Advocate for ocean sustainability and famed endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh, has dedicated his life to the sea. With an abundance of life-changing experience to discuss in his public speaking, Lewis is highly regarded on the public-speaking circuit due to his insightful story and sustainable business methods. As an advocate, he draws attention to the damaging effects climate change is having on our ecosystem, speaking regularly at industry events and climate change conferences.
Born in England and educated at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, Lewis' first taste of swimming exploded into a 30 year dedication to not just the sport, but the water itself. Whereas most people learn how to swim at a young age, Lewis didn't have his first swimming lesson until he was 17. From there, he swam to Cape Town from Robben Island only a month later, before swimming the English Channel in 1992. Lewis went from strength to strength, just over 15 years since he first dove into the water, he broke the record for the fastest swim around Robben Island. In his motivational speaking, Lewis reflects upon this moment in his life, offering his audience an insight into his journey from an amateur to a record breaker.
With a career spanning 30 years, it is no surprise that Lewis has achieved as much as he has done. Described as the "Sir Edmund Hillary of swimming'' one of his greatest achievements was swimming across the North Pole in 2007. In doing so, Lewis raised awareness of melting ice caps in the Arctic. Most recently he completed the #Coral Swim to raise awareness of how Climate Change is destroying our ecosystems. To date, he has completed a long-distance swim challenge in every ocean on Earth, doing so under the Channel Swimming Rules.
This means that even in the freezing waters of the poles, he swam in just a cap, goggles and a Speedo swimming costume. Lewis story is fuelled by determination and self-belief, the two main ingredients to peak performance. He has developed strategies to push himself to his limits, then rest productively before getting back into the water again. An expert in maximising success, Lewis' inspirational achievements are a hit with audiences of all kinds. Champions Speakers take pride in being an official speaker representative of Lewis Pugh, suggesting him as a motivational speaker for top corporate clients, speaking at their exclusive global events about his inspiring adventures.
Books
21 Yaks And A Speedo
Achieving The Impossible
How to hire Lewis Pugh
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Lewis Pugh 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.
When he's at corporate events, Lewis is known to cover the following topics:
- Achieving the impossible
- Planning and preparation
- Motivational and inspiration
- The power of the mind
- Self-belief
- Overcoming obstacles and setbacks
- Protecting the environment
- Vision and excellence
- Goal setting
"Lewis Pugh doesn’t tell us what to do, he shows us what can be done." - Bill Clinton, 42nd President Of The United States
"Thank you for coming to speak to us. You have a very special gift. Not many people can speak to a group of world leaders like you did – with so much authority and passion. I could have heard a pin drop." - Ted Turner, Founder Of CNN
"Lewis is a totally enchanting speaker and provides valuable lessons to apply to business and to life." - Guy Kawasaki, Chief Evangelist of Apple
"Your address was the perfect close to a conference centered 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 Grassie, CEO of Deutsche Bank (UK)
"You won’t find a more captivating story teller… Lewis stole the show at the World Economic Forum in Davos." - Adam Grant, Professor At Wharton Business School
- 2022- Completed the #CoralSwim
- 2019 - Received the Mungo Park Medal
- 2018 - Listed as the third most influential person in the world discussing how to tackle plastic pollution on social media
- 2018 - Swam the length of the English Channel
- 2017 - The first person to swim in the Antarctic waters around South Georgia Island
- 2014 - Untook the first swim of all seven seas
- 2013 - Inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
- 2013 - Published 21 Yaks and a Speedo
- 2013 - Named the UN's Patron of the Oceans
- 2011 - Received the Presidents Award from the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- 2010 - Published Achieving the Impossible
- 2010 - Swam across a glacial lake on Mount Everest
- 2009 - Awarded the Order of Ikhamanga (the highest award in South Africa)
- 2008 - Founded the Polar Defense Project
- 2007 - The first person to swim the width of the Maldives
- 2007 - Swam across the North Pole
- 2006 - The first person to swim the length of the River Thames
- 2006 - The first person to complete a long-distance swim in all five oceans of the world.
- 2006 - Won a gold medal at the World Winter Swimming Championships
- 2005 - Broke the world record for the farthest-north-long-distance swim and the farthest-south-long-distance swim
- 2002 - Set the record for the fastest time swimming around Robben Island
- Pioneered more swims around famous landmarks than any other swimmer in history
- The first person to swim around Cape Agulhas, the Cape of Good Hope and the Cape Peninsula
- The first person to swim across an African Great Lake
- The first person to swim around the North Cape
