The World’s Best Keynote Speakers on Building High-Performance Teams in 2025

When you are working hard to achieve your goals, it can be difficult to stay motivated when a less ambitious team surrounds you. Leaders will focus on creating a high-performance team to reap the rewards of like-minded individuals working towards a common goal. As a highly engaged workforce has been found to have a 21% higher profitability and productivity rate, it is key for leaders to understand how to build these teams best. Attending an event with one of our talented speakers may be greatly beneficial when seeking advice and guidance regarding building a high-performance team.

What is a High-Performance Team?

High-performance teams are groups of goal-focused individuals with specialised expertise who work together to complete tasks to a high standard using effective methods that gain successful results.

Source: SHRM

Why is Building a High-Performance Team Important?

Building a high-performance team is important because it allows a group of individuals to achieve a joint objective. If five members within a group work incredibly hard, they may be selected to be part of a high-performance team as they all have the same work ethic and determination. If hard-working individuals work with less driven people, their motivation may decrease, which is why it is key for leaders to create and train their teams carefully.

The World’s Best Keynote Speakers on Building High-Performance

Our top keynote speakers provide an engaging insight into how they have produced some of the most talented teams worldwide.

If you are looking to gain expert knowledge on building high-performance teams, take a look at our selection of The World’s Best Keynote Speakers on Building High-Performance Teams in 2025:

• Sir Dave Brailsford
• Nirmal Purja
• Sir Clive Woodward
• Christian Horner
• Sir Ranulph Fiennes
• Magic Johnson
• Jason Fox
• Alister and Jonathon Brownlee
• Carey Lohrenz
• Jonny Wilkinson
• Lewis Pugh
• Marc Priestley
• Damian Hughes
• Eddie Jones
• Sean Fitzpatrick
• Bear Grylls
• Alex Gregory
• Eliud Kipchoge
• Derek Redmond
• Neil Martin

Sir Dave Brailsford

Sir Dave Brailsford, the former Performance Director of British Cycling, developed the marginal gains theory. He has built a respected international career due to his ability to turn struggling athletes into successful teams. He believes that with a 1% improvement over time, athletes and businesses will see a significant positive increase in performance.

This tried-and-tested method has been used worldwide, and Dave has been awarded an MBE and CBE and later knighted for his career success. When booked as a speaker, Sir Dave Brailsford shares how he developed a method that has now cracked the code for peak performance. He resonates with his audiences as he wants to help others advance their performance in sports and all aspects of life.

Testimonial:

“David was excellent.” – Association of Convenience Stores

Nirmal’ Nims’ Purja

Nirmal Purja MBE is renowned for his drive and determination in challenging situations. As a former military professional, Nims spent 16 years on the front line, where he was taught the power of perseverance. He is now a professional mountaineer, having reached the summit of 14 mountains in seven months and created multiple world records, including the fastest summit of the three highest mountains in the world.

Nims was awarded an MBE in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours for his outstanding achievement in extreme high-altitude mountaineering. He is continuously cast in documentaries that follow his journey up some of the highest mountains in the world. When booked as a speaker, Nims provides unique insight into how he has reached peak performance in extremely challenging situations. He will advise on how others can perform to a high standard due to their passion and drive towards success.

Testimonial:

“Changing the entire concept of what’s possible. A beautiful account of the most testing missions. Nims’ ability to control his mind and achieve his goal shows us all how we can achieve our own goals. Nims also puts into perspective how SMALL many of our goals are… What Nims has done has truly been, one great leap for mankind.” – Lucy

Sir Clive Woodward

Sir Clive Woodward is highly respected throughout the Rugby community. Having played for and coached professional teams, Clive has gained many effective leadership skills. As the former Director of Sport at the British Olympic Association, Clive has allowed him to coach the England team to perform to an incredibly high standard.

He has developed a winning mindset throughout his career and has become a sports pundit who appears as an expert in explaining aspects of the game to the audience. When hired to speak at events, Sir Clive Woodward aims to lead others to replicate the success of his teams by sharing his winning mindset with his audiences. Skilled at building peak-performance teams, Clive has become a highly sought-after speaker on high performance.

Testimonial:

“It was a great pleasure to meet Sir Clive, and his presentation was incredibly well received. His presentation was aligned perfectly with the day, while also being very engaging and entertaining. It was the key highlight of our meeting; excellent feedback was received all around. Please extend our thanks to Sir Clive once again.” – Vicky, Vivid Medical Communications

Christian Horner

Christian Horner OBE is a former racing driver and the current Team Principal of Red Bull Racing in Formula 1. Christian has retained this position since 2005 and has passed on his dedication to driving his teams, leading them to the victory of 9 world titles. He has been a vital part of the Red Bull racing team and has created one of the strongest Formula One teams in history.

