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6x World Champion & leadership coach

Anna Hemmings

Build resilience and sustained high performance with Anna Hemmings, leadership performance coach and 6x World Champion. Anna works with senior leaders and executive teams to strengthen clarity, accountability, and decision-making under pressure. Founder of Beyond the Barriers, she delivers transformational programmes across 40+ countries for FTSE 100 companies.

Trusted by Rolls Royce, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Unilever, Danone, Roche India

Anna Hemmings, Speaker | High Performance Coach
Anna Hemmings

Anna Hemmings

London, United Kingdom

Typical fee range

£11k–25k

This is an estimated fee range for local in-person events. Location and format affect the final fee.

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London, United Kingdom

Starting from

£11k–25k

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loading@getapeptalk.com

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+44 203 835 2929

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Anna Hemmings's biography

At a glance

  • 6x World champion kayaker and 2x Olympian
  • Founder of high performance consultancy Beyond the Barriers
  • Leadership coach specialising in resilience and excellence
Anna Hemmings is a 2x Olympian and 6x World Champion marathon kayaker who now works with global organisations to build resilient leaders and high-performing teams. As Britain’s most successful female marathon kayaker, Anna won eleven World and European Championship medals, nine of them gold. After being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome at the peak of her career and told she might never race again, Anna returned to win three more world titles, shaping her understanding of what resilience, mindset, and sustained high performance truly mean. Since retiring from professional sport, Anna has founded Beyond the Barriers, a high-performance training consultancy helping organisations build resilience and sustain excellence under pressure. An accredited leadership and high-performance coach, she has worked with CEOs, Senior Directors, and FTSE 100 organisations across more than 40 countries, translating the rigour of world-class sport into business-ready tools that address stretch targets, resource constraints, and constant change. Audiences learn impactful frameworks for decision-making under pressure, specific techniques for building team trust and accountability, and strategies for maintaining performance during setbacks. Anna combines lived experience from elite sport with research-driven performance psychology, translating world-class principles into tools tailored to each client’s environment and pressures. Book Anna to help your organisation embed the behaviours, culture, and resilience needed to perform at its best when the pressure is on.

Anna's showreel and videos

Topics, sessions and talks

Getting The Competitive Edge
Anna Hemmings draws on her journey as a 6 x World Champion and Olympian to explore what truly separates good from exceptional. She examines the mindset, attitudes, and behaviours that underpin consistent success, alongside practical tools for performing under pressure. Blending elite sport insight with business relevance, Anna shows how to embed a performance cycle that drives continuous improvement and sharper results.
Resilience: Success In The Face Of Adversity
Anna Hemmings shares the realities of rebuilding her career after chronic illness to reveal how resilience is developed. Through practical strategies and honest reflection, she explores emotional control, perspective, recovery, and decision-making under pressure. Leaders and teams discover how to remain focused, respond rather than react, and sustain performance even when circumstances are challenging.
Building World Class Teams
Anna Hemmings translates lessons from elite sport into the dynamics of high-performing corporate teams. Drawing on her experience as both an individual and doubles world champion, she explores trust, accountability, alignment, and constructive challenge. Grounded in performance science and real world application, Anna demonstrates how cohesive cultures are built and how collective standards drive stronger, more consistent results.
The Resilient Leaders Toolkit
Anna Hemmings examines the behaviours that enable leaders to remain clear-headed and effective during uncertainty and change. Using insights from her Olympic career and coaching practice, she introduces practical strategies for handling pressure, building confidence, and creating clarity of direction. Her Resilient Leaders Elements model provides a structured approach to leading with presence, focus, and purpose when it matters most.

Why we recommend booking Anna

Anna Hemmings draws on her journey as a double Olympian and six-time world champion to deliver practical strategies for resilience and high performance, tailored to the unique challenges your team faces. Book Anna today to empower your organisation with proven tools for thriving under pressure and sustaining excellence.

Check Anna's availability

Trusted by Rolls Royce, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Unilever, Danone, Roche India

Testimonials

Anna’s top tips for ‘Getting the Competitive Edge’, learned from a career in sport, are practical, relevant and directly applicable to any business. The Lego models are brightening up our office and are a great reminder of the personal and team learnings and commitments that we made to enable us to meet the challenges that 2020 holds.

Anna Achene

Revenue Planning Manger, British Airways

After seeing Anna present at another event I knew she would be perfect for our kick off meeting. Her story of triumph over adversity and the importance of resilience in pushing for success were extremely well received by the team. Anna is a fantastic presenter and engages with her audience in an unassuming way which keeps you listening to the very end. If you are looking for a sporting champion who understands how to align her message with your specific strategy and challenges then look no further than Anna.

