
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.


"I have had an opportunity to benefit from James Hewitt's teaching, workshops and keynotes - including his personal coaching insights on sustainable high performance - for a few years now. He has managed to take the pursuit of this vitally important leadership dimension to a wholly new level. Most importantly, the insights are broken into every day practical applications with immediate benefits for my self-leadership, and indeed the underlying performance culture of my leadership team. To change human performance to the better is, in many ways, the ultimate challenge for any leader - James is a true game changer, helping any leader or organisation to reach this ambitious goal."
"James received really high customer evaluation. He empowered the audience with take aways that are easily put into practice. The message was all science-backed and the presentation was exciting. On top of that James was super nice and easy to work with."
"James was a keynote speaker during UBS Global Health Week. He captivated the audience from the first minute of his presentation till the very end. His speech was dynamic and passionate. It was not only the speech that was amazing, but the fact that within an hour of his presentation, James managed to inspire a lot of people to make a change in their lives, or at least, to consider making a change. I highly recommend James Hewitt as a speaker if you want to bring a change and innovation in your business."
James Hewitt’s interest in human performance began during his years as a full-time racing cyclist and later developed through his work as a coach. Many of the people he coached were balancing endurance sport with intense, high-pressure careers. Curious about what helped them perform well both physically and mentally, James began applying ideas from sports science to the world of knowledge work.
That curiosity eventually led him to complete a PhD in Performance Science at Loughborough University. His doctoral research explored wellbeing and performance in always-on knowledge work, including the role of working hours, recovery, sleep and cognitive performance. Today, Dr James Hewitt is an active researcher at Loughborough University and the founder of the Knowledge Work Lab, a human performance consultancy that works with high-performing organisations. Loughborough is ranked first in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject.
James previously served as Chief Innovation Officer at Hintsa Performance, having also held the role of Head of Science and Innovation. His work has included consulting with Formula 1 drivers and teams and advising senior leaders in Fortune 500 companies. These experiences have helped shape his approach to cognitive performance, recovery and performance under pressure.
His work today explores the future of performance and regenerative performance, a science-backed approach built around sustaining results without sacrificing long-term wellbeing. James equips leaders and teams with practical frameworks to help them think clearly, manage pressure and sustain high performance without burnout.
James is also the author of Regenerative Performance: How to Thrive in an Always-On World Without Sacrificing Your Well-Being, published in 2025. The book draws on two decades of research and consulting to examine how people can move beyond constant optimisation and create a healthier rhythm between effort and recovery.
As a keynote speaker, James translates performance science into clear ideas, practical tools and memorable examples that audiences can apply to working life. His keynotes explore topics including performance under pressure, sustainable high performance, cognitive performance, regenerative performance, peak performance and the future of performance in the age of AI.
For event hosts looking for an inspiring speaker on human performance, leadership or wellbeing, James brings together scientific research with first-hand experience from elite sport and high-performing business environments. His presentations are designed to equip leaders and teams with practical ways to stay focused, make better decisions and perform when the pressure rises.
James has delivered keynotes and presentations in more than 30 countries and has spoken at three World Economic Forum Annual Meetings in Davos. In 2018, he won the Nordic Business Forum Speaker Contest, earning a place on the main Nordic Business Forum stage in Helsinki. He delivered The Key to Sustainable High Performance to an event attended by 7,500 business leaders, as part of a speaker line-up that included former US President Barack Obama.
Alongside his keynote speaking, James has contributed to executive education and presentations for leading international business schools, including IMD, Duke Corporate Education and the University of St Gallen. He has also delivered a keynote at the Royal Institution in London, where he spoke about the future of work and augmented intelligence.
Whether speaking about performance under pressure, cognitive performance or the future of work, James gives audiences a practical view of what sustainable high performance requires and how wellbeing and performance can reinforce one another in demanding environments.

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