Greg Nieuwenhuys is a globally recognised business leader, AI strategist and motivational keynote speaker best known for transforming major retail and outdoor brands through innovation and leadership. A 5x CEO and Chairman, Greg has built an international reputation for helping companies embrace change, digital transformation and generative AI while inspiring audiences with extraordinary ultra-endurance achievements, including skiing down the world's sixth-highest mountain, Cho Oyu. His unique combination of boardroom expertise and extreme adventure experience makes him one of the most compelling speakers on leadership, resilience and the future of AI-driven business.
Greg's career began with strong analytical and strategic foundations. After working as a Research Analyst at Royal Dutch Shell, he moved into consulting as a Project Manager at OC&C Strategy Consultants, where he developed deep expertise in retail strategy, organisational transformation and operational growth. These early experiences shaped Greg's commercially focused approach to leadership and innovation. Alongside his corporate progression, Greg developed a passion for ultra-endurance sports and mountaineering, constantly pushing his physical and mental limits. His determination was demonstrated when he successfully skied down Cho Oyu, an 8,201-metre Himalayan peak, despite suffering a broken rib during the climb. These formative experiences taught him resilience, adaptability and the importance of embracing discomfort, lessons that now sit at the heart of his keynote presentations.
Throughout his career, Greg has held a succession of high-profile executive leadership roles across international retail and sports businesses. He has been CEO of Bever, CEO of Cotswold Outdoor Group (overseeing Cotswold Outdoor and Snow+Rock), and CEO of MAMMUT Sports Group AG, later also its Chairman. He delivered a successful exit at Wattbike in 2025 and today chairs Nodor International (backed by Inflexion PE), while serving as Senior Partner and Chair at WAIMAKERS, an AI strategy firm working with PE funds and business leaders across Europe. Widely recognised for his expertise in generative AI, Greg has guided 100+ companies to breakthrough AI results. His presentations are known for turning complex AI concepts into actionable business strategies, often incorporating live demonstrations and real-world examples that immediately resonate with audiences.
Event organisers hire Greg Nieuwenhuys because he combines elite business credibility with authentic human insight and practical transformation strategies. His keynote topics include generative AI, transformational leadership, digital innovation, ultra-endurance, business strategy and navigating uncertainty in rapidly changing markets. Greg's sessions stand out because they balance strategic expertise with personal storytelling, helping audiences understand both the technological and human side of change. He speaks openly about fear, reinvention and resilience, enabling leaders and teams to move from uncertainty to confident action. Recent audiences have ranged from 30 senior leaders in an intimate boardroom to over 1,000 at ISPO Munich, including a keynote at the Outdoor Industries Association Summit and YPO CEO masterclasses. Whether addressing senior executives, entrepreneurs or corporate teams, Greg delivers presentations that are energising, commercially relevant and immediately applicable.
Greg Nieuwenhuys official speaking topics are listed below:
The 45-Minute Shift - From AI Overwhelm to Action (signature keynote, 45-60 min).
- Greg opens his laptop and proves the power of AI live, on the audience's own business-critical challenges. No slides, no safety net. The room leaves with the confidence to act on Monday.
Leading Through Uncertainty (leadership keynote, 45-60 min).
- How to lead AI transformation when you are overwhelmed, afraid, and the path is not clear. CEO experience meets ultra-endurance, drawn from leading five global brands through change.
Build It Live (WAIMAKERS workshop, half day, up to 40 people).
- Teams bring their real challenges. Greg and the WAIMAKERS team guide them hands-on to working AI solutions, in the room.
Official Testimonials From Both In-Person & Online Events
"Greg brilliantly demystified AI with tailored demos and gave our CEOs real, actionable insights. The room shifted from skeptical to energised in under an hour." - Peter Wirtz, Head of Global Private Equity, 3i
"We brought Greg in for a room of senior PE investors and operators. The engagement was instant and sustained. Three attendees followed up the same day asking to bring Greg into their portfolio companies. That tells you everything about how it landed." - Maria Henderson, Partner, Consumer & Healthcare, Blackwood
"Greg opened his laptop, pulled up our actual data, and built something in twelve minutes that our team had been scoping for weeks. Nobody checked their phone after that." - Ben Cooke, Group CEO, Intelli-Park
"Most AI speakers talk theory. Greg has actually run PE-backed businesses, and it shows. He understood our priorities, our pace, and what our teams actually need to hear. The preparation was outstanding and the delivery landed exactly where it needed to." - Matthew James, President & CEO, Purity Life
- 2026 - Announced as a keynote speaker for The Summit 2026 by the Outdoor Industries Association
- 2025 - Chairman of Nodor International Limited (backed by Inflexion PE)
- 2025 - Successful exit of Wattbike
- 2024 - Senior Partner & Chair at WAIMAKERS
- 2024 - Chairman of MAMMUT Sports Group AG
- 2022 - CEO of MAMMUT Sports Group AG
- 2019 - CEO of Costwold Outdoor Group
- 2015 - CEO of Bever
- 2009 - Project Manager at OC&C Strategy Consultants
- 2004 - Skied down Cho Oyu, the world’s sixth-highest mountain at 8,201 metres
- 2003 - Research Analyst at Royal Dutch Shell
How to hire Greg Nieuwenhuys
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Greg Nieuwenhuys for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