When booked as a motorsport speaker, Christian discusses how he has built a team that has reached peak performance levels within the sport. He will focus on topics such as the importance of teamwork, handling pressure, and creating high-performance teams.

Testimonial:

“The broadcast was very well received! Feedback has been unanimously positive and even folks with no interest in F1 found the parallels relatable and inspiring.” – Jennifer, AstraZeneca

Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE is a leading explorer and greatly sought-after public speaker. Starting his career in the British Army, Ranulph developed his fierce resilience and determination in response to many challenging tasks. Due to his motivational leadership skills, he was the youngest Captain in the British Army.

Since leaving the army, Ranulph has become the world’s greatest living explorer and has completed expeditions such as the Hottest and Coldest Journey, journeying across the Antarctic and the Sahara Desert. He has been awarded an OBE and a Polar medal to acknowledge his astonishing career. As a motivational speaker, Sir Ranulph Fiennes inspires audiences to overcome challenges within their everyday lives and aims to share his expert knowledge on achieving peak performance at the events he attends.

Testimonial:

“Fabulous – a remarkable man who gave a brilliant presentation and was a delight to deal with. Nothing was too much trouble, and the talk was as good as it gets – inspirational, witty, humbling and enthralling. You won’t do any better than have Ranulph Fiennes as your guest speaker.” – Consort Medical

Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson is a celebrated NBA star and the Chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises. He has been honoured as one of the 50 greatest NBA Players in NBA History, and in 2021, he was selected to be part of the NBA 75th anniversary team. Throughout his 13 years of playing professional basketball, he won five NBA Championships, three NBA MVPs, three NBA finals Most Valuable Player Awards, and 12 All-Star games.

When booked as a speaker, Magic Johnson is known to engage a crowd with the expert knowledge he has gained since becoming one of the highest-performing members of the teams he played for. As one of the most influential Black businesspeople, he is greatly sought-after for corporate and after-dinner events.

Jason Fox

Jason Fox is a former Special Forces Officer now greatly known for appearing on television series such as SAS: Who Dares Wins and Meet the Drug Lords: Inside the Real Narcos. He has been subject to many different situations that have tested his mental and physical resilience, gaining skills to train groups of people to become successful teams.

Now the author of the best-selling book Battle Scars, Jason shares his experiences with PTSD and how he has not let it defeat him. When booked as a speaker, Jason shares how he leads and motivates his teams through pressurised environments and challenges to push them to work as hard as possible at all times. He has built many successful teams that can now perform to the peak of their abilities in difficult situations.

Testimonial:

“It was excellent! Jason had the audience mesmerised. They were interested in everything he had to say and his style of delivery was pitched at the right level. I’ve attended several events in that hall and there is usually a restlessness towards the end of events (sometimes even in the middle of a particularly dry topic!) but during Jason’s event the audience was fully engaged throughout.” – Bank of America

Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee

Alistair and Jonathon Brownlee are Olympic speakers and Triathlon Champions who gained popularity at the 2012 London Olympics. The two brothers began competing in junior competitions, where Alister won the World Junior Championships in 2006, and Jonny became the British Youth Champion in 2006 and 2007.

Both have enjoyed successful careers in athletics and have been awarded MBEs, with Alister’s coming in 2013 and Jonny’s in 2022. The two brothers are now participating in speaking events, where they talk about how their drive and determination have allowed them to gain incredible results throughout the sporting industry. They are both at the peaks of their careers and are working as a team to achieve their goals.

Carey Lohrenz

Carey Lohrenz was the first female F-14 Tomcat Pilot in the United States Navy, inspiring many females worldwide. Throughout her career as a combat pilot, Carey has faced many high-risk situations, which have trained her to adapt to fast-moving environments. Her role within the army is crucial to be fulfilled correctly, as it can have detrimental impacts if mistakes are made, which is why she has needed to work at peak performance at all points throughout her career.

When booked as a speaker, Carey Lohrenz passes on the many lessons she has learnt in the Navy to empower women to enter the industry they desire, even if it has a reputation for being male-dominated. She aims to help people feel fearless in a leadership role and work towards their peak performance rate.

Testimonial:

“Carey was AMAZING! So much of what she said resonated with our organization. Her story is inspiring, her message applies to everyone, and her ability to engage the audience with a story is great! Additionally, she is a true professional, easy to work with, and fully committed to making sure the client has a good experience… Thank you!” – Kirk, Saatchi & Saatchi

Jonny Wilkinson

Jonny Wilkinson is renowned for being one of the most impressive players to have entered the Rugby Union. Jonny gained 91 caps for England and a further six for the British and Irish Lions throughout his professional career. Due to his dedication to the sport, he was named BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year in 2003 after contributing to the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Since retiring in 2014, Jonny has been introduced into the Rugby Hall of Fame and later awarded a CBE for his services to the Rugby Union. When hired for events, Jonny delivers a captivating speech based on how his hard work and focused mindset allowed him to gain the skills and drive needed to reach the top level within the Rugby Union. Due to his previous experience appearing on television, he is a confident speaker who engages an audience with his expertise and stories.

