to secure your date.
Paris presents in English. Organisers can arrange an interpreter if the audience would benefit.
See also keynote speaker in China, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
Changsha’s economy and who the talk is for
Changsha has a population of about 10,047,914 (2020 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Companies headquartered in Changsha include Anker (consumer electronics industry), SANY Heavy Industry Co., Ltd (manufacture of machinery and equipment) and Valin Steel (iron and steel industry).
Manufacturing and engineering (SANY Heavy Industry Co., Ltd and Valin Steel). 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.
Technology and software (Anker). For software and tech companies, the talk focuses on resilience during constant change, including the shift to AI. As CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company, Paris speaks from inside that change rather than about it.
Students, graduates and faculty
Higher education is part of Changsha’s talent pipeline, with institutions such as Central South University, Hunan University and National Southwestern Associated University. Paris’s talks for students and graduates focus on grit as a skill that can be learned, using his own expeditions as evidence.
Typical formats include welcome weeks, graduation events, entrepreneurship programmes and alumni dinners. University keynote speaker →
How a Grit Code session works
- Paris starts with a short briefing call to understand the room, the sector and the challenge in front of it.
- The keynote uses film from his expeditions and TV work to make each idea concrete.
- Many organisers pair it with a Grit Deconstruction workshop or ask Paris to host the full day.
The content is shaped around Changsha 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 Changsha
In Changsha, the most common bookings fall into a few groups:
- Annual company conferences and town halls.
- Change and transformation programmes, including AI adoption.
- Safety, wellbeing and performance days for operations teams.
- Charity dinners and community events, which Paris knows well as an ambassador for Gulf for Good.
Credentials at a glance
- He ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
- 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.
- In 2023 he rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
FAQ
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Changsha?
Yes. Paris speaks at conferences, company events and leadership programmes in Changsha, in person or virtually.
Does Paris speak to heavy industry and machinery teams?
Yes. He tailors The Grit Code to engineering, sales and service teams.
Can Paris speak to a TV or media audience?
Yes. He is a TV presenter and producer, and he adapts the talk for creative teams.
Which Changsha industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Changsha it suits manufacturing and engineering and technology and software audiences in particular, along with leadership teams, sales kick-offs and all-hands meetings in any industry.
Does Paris speak at universities in Changsha?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as Central South University and Hunan University, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Changsha?
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 Changsha?
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 Changsha event
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More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact