Grit in the ancient capital
Xi’an, once Chang’an, was the eastern end of the Silk Road and is now a centre of aerospace and research. Paris brings The Grit Code to its teams.
The Silk Road and space science
As Chang’an, Xi’an was one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. The Terracotta Army lies on its outskirts, and five of its sites are part of the Silk Roads UNESCO listing.
Aerospace, IT and service outsourcing drive the economy, with more than 800 outsourcing firms, and the city drew more than 300 million tourists in 2019.
Xi’an ranks 16th in the world for scientific research output, led by Xi’an Jiaotong University and Northwestern Polytechnical University.
Who Paris speaks to in Xi’an
Aerospace and engineering
Keynotes on precision under pressure.
IT and outsourcing firms
Talks on resilience for delivery teams.
Hotels and heritage sites
Sessions for customer-facing teams.
Universities and labs
Persistence for long projects.
Where Xi’an meets
Xi’an conferences use the hotels inside and around the walls, the historic centre and the big university campuses.
- Xi’an City Wall – one of the oldest, largest and best preserved city walls in China
- Big Wild Goose Pagoda – first built in 652, when Xi’an was the Tang capital
- University campuses – including Xi’an Jiaotong and Northwestern Polytechnical
Keynote, workshop or virtual
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 →
Why audiences believe him
5 days, 21 hours, 51 minutes
The time it took Paris to run 7 marathons on 7 continents: Antarctica, Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid, Fortaleza and Miami.
More than £150,000 raised
For marine conservation, by rowing 4,800 km across the Pacific in 2023.
Paris ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in under six days. Read how that became The Grit Code, or see the Chengdu page. The Grit Code keynote · Keynote speaker Chengdu · 39 days at sea: the Pacific row film
How a booking works
Available for in-person events in Xi’an, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers typically book speakers about three months ahead, so get in touch early to secure your date.
Paris presents in English. Organisers can arrange an interpreter if the audience would benefit.
See also keynote speaker in China, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
Xi’an’s economy and who the talk is for
Xi’an has a population of about 12,952,907 (2020 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Businesses with their headquarters in Xi’an include BYD Auto (automotive industry).
Automotive (BYD Auto). Automotive teams balance engineering precision with commercial pressure. Paris was a brand ambassador for Land Rover Middle East, and the keynote shows how grit turns long development cycles and tough sales targets into steady progress.
Students, graduates and faculty
Higher education is part of Xi’an’s talent pipeline, with institutions such as Xi'an Jiaotong University, Northwestern Polytechnical University and Northwest University. Paris’s talks for students and graduates focus on grit as a skill that can be learned, using his own expeditions as evidence.
Typical formats include welcome weeks, graduation events, entrepreneurship programmes and alumni dinners. University keynote speaker →
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 Xi’an 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 Xi’an
Organisers in Xi’an usually book Paris for one of these occasions:
- 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
- In 2023 he rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates, raising 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 ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
Common questions
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Xi’an?
Yes. Paris takes Xi’an bookings for keynotes, workshops and hosting, live or virtual.
Does Paris speak to aerospace and research teams?
Yes. He focuses on persistence and decisions under pressure, tailored on a briefing call.
Can a Xi’an event combine a keynote and a workshop?
Yes. Many organisers add a Grit Deconstruction workshop after the keynote.
Which Xi’an industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Xi’an it suits automotive audiences in particular, along with leadership teams, sales kick-offs and all-hands meetings in any industry.
Does Paris speak at universities in Xi’an?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as Xi'an Jiaotong University and Northwestern Polytechnical University, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Xi’an?
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 Xi’an?
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.
More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact