Grit keynotes for Peterborough’s teams
Peterborough is an ancient cathedral city that was rebuilt as a new town in the 1960s. Paris brings The Grit Code to its finance, distribution and engineering firms.
Cathedral city, new town
Peterborough Cathedral grew from an Anglo-Saxon monastery; Catherine of Aragon is buried there.
The city was designated a new town in 1967. Today financial services and distribution are its main sectors.
Perkins Engines was founded here in 1932 by Frank Perkins, creator of the Perkins diesel engine. The Flag Fen site east of the centre shows Bronze Age settlement.
Who Paris speaks to in Peterborough
Financial services
Keynotes for customer and operations teams.
Distribution
Resilience for warehouse leaders.
Engine manufacturing
Talks for engineering teams.
Councils and NHS
Sessions for frontline staff.
Event venues
The East of England Arena and the city’s hotels host most of Peterborough’s conferences and exhibitions.
- East of England Arena and Events Centre – at the East of England Showground
- Hotels near the A1 – for training days and dinners
Ways to book Paris in Peterborough
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.
Read how The Grit Code turns long goals into daily habits. The Grit Code keynote · Keynote speaker Cambridge · Keynote speaker Leicester
Booking for Peterborough
Available for in-person events in Peterborough, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers typically book UK speakers about three months ahead, and shorter notice is sometimes possible, so it is worth asking.
See also keynote speaker in the UK, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
Peterborough’s economy and who the talk is for
Peterborough has a population of about 194,000 (2015 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
How a Grit Code session works
- Before the event, Paris speaks with the organiser about the audience and the outcome they want.
- On the day, the 45–60 minute Grit Code keynote mixes adventure film, stories and practical tools.
- Afterwards, teams can go deeper with a Grit Deconstruction workshop of 90 minutes to half a day.
The content is shaped around Peterborough 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 Peterborough
Organisers in Peterborough usually book Paris for one of these occasions:
- 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
- Past speaking clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
- In 2023 he rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
- He ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
- He is the CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company.
Formats, timing and next steps
Most organisers book a 45–60 minute Grit Code keynote with Q&A. Teams that want to go further add the Grit Deconstruction workshop, which runs from 90 minutes to half a day and turns the talk into habits and commitments the group can use on Monday morning.
A 30–45 minute virtual version is available for remote or hybrid audiences. Paris can also host the full day as MC, which keeps the tone consistent from the opening to the close. He is CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, so the briefing call covers both the audience’s goals and the practical run-of-show.
Past clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly. His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views. The talk 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.
To book, share the date, venue or virtual platform, audience size and the outcome you want. Paris replies with a short outline tailored to your room, then joins a briefing call before the event.
Questions from Peterborough organisers
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Peterborough?
Yes. Organisers in Peterborough can book him in person or for a virtual session.
Does Paris speak to financial-services teams?
Yes. He tailors the keynote to change, pressure and customer focus.
Can Paris speak at an exhibition or trade show?
Yes. He can keynote the main stage or host the event.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Peterborough?
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 Peterborough?
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.
How far in advance should we book?
Most organisers book between four and twelve weeks ahead. Last-minute bookings are sometimes possible if the date is free, especially for virtual sessions.
Does Paris travel for in-person events?
Yes. He speaks at conferences and company events worldwide, in person or virtually, and shapes each talk around the local audience.
What does the briefing call cover?
Audience profile, the outcome you want, industry language to use or avoid, AV needs, and whether a workshop or MC role is part of the day.
Check a date for Peterborough
Send the basics and Paris’s team will reply, or book a call.