The event
In November 2025, Paris Norriss delivered The Grit Code keynote in Dubai at Kraft Heinz’s MEA Leadership Convention, which brought together the company’s Middle East and Africa leadership team. The convention ran under the banner “Let’s Lead Now”, and its programme featured an inspirational session from Mary Gukasyan and the leadership team alongside Paris’s keynote.
Paris thanked the people who invited him to speak, Mary Gukasyan, Sarah T., Demir Ergün and Ecaterina Ursu, and everyone at Kraft Heinz for their engagement and thoughtful questions.
The audience
The room was full of leaders facing a period of significant organisational change. One attendee wrote afterwards that the day was “filled with powerful stories from Paris Norriss, an incredible grit speaker” and that it was “one of those days that reminds you why mindset and resilience matter so much.” The convention was followed by a day of planning for the GCC business.
What Paris spoke about
Transformation was the theme. As Kraft Heinz navigates significant organisational change, Paris shared frameworks to help leaders and their teams develop the grit needed to push through uncertainty.
He drew on his experience of rowing 4,800km across the Pacific Ocean. When you are alone on the water facing relentless conditions, you quickly learn that mental barriers are far more limiting than physical ones, and the same principles that got him across that ocean help teams navigate change.
The Grit Code isn’t just theory, he says. It is a practical toolkit for breaking through the psychological barriers that hold us back during transitions. The leaders walked away with practical strategies to build the mindset that turns obstacles into opportunities.
Highlights
- The Grit Code keynote at the MEA Leadership Convention 2025 for the regional leadership team.
- Focus: resilience under pressure and leading teams through organisational change.
- Stories from the 4,800km Pacific row, which raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
- Practical takeaways leaders could use straight away.
Grit for leadership teams
“Transformation isn’t easy,” Paris wrote, “but with the right mindset and tools, your teams are positioned for a prosperous future.” If your leadership team is going through change, a restructure or an ambitious new plan, The Grit Code can be tailored to your theme and your people. Paris speaks for leadership teams across the GCC, from the UAE to Saudi Arabia.
About The Grit Code keynote
The Grit Code is built on real stories from extreme environments. Paris rowed 4,800km across the Pacific Ocean in 2023 with the Brothers N Oars crew, a row that raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation. He also ran seven marathons on seven continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes, in Antarctica, Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid, Fortaleza and Miami.
From those experiences he draws practical lessons on purpose, vision, limiting beliefs, adapting a plan and keeping a clear head under pressure. He has delivered the keynote for audiences including the UN Tourism General Assembly, TEDx Amman, COP28, Expo 2020, DHL, Nokia, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Durlston Partners in London and Surfbreak in Honolulu. Every talk starts with a briefing call, so the stories connect to your theme, your industry and the challenges your people are facing right now.
“In times of transformation, the difference between teams that thrive and those that merely survive comes down to one thing: resilience under pressure.”
— Paris Norriss on LinkedIn
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Want Paris for your own conference or leadership event? Read more about The Grit Code, see more past speaking events or send an enquiry. Planning an event in the region? See Paris as a keynote speaker in the UAE.
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