Grit for the appliance capital
Foshan makes ceramics, furniture and a huge share of the world’s home appliances. Paris brings The Grit Code to its factories and family firms.
Kilns, kung fu and air conditioners
Foshan’s ceramics industry dates back to the Ming dynasty, and it was once one of China’s four great markets for its ceramics and metalwork.
Shunde district has more than 3,000 appliance factories making over half the world’s air conditioners and refrigerators. Midea Group is headquartered in Shunde.
Foshan is regarded as the home of Cantonese opera, the Nanquan martial art and lion dancing, and it hosted events at the 2010 Asian Games.
Who Paris speaks to in Foshan
Appliance makers
Keynotes for engineering and sales teams.
Ceramics and building materials
Talks for owners and operations leaders.
Furniture makers
Sessions on resilience in export markets.
Next-generation leaders
Talks on change and succession.
Rooms and stages
Foshan’s trade events cluster around the specialised towns, from appliances in Shunde to ceramics, with dinners in the city’s hotels.
- Foshan Ancestral Temple – a Song dynasty Daoist temple covering 25,000 m²
- Shunde – the appliance district and its corporate campuses
- Foshan University – the city’s main university
Pick the format
Most Foshan organisers book the 45–60 minute Grit Code keynote. Teams that want depth add a Grit Deconstruction workshop of 90 minutes to half a day, remote audiences get a 30–45 minute virtual version, and Paris can also host and moderate full-day events. 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 Guangzhou page next door, or read The Grit Code. Keynote speaker Guangzhou · The Grit Code keynote · Keynote speaker Hong Kong
On stage or on screen
Available for in-person events in Foshan, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers typically book speakers about three months ahead, so an early enquiry gives the best chance of your preferred date.
Talks are delivered in English; an interpreter can be arranged by the organiser where helpful.
See also keynote speaker in China, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
Foshan’s economy and who the talk is for
Foshan has a population of about 9,498,863 (2020 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Students, graduates and faculty
Foshan’s universities, including Foshan University, make it a strong market for student, graduate and alumni events. Paris speaks to young audiences about effort, setbacks and choosing hard goals, and to faculty about building resilient teams.
Typical formats include welcome weeks, graduation events, entrepreneurship programmes and alumni dinners. University keynote speaker →
How a Grit Code session works
- Each booking begins with a call about the audience and what success looks like after the event.
- The talk turns the 7-marathon challenge and the Pacific row into habits teams can use on Monday morning.
- A virtual version of 30–45 minutes is available for distributed teams.
The content is shaped around Foshan 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 Foshan
These are typical Foshan events for The Grit Code:
- 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
- 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.
- He is the CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company.
- His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views.
FAQ
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Foshan?
Yes. He is available for Foshan conferences, offsites and leadership events, on site or online.
Does Paris speak to manufacturing and export businesses?
Yes. He talks about resilience when markets and orders change.
Can Paris speak at a family business event?
Yes. He tailors the keynote to founders and the next generation.
Does Paris speak at universities in Foshan?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as Foshan University, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Foshan?
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 Foshan?
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.
Planning an event in Foshan?
Tell us about the room and the date. You can also book a call.