Resilience keynotes for Manchester conferences and media teams
Manchester is a centre for media, digital and professional services in the North of England. Paris, a TV presenter and adventurer, brings The Grit Code to its teams.
Media city, northern grit
MediaCityUK at Salford Quays is home to major BBC departments and ITV’s Coronation Street studios, making Greater Manchester one of the UK’s biggest media centres outside London.
Paris makes TV for a living: his adventure shows are distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views. He can talk to creative and production teams about the persistence behind every finished programme.
Manchester also has strong financial, professional-services and digital sectors, and a business culture that values plain speaking. Paris’s British-born, straight-talking style fits.
Who Paris speaks to in Manchester
Broadcast and digital
Talks for production, digital and creative teams.
Law, finance and consulting
Offsites and conferences for client-facing teams.
Leadership offsites
A shared language for pressure and change.
Conferences
Main-stage keynotes at Manchester’s convention venues.
Where Manchester meets
Manchester Central hosts national conferences across the year, including major political and professional events.
- Manchester Central – the convention complex in the city centre
- MediaCityUK venues – at Salford Quays
Ways to book Paris in Manchester
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, with transcripts and write-ups, are on the Adventure TV shows page. Adventure TV shows · The Grit Code keynote
Speaking in Manchester, in person or virtually
Available for in-person events in Manchester, 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.
Manchester’s economy and who the talk is for
Manchester has a population of about 547,627 (2018 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Manchester is the head-office city for organisations such as Boohoo Group (clothing industry).
Manufacturing and engineering (Boohoo Group). For industrial and engineering businesses, Paris’s message is that resilience is built, not born. Safety days, operations conferences and leadership offsites are typical bookings.
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 Manchester 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 Manchester
These are typical Manchester 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.
- Past speaking clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
- 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 Manchester?
Yes. Paris speaks at conferences, offsites and company events in Manchester and Greater Manchester, in person or virtually.
Is Paris a good fit for media audiences?
Yes. He is a TV presenter and producer whose shows are distributed in 123 countries.
How far ahead should we book a Manchester event?
Organisers typically book UK speakers about three months ahead. Shorter notice is sometimes possible, so it is always worth asking.
Which Manchester industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Manchester 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 Manchester?
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 Manchester?
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 Manchester event
Share your date and audience, or book a call.
More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact