Sally Kettle

Book Sally Kettle for your event

Sally Kettle’s remarkable story of ocean rowing began in 2003. After an initial setback to her first attempt to cross the Atlantic, she was joined by an unlikely rowing partner: her mother, Sarah Kettle. Together, they spent 106 days at sea before making history as the world’s first mother-and-daughter team to row an ocean.

Two years later, Sally founded Rowgirls, an all-female rowing team aiming to break the record for the fastest Atlantic crossing. The four-person crew faced a series of dramatic setbacks when one crewmate left the boat in the middle of the Atlantic. They subsequently lost their rudder during the worst recorded conditions in 200 years and were even attacked by a shark.

Sally and her remaining crew continued the crossing, reaching Antigua after 77 days and becoming the first three-handed boat ever to complete the journey.

These experiences have given Sally a unique perspective on what happens when people are pushed beyond their comfort zones and forced to make decisions under pressure. Her keynotes turn extraordinary adventures into relatable lessons for audiences facing challenges of their own.

Resilience when plans unravel

Sally brings audiences inside situations where decisions had real consequences. Through stories from the Atlantic and beyond, she explores resilience, risk, teamwork, leadership and the ability to adapt when circumstances change without warning.

Her approach is honest, engaging and full of humour. Rather than presenting resilience as an abstract concept, she shows what it looks like in practice and how individuals and teams can respond when the path ahead becomes uncertain.

Whether addressing senior leaders, conference audiences, teams or young people, Sally creates a shared experience that gets people thinking and talking long after the event.

Audiences can expect:

• Remarkable stories of ocean rowing, adversity and determination
• Fresh perspectives on resilience and adaptability
• Insights into leadership, teamwork, risk and decision-making
• Honest reflections on handling setbacks and uncertainty
• Humour, practical takeaways and memorable storytelling

Author, broadcaster & adventurer

Sally documented her ocean journeys and the motivations behind them in her autobiography, Sally’s Odd at Sea, published by Orana in 2007. The book gives an honest account of the struggle to bring her teams together and the realities of living at sea in a boat smaller than the average bathroom.

Her adventures have since taken her far beyond ocean rowing. Sally has spoken to national and international audiences and has addressed as many as half a million people, while gaining further recognition through national press and television.

She has written and presented pieces for BBC Radio 4, including Does Hope Help? for FourThought and Jonathan the Tortoise – Operation Go Slow for From Our Own Correspondent. Sally also spent six weeks filming in the British Dependencies in the South Atlantic for the television documentary The Last Horizon.

Her experience as an author and broadcaster has strengthened her ability to transform remarkable events into compelling stories that connect with audiences from a wide range of backgrounds.

Adventure with a purpose

Charitable fundraising has been a consistent part of Sally’s adventures, with her different challenges helping to raise more than £500,000 for charitable causes.

She sailed across the North Atlantic aboard a 68-foot racing yacht in support of The Children’s Trust and trekked across the Pyrenees with British gymnast Suzanne Dando and a team of women representing the Armed Forces, raising money for The Royal British Legion.

Sally has also delivered international humanitarian aid on behalf of the NGO ShelterBox. She is a Trustee for The London Sports Trust, Deputy Chief Guide and an Ambassador for Girlguiding.

These roles have taken Sally into very different environments, but each has strengthened her understanding of bringing people together around a common purpose and creating momentum through shared goals.

From the Olympics to active pregnancy

Sally qualified as a Personal Trainer and was selected to work with athletes at the London 2012 Olympics. She now brings her experience in sport and physical activity to her role as co-founder and CEO of The Active Pregnancy Foundation.

The charity supports women to stay active during pregnancy and beyond. It is a passion project shaped by Sally’s own experiences with IVF and the birth of her daughter, adding another personal dimension to a career defined by challenge and adventure.

From ocean rowing and Olympic sport to humanitarian work, broadcasting, charitable leadership and women’s health, Sally’s experiences give her an unusually broad perspective to draw on as a speaker.

Sally Kettle keynote speaker

Book speaker Sally Kettle for an engaging combination of adventure storytelling, humour and practical insight. Her experiences show audiences how resilience, teamwork and effective decision-making are tested when circumstances become unpredictable.

With remarkable stories drawn from a life of adventure and achievement, Sally creates keynotes that are entertaining, relatable and designed to leave audiences with a fresh perspective on how they approach their own challenges.