Lewis Pugh is a world-renowned endurance swimmer and ocean advocate whose record-breaking swims inspire audiences to achieve the impossible, lead with courage, and protect our planet’s fragile ecosystems.
Lewis Pugh is an endurance swimmer, ocean advocate, and UN Patron of the Oceans, best known as the first person to complete long-distance swims in every ocean on Earth. His extraordinary achievements and unwavering mission to protect marine life have made him one of the most sought-after and inspiring speakers of our time.
Over three decades, Lewis has pioneered swims in the planet’s most extreme environments, from the icy waters of the Arctic to the high-altitude glacial lakes of the Himalayas. In 2007, he became the first person to swim across the North Pole, wearing only swimming trunks, to highlight the devastating effects of melting sea ice. He later completed a high-altitude swim on Mount Everest to draw attention to retreating glaciers and, most recently, swam the 530km length of the English Channel.
A former maritime lawyer, Lewis brings a rare combination of legal expertise, environmental leadership, and adventure. His diplomacy and tenacity were instrumental in creating the world’s largest marine reserve in the Ross Sea off Antarctica, a feat dubbed “Speedo Diplomacy” by the international media.
He has addressed global audiences including the World Economic Forum in Davos, Coca-Cola’s worldwide leadership team, and Unilever’s executive management. His talks have also inspired teams at Lloyd’s Agency Network, the UN, and leading universities worldwide.
Described by TED as a “master storyteller,” Lewis delivers his message with passion, clarity, and emotional depth. Through keynote speeches, fireside conversations, and visual storytelling, he draws powerful parallels between endurance swimming and leadership, resilience, preparation, adaptability, teamwork, and the courage to change course when needed.
Audiences leave motivated to set ambitious goals, embrace purpose-driven leadership, and tackle their own “impossible” challenges.
…
Meet Dr Ayesha Khanna, a Forbes-recognised, groundbreaking entrepreneur and a leading expert in global artificial intelligence and smart cities. As the co-founder of Human Technology Co., she plays a pivotal role in advising global corporations and governments, shaping the future of AI and urban living across continents, particularly in AI Asia.
Dr Ernesto Sirolli is a global authority on community development and entrepreneurship. With over 40 years of experience, he equips leaders and organisations to unlock local talent, drive sustainable economic impact, and build resilient, person-centred systems of growth and innovation.
René Carayol, a seasoned business veteran and influential mentor, leverages his rich history from managing director roles and board positions to inspire and guide top corporate leaders. With a unique perspective backed by decades of experience, René offers unparalleled insights into leadership and growth.
An economist and serial entrepreneur for human progress with 26 successful pioneering ventures under his belt, including Progressio Foundation, focusing on human progress through entrepreneurship, has just passed its 30th year and 300 projects in 33 countries; Social Venture Network Europe, the first network of socially responsible business leaders, which Marcello co-founded and led in 1993-94; the Tällberg Forum in Sweden, 2005-2013, co-founded with Bo Ekman and one of the first systems’ approach global community of leaders; and B Lab Europe, co-founded with Leen Zevenbergen in 20014-current, where he has grown B Corps in Europe from zero to over 300 (today at 600).
Ken Hughes is internationally renowned as one of the world’s leading authorities on how and why people buy. A leading consumer behaviouralist, he helps the biggest blue-chip brands decode consumer values, build customer connection and design customer experience that moves the needle. He blends data with story so teams can create change in real life, not just in theory.
Mark Pollock is a globally recognised explorer and speaker whose powerful story of resilience and innovation inspires audiences to embrace adversity, optimise performance and collaborate for impact.
Dr Madeleine de Hauke, a medical doctor and executive coach with over 25 years of experience, specialises in leadership and empowerment. Renowned as a speaker and visiting professor, she offers transformative insights in leadership and effective meeting strategies.
Rem Koolhaas (Rotterdam, 1944) founded OMA in 1975 together with Elia and Zoe Zenghelis and Madelon Vriesendorp. He graduated from the Architectural Association in London and, in 1978, published Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan.
Esther Dyson, named by Forbes magazine as one of the most powerful women in American business, is an acknowledged luminary in the technology industry.
Clover Hogan is not just a climate activist; she’s a pioneering climate strategist who has redefined what it means to be an environmental advocate. With insights that have influenced Fortune 50 boardrooms and an unwavering commitment to actionable change, Clover represents the next wave of thought leaders poised to make a real-world impact.
