Dame Ellen MacArthur

Having sailed single-handedly around the world non-stop, Dame Ellen MacArthur has left her mark on society and is now working her way around the country to inspire audiences with her accomplishments as an after-dinner speaker. A leader in peak performance, advocate for world change and motivating female figure who is very quickly becoming a favourite for engaging and inspiring audiences of any kind. As a child of the ocean from as young as eight-years-old, Ellen saved up her dinner money to purchase her own dinghy by the time she was 11. With her passion for the waves ever-growing, she owned the 21-foot yacht named Idune in which carried her around the UK by the age of 18. She was named the British Young Sailor of the Year and became the youngest ever to receive the Yachtmaster Offshore Qualification.

At the age of 24, MacArthur entered the Vendee Globe and began her 94-day journey around the globe. She heroically came second place in the single-handed non-stop yacht race making her the youngest competitor to complete the voyage. She broke yet another record in 2005 when she became the fastest solo voyager to reach the equator whilst working to complete her 27,354-mile journey around the world. She managed to finish her circumnavigation of the globe in a staggering 71 days,14 hours and 18 minutes which beat the previous record set by Francis Joyon.

MacArthur has since published her first autobiography, Taking on the World as well as her second, entitled Full Circle and Race Against Time. She set up her own registered charity in 2003 which promotes sailing to those with cancer between the ages between 8 and 24 in order to help them regain confidence, boost communication skills and ambition. The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust has worked with over 1,500 young people across the UK in order to help them make a full recovery both physically and mentally.

She has also launched the Ellen MacArthur Foundation which aims to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. Since 2010, the global thought leader has worked with businesses, schools and the government to develop a framework for an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design. Having been awarded an MBE for her services to sport and a knighthood in recognition for her voyage around the world, it’s made apparent that Dame Ellen MacArthur is one of the most valued and inspirational female figures in the world. Fully equipped with compelling and motivating anecdotes from her sailing career, MacArthur is the perfect addition to any event in search of a captivating after-dinner speaker.

In February 2024 Ellen MacArthur conducted a Keynote Speech discussing stories from her time at sea and top tips for facing adversity in life and in business. Watch this Exclusive Keynote Speech from Ellen MacArthur here.