Resilience keynotes for Jeddah’s trade and Red Sea economy
Jeddah is Saudi Arabia’s gateway on the Red Sea, a port and commercial city. Paris, an ocean rower and TV presenter, brings The Grit Code to its teams.
A Red Sea city of trade and events
Jeddah Islamic Port is one of the busiest ports on the Red Sea, and the city has long been the Kingdom’s commercial gateway. It now also hosts Formula One at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
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. In Saudi Arabia he has filmed in AlUla and hosted shows at the Dakar Rally in Qiddiya.
An ocean rower who crossed 4,800 km of the Pacific, he connects naturally with a sea-facing city, and his motorsport TV episodes give a link to Jeddah’s racing calendar.
Who Paris speaks to in Jeddah
Trade and logistics
Talks for port, shipping and supply-chain teams.
Family businesses and retail
Leadership events for the city’s commercial groups.
Motorsport and events
Hosting and keynotes around major sporting events.
Leadership programmes
Resilience sessions for growing teams.
Where Jeddah meets
Jeddah’s calendar includes the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Corniche Circuit and large exhibitions and festivals.
- Jeddah Superdome – one of the largest domed event venues in the world
- Corniche and hotel venues – along the Red Sea waterfront
Ways to book Paris in Jeddah
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.
Paris’s TV episodes include F1, drifting and dune buggies, and powerboat racing. Motorsport episode · Powerboat racing episode
Speaking in Jeddah, in person or virtually
Available for in-person events in Jeddah, 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 Saudi Arabia, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
Jeddah: the Red Sea gateway
Jeddah is Saudi Arabia's commercial port city on the Red Sea, home to family conglomerates, logistics and trading companies and a fast-growing tourism, entertainment and sports calendar. It is also the gateway for millions of pilgrims each year.
Paris brings real Saudi experience to Jeddah audiences. He filmed his TV shows in AlUla, where Blazing Sand Studios has made destination work for the Royal Commission for AlUla, hosted shows at the Dakar Rally in Qiddiya and hosted the UN Tourism meeting in Riyadh.
His own story is rooted in the sea, which suits a Red Sea city: in 2023 he rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates and raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation. Conferences in Jeddah are held at the Jeddah Center for Forums and Events, the Jeddah Superdome and the city's waterfront hotels.
Seventeen years in the Gulf, on stage and on screen
Paris Norriss has lived and worked in the Gulf for 17 years. He moved to Dubai around 2009 because he believed in the region's long-term vision, and he has built his whole career here since: as the presenter of Guy in Dubai, which ran for four seasons and 26 episodes on Dubai Television, and as CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, the production company behind his adventure series. His shows have aired on Dubai TV, OSN, Emirates, flydubai, Etihad Airways and Air Arabia, and they are distributed in 123 countries.
Regional clients include Nokia, Kraft Heinz, Dubai Airports, Dulsco, Al Kabeer Foods, IHG, DHL and the Sharjah International Travel and Tourism Forum (SITTF).
In Saudi Arabia, Paris hosted the UN Tourism meeting in Riyadh, filmed his TV shows in AlUla, where Blazing Sand Studios has made destination work for the Royal Commission for AlUla, and hosted shows at the Dakar Rally in Qiddiya. Across the region he has spoken at COP28 at Expo City Dubai (December 2023), Expo 2020 Dubai (2021) and TEDx Amman, where he addressed 4,000 people in a Roman theatre (October 2025).
For Jeddah audiences, that means a speaker who understands how Gulf organisations work, how multinational and national teams sit side by side, and why long transformation programmes need people who keep going when the plan breaks. Every keynote is shaped in a briefing call around your theme, your audience and your goals.
FAQ
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Jeddah?
Yes. Paris speaks at conferences, company events and leadership programmes in Jeddah, in person or virtually.
Is the keynote suitable for port and logistics teams?
Yes. Stories from 39 days on the Pacific translate directly to teams who work with the sea, schedules and changing conditions.
Can we book Paris at short notice for Jeddah?
Often, yes. Most Middle East bookings are made one to two months out, but ask about your date even if it is sooner.
Can Paris host a sporting or motorsport event?
Yes. He has hosted shows at the Dakar Rally and also hosts and moderates full-day events.
Has Paris worked in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. He filmed in AlUla, hosted shows at the Dakar Rally in Qiddiya and hosted the UN Tourism meeting in Riyadh.
Which Jeddah audiences is the keynote suited to?
Family businesses, logistics and trading companies, tourism and hospitality teams, sports organisations and universities.
Does Paris know the Gulf?
Yes. He has lived and worked in the Gulf for 17 years, presented Guy in Dubai on Dubai Television and is CEO of Blazing Sand Studios.
Has Paris spoken in Jeddah before?
No. In Saudi Arabia he has spoken only in Riyadh (the UN Tourism meeting) and filmed in AlUla. Jeddah pages are for organisers who want to book him.
More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact