

Dee Caffari MBE is a pioneering yachtswoman and inspiring leadership speaker who has just completed her seventh global circumnavigation as co-skipper of The Famous Project CIC. Drawing on multiple world-first achievements, she delivers compelling lessons on resilience, teamwork, inclusion and leading through extreme challenges.


"We thoroughly enjoyed having Dee share her insights and leadership lessons with our London Business School alumni community. Engaging, thought provoking and humble, her story resonated so strongly with our community that we are already being asked to bring her back in person next semester! (Just so you know, one particular Alumni commented: "I wish we could have seen Dee in person. Please invite her back after lockdown." "Very impressive and great way to learn leadership skills" "fantastic event! Best one yet")"
"Dee was engaging, down to earth and warm hearted. Her presentation was extremely well received by our clients. Her description of the extraordinary challenges and her way of dealing with them was a lesson in perspective for us all."
"The manager's conference is still in full swing; however I wanted to reach out to you to thank you for the amazing story you shared with us. I was, like many others, inspired by your leadership lessons and will use many references in my speech later today. So many people commented on how unique your talk and you being available afterwards were. I really thank you for having been part of this event."
Dee Caffari MBE is one of the world’s most accomplished ocean sailors and a highly sought-after keynote speaker on leadership, resilience and performance. With seven global circumnavigations and a career defined by record-breaking firsts, she brings rare, real-world insight into what it takes to succeed under sustained pressure.
Dee began her professional sailing career in 2000 and quickly rose to international prominence. In 2006, she made history as the only woman to sail solo, non-stop around the world against the prevailing winds and currents. She later competed in the Vendée Globe and went on to complete multiple non-stop circumnavigations, establishing herself as one of Britain’s most respected offshore sailors.
In January 2026, Dee completed her seventh circumnavigation as co-skipper of The Famous Project CIC alongside founder Alexia Barrier. Sailing the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT, the all-female crew successfully completed a full lap of the planet to set the first-ever all-female reference time for the prestigious Jules Verne Trophy. This landmark achievement disrupted a long-standing all-male legacy and required exceptional perseverance, teamwork and leadership, particularly after significant technical challenges, including the loss of the mainsail.
Beyond competition, Dee co-skippered Turn the Tide on Plastic in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017/18, combining elite performance with global environmental advocacy. She is also Chair of the World Sailing Trust, where she champions sustainability, diversity and inclusion across the sport.
Dee is an authentic, engaging and highly relatable speaker who translates extreme experiences at sea into practical insights for business and leadership audiences. Through keynote presentations and fireside chats, she blends powerful storytelling with humour and clarity, offering clear takeaways on trust, resilience, risk management and decision-making in uncertain environments. Audiences leave inspired, grounded and equipped to lead through challenge.
Dee Caffari was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to sailing and has been appointed an Honorary Commander in the Royal Navy. She made history as the first woman to sail solo, non-stop around the world against the prevailing winds and has since co-skippered the first all-female crew to complete a Jules Verne Trophy circumnavigation. Alongside her sporting achievements, Dee is a respected international advocate for clean seas, sustainability and gender balance.
Contact us now for more information on how Dee can inspire your audience with powerful lessons on resilience, leadership, teamwork and high performance drawn from the most extreme environments on earth.


Jeremy Schwartz is a former CEO of Pandora and The Body Shop, renowned for delivering business transformation and accelerated growth. Drawing on senior leadership experience at Coca-Cola, L’Oréal and Sainsbury’s, he equips corporate audiences with practical strategies to strengthen leadership, accelerate decisions and turn ambition into measurable results.

Caroline Casey is an award-winning social entrepreneur, disability inclusion activist and founder of The Valuable 500. A globally recognised keynote speaker, she champions inclusive business and inspires leaders to challenge limitations and create opportunities for people with disabilities.

Lynda Gratton is a Professor of Management Practice in Organisational Behaviour at London Business School and a leading expert on the future of work. A Fellow of the World Economic Forum, she is known for her research into hybrid work, organisational change and leadership. She also directs the school’s highly regarded Human Resource Strategy in Transforming Companies programme.

Jo Fairley is an entrepreneur, journalist, author and business speaker best known as the co-founder of Green & Black’s. Drawing on decades of experience building successful brands, she speaks about entrepreneurship, brand development, sustainable business and the lessons learned from turning a niche organic chocolate venture into an internationally recognised name.

Pellegrino Riccardi is a keynote speaker and cross-cultural communication expert known for making complex ideas about culture, behaviour and relationships easy to understand. Based in Norway, he combines humour, research and real-world experience to help organisations communicate more effectively, strengthen workplace culture and build better relationships across borders, teams and cultural differences.

Leymah Gbowee is a Liberian peace activist, trained social worker, women’s rights advocate and 2011 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Internationally recognised for her leadership in bringing women together across religious divides during Liberia’s civil war, she speaks about peacebuilding, women’s leadership, social change and the power of nonviolent action.

Dr James Hewitt is a human performance scientist, keynote speaker and author who helps leaders and teams perform under pressure, sustain high performance and protect their wellbeing. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in human performance, his work brings together performance science, elite sport and the realities of demanding modern workplaces.

Mary Robinson is a former President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, widely recognised for her leadership in climate justice and human rights. She was Ireland’s first female president, and has since built a global career as a lawyer, academic and international advocate. Her keynote presentations explore climate change, gender equality, responsible leadership and global cooperation, offering audiences a clear and human perspective on some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

Dame Kelly Holmes is a double Olympic champion, former British Army sergeant and inspirational keynote speaker. Best known for winning Olympic gold in both the 800m and 1500m at Athens 2004, she now shares powerful lessons on peak performance, resilience, mental health and achieving ambitious goals.