Jason Worthy

UK Managing Director, Life Fitness

Anna was just wonderful! Absolutely delivered the right messages and inspired the passion we wanted! Hope she enjoyed being with us as well! It was lovely working with Anna.

Christina Vrentzou

Europe Perfect Store Marketing Manager, Unilever

Featured Projects

Anna Hemmings - Diary of a CEO Podcast E65: I Won 11 World Titles Because They Said I Couldn't podcast cover
Anna Hemmings - Take Flight Podcast E119: Life Lessons From A 6x World Champion podcast cover
Anna Hemmings - Cool Conversations Podcast E116: Striving for Excellence podcast cover

frequently asked questions

Something we've not covered here?

How do I book Anna Hemmings for my next event?
Email anna.hemmings@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Anna's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
What is Anna Hemmings's speaking style like?
Anna Hemmings structures her sessions around a performance cycle framework drawn from elite sport, combining first-person accounts of her recovery from chronic fatigue syndrome with research-driven tools from performance psychology. She translates these into business-applicable frameworks covering decision-making under pressure, team accountability, and resilience strategies tailored to the client's specific environment.
What topics does Anna Hemmings specialise in?
Anna Hemmings MBE speaks on competitive performance and mindset, resilience and recovery from adversity, and building high-performing teams. She is a six-time World Champion and two-time Olympian in marathon kayaking who, after overcoming chronic fatigue syndrome, founded Beyond the Barriers, a high-performance consultancy operating across more than 40 countries.
Can PepTalk help plan the speaker programme for my event?

Yes. Beyond booking a single speaker, PepTalk helps shape a full programme, matching voices to your agenda, audience, and goals across a day or a series. It is a consultative service, not just a booking. Tell us about your event at getapeptalk.com.

What does 'typical fee range' mean?

Speaker fees vary based on factors like event location, format, and availability. The 'typical fee range' figure gives you a baseline of someone's local, in-person rate sits, and we'll confirm the exact fee when you get in touch.

What logistics should I prepare before my speakers arrive?

Before your speakers arrive, confirm AV is tested, a green room is ready, and printed schedules are on hand. Prepare warm introductions for each speaker and brief your team on timings. PepTalk speakers come fully briefed, making event-day logistics smoother and stress-free from the start.

What's the difference between a keynote speaker, an MC, and event entertainment?

A keynote speaker delivers an inspiring or informative talk. An MC hosts and guides the event, keeping things on track. Entertainment — like a band or comedian — creates atmosphere and fun. Each serves a different purpose, and PepTalk can help you book the right talent for all three.

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Life happens! Most speaker bookings can be rescheduled with reasonable notice. Cancellation terms vary by speaker, but PepTalk handles all the details & contracts transparently upfront so there are no surprises. Our team supports you through any changes, making the process as smooth as possible.

Have all the speakers on the website previously worked with PepTalk?

Not necessarily. While the speakers listed on our website may not have worked with PepTalk in the past, they are recognized professionals in the industry and known to engage in similar events and engagements. Alongside direct talent, we work with a wide variety of speaker agents and talent agencies, to ensure we have the best selection of speakers, hosts, comedians and entertainers available.

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When booking a comedian, share your event format, audience size and demographics, any sensitive topics to avoid, and the tone you're after. PepTalk makes this easy — their booking process guides you through a simple checklist so nothing gets missed and your comedian is perfectly matched to your crowd.

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When booking a speaker, you'll need your event date, audience details, format, key objectives, and budget. Having these ready makes the process smooth and straightforward. PepTalk's team uses this information to match you with the perfect speaker quickly and efficiently.

Can I book entertainment and speakers as a package?

Yes! At PepTalk, you can absolutely bundle entertainment and speakers into one seamless package. It's a great way to create a fuller event experience while enjoying simplified booking and better value. Our team handles everything together, making the process effortless for you.

Can I request autographs, personal greetings, signed merchandise, or fan mail from the speakers?

Sorry, we do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, or any non-commercial contact with the speakers, comedians or entertainers.

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How far in advance should I book a motivational speaker?

Book a motivational speaker at least 3–6 months in advance, especially for popular speakers or large events. Top speakers get booked quickly, so earlier is always better. For major conferences or peak seasons, booking 12 months ahead ensures you secure your first choice.

Help, I need a last-minute speaker for my event!

No problem! We often handle last-minute requests and can secure or replace a speaker, comedian, awards or event host quickly — almost anywhere in the world. However, speaker availability might be limited as the event date approaches. Email hello@getapeptalk.com with your requirements.