Testimonial:

“We have had some amazing feedback, with a couple of people even saying Jonny was the best speaker so far! Great take home messages, and amazing honesty from him.” – Roche Products Ltd

Lewis Pugh

Lewis Pugh is a favoured endurance swimmer who advocates for ocean sustainability. With a successful 30-year career, Lewis has jumped from strength to strength, having his first swimming lesson at the age of 17 to being able to swim the English Channel only a month later. He has focused on achieving his swimming aspirations and using his talent to spread worldwide awareness of different environmental issues. In 2007, he swam across the North Pole to educate people about the melting ice caps in the Arctic.

Lewis Pugh has had many life-changing experiences throughout his career and wants to speak to an audience. He raises awareness about the effect climate change is having on the environment. Due to his high-performance techniques, he is now one of the most sought-after motivational speakers, allowing him to achieve his goals.

Testimonial:

“Your address was the perfect close to a conference centred around achievement and moving to the next level. The story you have to tell is incredibly unique and was delivered in such a professional and entertaining manner. Everyone was inspired by your extraordinary journey.” – Colin, CEO of Deutsche Bank (UK)

Marc Priestley

Marc Priestley is a former British Formula One Mechanic now working as a TV Presenter and Keynote Speaker. For nearly 10 years, Marc worked for McLaren Racing as a mechanic and part of the pitstop crew for popular racers such as Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso. Throughout his career, he has developed skills, including staying calm under pressure, as he held a crucial role in allowing racers to gain the top spots in their competitions. He now provides commentary for Formula One while also being a pundit for the BBC, Sky Sports, and ESPN.

When booked as an events speaker, Marc Priestley is known to speak about resilience, motivation, and how leadership styles in the sports and business industries can be very similar. He aims to help leaders understand how to communicate and motivate their teams to seek the best results.

Testimonial:

“Marc was brilliant, everyone loved his talk, it was interesting, funny and really hit the spot. Can you thank him for me please and tell him everyone really enjoyed it. Thanks again for your help, you have been brilliant.” – Samantha, Protolabs

Damian Hughes

Damian Hughes is a change management catalyst and organisational psychologist and the founder of the professional advisory company LiquidThinker. After gaining a Master’s in HR and Organisational Psychology, Damian recognised his passion for mentoring and began his professional career at Unilever as a Director of HR. In 2006, he founded the business LiquidThinker, which aims to offer leadership and change management tips through speeches and workshops. He is now working as a Professor of Organisational Psychology and Change, teaching future generations the art of high performance.

A highly sought-after motivational speaker, Damian Hughes is looking to focus on topics such as emotional intelligence, management, mindset, and resilience at his events. He is renowned for engaging the audience through his experiences working with many high-performance teams.

Testimonial:

“As someone that has achieved many of my own personal goals and experienced the satisfaction from doing so, I would recommend that you adopt the lessons and techniques, which are captured in this excellent book, to greatly assist you in achieving your own ambitions. Go ahead. Take the plunge and become a fellow liquid thinker.” – Sir Richard Branson

Eddie Jones

Eddie Jones is the current Head Coach of the England National Rugby Team. He began his professional coaching career as the Head Coach of the Australian national team, where he guided them to victory in the England World Cup. Due to his leadership style, he was able to take up opportunities at multiple other clubs before becoming the Manager of the England team. Eddie led the team through numerous victories in many different tournaments and gained 14 consecutive wins in the first year of his entry into the team.

When booked as a speaker, Eddie Jones focuses on how he trained multiple teams of players to become high-performance athletes. Because he has created many successful teams, he has become highly sought-after for events.

Testimonial:

“Got some lovely feedback and Eddie was a pleasure to have! Thank you for helping to arrange.” – Kimberly, Pa to James Green, deVere

Sean Fitzpatrick

Sean Fitzpatrick is renowned for being one of the greatest All Blacks players of all time, and as a respected former player, he has now become a talented Rugby Coach. Throughout his 11-year career as part of the All Blacks, Sean made 127 appearances and was Captain of the team six years into his professional career. Since retiring in 1997, Sean was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to Rugby. His leadership style within the team was greatly respected, and he has been credited as one of New Zealand’s top 10 players of all time.

When booked as a speaker, Sean Fitzpatrick talks about how he led his team to victory in four Bledsole Cups, two Tri-nations and the British and Irish Lions Series. He has ensured that the team performs to an incredibly high standard throughout games and has recognised how to build a high-performance team effectively many times.</p

Bear Grylls

As one of the world’s leading adventurers, Bear Grylls OBE is now greatly admired for his work ethic and bravery in challenging situations. In 1994, Bear entered the British Special Forces as part of the 21 SAS Regiment, where he developed many of his survival skills and was awarded the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2013. Despite a parachuting accident that resulted in months of military rehabilitation, Bear persevered and became one of the youngest climbers to reach the Summit of Mount Everest.

