Grit & resilience keynote speaker in Malaysia
Paris Norriss brings The Grit Code to conferences, companies and universities across Malaysia, from Kuala Lumpur to Penang.
Ambition needs staying power
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital, is home to the Petronas Twin Towers and the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre beside them.
Big goals depend on people who keep going through setbacks. That is grit: passion and perseverance for long-term goals.
The Grit Code turns grit into skills teams can train, built from real stories in extreme environments.
Kuala Lumpur and beyond
Kuala Lumpur is the country’s capital and main conference city.
Paris speaks in person in Malaysia or virtually in your local time zone. See also his Singapore page.
Built for rooms that need to perform
Conferences
Main-stage keynotes.
Energy
Resilience for long projects.
Founders & tech
Grit for founders.
Talks for Malaysian audiences
The Grit Code
Resilience, mental toughness and high performance, built from real stories in extreme environments.
Grit Deconstruction workshop
A hands-on session that maps where your team breaks under pressure and builds a plan to fix it.
Virtual keynote
For regional and hybrid teams, with expedition footage and live Q&A.
Host / MC / panel
A TV presenter to keep summits, forums and award nights on time and on energy.
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
In 2023 he rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Shows in 123 countries
His adventure TV shows are distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views.
Past audiences include TEDx Amman, the UN Tourism General Assembly, COP28, Expo 2020, the US Army, DHL, Nokia, Kraft Heinz, IHG and Durlston Partners. See past speaking events →
In person or virtual
Available for in-person events in Malaysia, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers usually book Paris about 3 months ahead.
Paris presents in English. Organisers can arrange a Malay interpreter if the audience would benefit.
From the organisers
I’ve had the privilege of witnessing Paris Norriss in action as a storyteller, motivator and a true catalyst for transformation. Through his powerful awe-inspiring adventures, he doesn’t just recount tales of endurance and grit, he lives them.
I had the pleasure of working with Paris during TEDxAmman, the largest TEDx event in the MENA region, where he joined us as one of our inspiring speakers. From the very start, he showed professionalism, positivity, and contagious enthusiasm that uplifted everyone around him.
Paris is both captivating and uplifting. We appreciated his open, honest, and heartfelt journey. His raw and genuine account of his pioneering adventure underlines his resilience and grit against any obstacle he faced. His story is highly impactful and we found it inspiring to deliver more passion, energy and a collaborative spirit.
A keynote that travels well across ASEAN rooms
Malaysia sits at a crossroads of finance, technology, energy, palm and logistics, with Kuala Lumpur as the main conference city and a wider circuit of company events across the peninsula and East Malaysia. Organisers looking for a grit and resilience keynote want a speaker who can hold a mixed room of Malaysians, expatriates and regional guests without leaning on clichés.
Paris Norriss is a keynote speaker on grit and mindset and CEO of Blazing Sand Studios. The Grit Code is built for rooms under pressure: leadership offsites, sales kick-offs, all-hands meetings and industry conferences. It draws on the 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes, and on the 2023 Pacific row of 4,800 km that raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views. Past speaking clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly. He speaks in person in Malaysia or virtually in your local time zone.
Industries and formats that fit
- Finance and professional services. Evidence-led rooms that want grit framed as habits, not hype.
- Technology and telecoms. Teams shipping under change, including AI adoption. Paris speaks as CEO of an AI video company.
- Energy, logistics and manufacturing. Operations audiences who recognise long cycles and safety-critical work.
- Hospitality and tourism. Conference and hotel events that want a speaker used to international stages.
Typical formats are a 45–60 minute keynote with Q&A, a 30–45 minute virtual version, or the keynote paired with a Grit Deconstruction workshop of 90 minutes to half a day. Paris can also host the day as MC.
Where we cover in Malaysia
The main city page for Malaysia is Keynote speaker Kuala Lumpur. For company events outside KL, Paris travels or delivers virtually. See also all keynote speaker locations.
Briefing to stage
Each booking starts with a short call about the audience, the sector and the outcome you want after the event. Paris shapes the examples and language to the room, then joins a run-of-show briefing with your production team if needed. On the day he uses film from his expeditions and TV work so the ideas land as stories, not slides.
He presents as an adventurer and as CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, so Malaysian business audiences hear someone who has lived both expedition pressure and the day-to-day of running a company.
Available in Malaysia, not a past-talk list
Paris has not given keynote talks in Asia. Pages for Asian cities and countries are for organisers who want to book him in person or virtually. The exception in the region is Pakistan, where in 2024 he filmed a 14-day trek up the Baltoro Glacier to K2 base camp while supporting his good friend Maria Conceição.
FAQ
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Malaysia?
Yes. Paris is available for conferences, leadership events and universities in Malaysia, in person or virtually in your local time zone.
Does Paris present in Malay?
Paris presents in English. Organisers can arrange an interpreter if the audience would benefit, and every talk is tailored in a briefing call.
How far ahead should we book?
Organisers usually book Paris about 3 months ahead. Shorter notice is sometimes possible, so it is always worth asking.
How long is The Grit Code keynote?
The flagship keynote runs 45 to 60 minutes including Q&A. Paris also delivers 90-minute to half-day workshops and 30 to 45-minute virtual keynotes.
Does Paris speak in Malaysia in person?
Yes. He speaks at conferences and company events in Malaysia in person, or virtually in your local time zone.
Which Malaysian city is covered in most detail?
Kuala Lumpur has its own page. Events elsewhere in Malaysia are booked the same way, in person or virtually.
What topics suit Malaysian corporate audiences?
Grit, resilience, mindset under pressure, change and AI adoption, and sales and leadership kick-offs.
Is there a workshop option?
Yes. The Grit Deconstruction workshop runs from 90 minutes to half a day.
Who has Paris spoken for?
Past clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
Has Paris spoken in Malaysia?
No. He has not given keynote talks in Malaysia or elsewhere in Asia. This page is for organisers who want to book him.
Bring grit to your next event in Malaysia
Tell us the date, the city, the audience and what you want them to walk out with. You will get a straight answer on availability and fit. Prefer to talk first? Book a call.
More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · Past speaking events · Contact