Maria Conceicao

Maria Conceicao is a truly inspirational adventurer, famed as the first Portuguese woman to summit Mount Everest. Also the proud holder of 10 Guinness World Records, Maria has stamped her name in the history books as one of the most fearless adventurers of the modern day. A path that has often been steep with plenty of twists and turns out of her control, Maria’s motivational journey as an adventurer Is woven into an exhilarating story as a motivational speaker. From a troubled childhood to countless records and firsts to her name, Maria is now frequently sought after to share her motivational story, determined to inspire others experiencing difficult situations, change perspectives and encourage positive mindsets.

Having lost a parent during her childhood, Maria has faced adversity from a young age. Despite such adversity, Maria has never let challenges hinder her goals. Following a successful career as Cabin Crew for Dubai Air Wing and Emirates Airline, Maria left her career behind to follow a life of adventure and exploration. In 2005, Maria became the Founder of the Maria Cristina Foundation – an initiative in the slums of Bangladesh helping over 600 children and 101 families with educational challenges, building one of the most advanced schools in Bangladesh. Having shown great resilience and determination in this initiative, Maria has since challenged herself to complete feats such as becoming the first Portuguese woman to reach the North and South Poles. She has also attempted to swim the English Channel after a year of having learned to swim and ran seven Ironman Races in one year. Most recently, in 2024, Maria became the first female Portuguese citizen to summit K2, making history and becoming one of less than 50 women who have stood on the summit - an incredibly honourable feat considering that approximately only 500 people have successfully summited K2.

A 10 x Guinness World Record holder, some of Maria’s impressive records include the most consecutive days spent running an ultra marathon, the farthest stimulated distance climbed on a ladder machine in one hour and the fastest time to complete an ultra marathon on each continent. In addition to her Guinness World Records, Maria has also been bestowed with honours such as the Inspiring Change Award from the International Gulf Organization, the Sustainable Leadership Award, Emirates Woman of the Year, Emirates Humanitarian Woman of the Year and GQ Portugal Woman of the Year. In addition to her inspiring feats of adventure, Maria also spends her time authoring bestselling books – having authored the books A Woman on Top of the World, Butterfly Stories, Butterfly Stories 2, Altered Path and The World Needs Superheroes. Maria is also frequently featured in publications, such as recently being featured in Business Insider on "Making the Impossible Possible".

Flight attendant turned philanthropist, who has also pioneered the introduction of healthcare and more into the slums of Dhaka, Maria Conceicao is now frequently sought after as a motivational speaker for corporate events. Utilising her platform to raise awareness of her humanitarian projects, Maria is renowned for pushing her physical limits in pursuit of her support of destitute families. Working tirelessly to secure the education and emancipation of underprivileged children since 2005, Maria is sought for her philanthropic authority by clients such as Mindvalley and Rotary Jumeirah. When hired as a speaker, Maria uses her story as a powerful source of inspiration, encouraging people to pursue their goals and dreams and strive to achieve their true potential. When looking for a speaker whose story reaches great heights, look no further than Maria Conceicao as the speaker for your next conference.