After this victory, he continued to complete these expeditions and entered the TV Industry by allowing film teams to join his journeys. He was awarded an OBE for his services to young people, media, and charity in the 2019 Birthday Honours. When booked as a motivational speaker, Bear Grylls speaks upon the many adventures he has embarked on and how he has equipped his team with the necessary skills to ensure they are all reaching their high-performance rates. Many audiences admire Bear’s leadership qualities and are ready to hear him speak about different topics.

Testimonial:

“There are precious few people in this world who can really make a difference in a positive way, you are one. Many thanks for all you are doing for BA. It is so good for our people to hear and learn from someone who has done so much in a world so different from ours.” – British Airways

Alex Gregory

Alex Gregory MBE is renowned for his rowing career, which has seen him win two Olympic Gold Medals and five World Championship titles. He is also a seven-time Guinness World Record holder for his Arctic Rowing expedition. Alex was awarded an MBE in the 2013 New Year’s Honours list. He spent 16 years pursuing Olympic Gold, which became a journey of discovery. In this journey, countless ‘failures’ became lessons and gave him the tools he needed to perform consistently at the highest level.

He became one of only 3 men worldwide to win every major championship between 2011 and 2016. Alex became known as the ‘crew maker’ and discovered the secret to creating high-performing teams time and time again. Having retired from international sport, the challenge became to use those lessons and help people implement them daily. When booked as a speaker, Alex takes the audience on an entertaining journey where he speaks about motivation, pressure and fear. He talks about leadership qualities, performance culture, true communication and building consistently high-performing teams.

Testimonial:

“Alex was everything and more; not only did he engage and energise the delegates; his story was just so fascinating and had such a powerful message, which was delivered with such meaning and fulfilled the objective of being consistent through his journey and through what our COO Paul wanted to deliver. Our client couldn’t have been happier. Excellent and relieved! Thanks so much, please pass on to Alex how delighted our client was and we look forward to seeing him again at one of our many conferences.” – Julie, Project Coordinator, DHL

Eliud Kipchoge

Eliud Kipchoge is an admired long-distance runner best known for his multiple victories in marathons and 5000-metre events. In 2002, after being trained by Patrick Sang, Eliud competed in his first professional competition, where he won the IAAF World Cross Country Championship junior race. In 2003, he set his first world record for the junior 5000m race, which was withheld for nine years.

This debut race opened many opportunities for Eliud, and he began competing in larger events such as the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, and the IAAF Diamond League. Eliud has been awarded 14 gold medals throughout his professional career, representing his dedication to the sport. When booked as a speaker, Eliud Kipchoge speaks about how he has developed his skills to an award-winning level and the experiences he has gained as the second-fastest marathon runner in history.

Derek Redmond

Derek Redmond inspires many due to his determination in the face of failure at the 1992 Olympic Games. After graduating from UCLA, Derek focused his career on athletics and developed his skills to an award-winning level. He secured a victory at the 1991 4×400 Relay World Championships and qualified for the Barcelona Olympic Games the year after.

In the semi-finals, Derek tore his hamstring 250 metres away from the finish line, which shattered his dreams of continuing his athletics career in the future. When the incident occurred, Derek’s father helped him reach the finish line, and 65,000 spectators applauded him for his dedication to the race. Derek Redmond is now speaking about how he remained ambitious after the accident destroyed his athletics career. He wants to inspire others to break their barriers and aim for peak performance in everything they do.

Testimonial:

“Derek was an absolute delight! So professional, helpful and entertaining- honestly, I could not believe how pleasant he was to work with. Sometimes it feels as if the speaker is just there to do the slot and not a second more but that was definitely not the case with Derek. He was a wonderful guest, speaker and host. Highly, highly recommend” – Caron, Media Nett

Neil Martin

Neil Martin is a Formula 1 Strategist and Data Scientist who was the former Head of Strategy at McLaren and Ferrari. Neil completed a master’s degree in operational research and chose to focus on the optimal pitstop and refuelling strategies. After his success in university, McLaren invited him to work full-time in the team. He gained many valuable skills through working with professionals, which led him to earn multiple opportunities within the F1 industry. He was also able to work with teams such as McLaren, Red Bull Racing, and Ferrari.

With over 30 years of experience in the motorsport industry, Neil Martin is now looking to offer audiences unique analytical insights into the industry and how he has developed his skills to become one of the most talented strategists in his field. His talent has helped teams gain high-performance rates that are now admired within the F1 industry.

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