The event
In April 2026, Paris Norriss delivered The Grit Code to guests at two Soneva resorts in the Maldives: first at Soneva Fushi, then at Soneva Jani, which he called “one of the most extraordinary resort properties on earth”.
At Soneva Jani he gave the keynote barefoot, on the sand, with the Indian Ocean as his backdrop. “Most keynote speakers stand behind a podium,” he wrote. This was not that.
The audience
The Soneva Fushi audience was a mix of adults and children, and Paris described it as one of the most memorable he has spoken to. Everyone leaned in, and the questions kept coming long after he had finished. “That curiosity never gets old.”
What Paris spoke about
Paris told the story of rowing 4,800km of the Pacific Ocean over 39 days, and there was something quietly poetic about telling it on a tropical island surrounded by another ocean. “Different journey. Same kind of magic.”
He has told the story more than a thousand times and still feels it the way he did the first time. Whatever the setting, he says, what matters is whether the message lands: whether people walk away differently than they arrived, and whether they feel that their hardest chapters are exactly what qualifies them for their greatest ones.
Highlights
- Guest keynotes at Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani in the Maldives.
- A barefoot keynote on the beach, with the Indian Ocean behind.
- A family audience of adults and children, with questions long after the talk.
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.
“The backdrop changes. The core message doesn’t.”
— 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.
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