Sarah Ayton OBE
Sarah Ayton OBE
Speaking Topics
Leadership: from the front of the boat to the back
Self-awareness, emotional control, and knowing when to step up or step back
Skill isn’t enough — it’s the details that matter. Preparation, process, and
marginal gains
Culture drives performance Vision, values, and everyday decision-making
Control the controllables - Clarity, focus, and execution under pressure
Ready for what’s next: Preparation, adaptability and sustained performance
Bio
Sarah Ayton OBE is a double Olympic Gold Medallist, World Champion sailor, and internationally recognised keynote speaker who knows what it takes to deliver results at the highest level under pressure. Honoured as Rolex World Sailor of the Year and awarded an OBE for her services to sailing, Sarah is celebrated not only for her success on the water but also for her ability to translate those experiences into powerful lessons for business and leadership.
As part of the legendary “Three Blondes in a Boat” who won gold in Athens 2004, and then again at Beijing 2008, Sarah experienced first-hand what it means to perform as an individual and as part of a team united by a shared goal. She understands the discipline, resilience, and mindset required not just to reach the top, but to stay there.
Today, Sarah inspires leaders and teams across many sectors, equipping them with the tools to thrive through change and deliver sustained performance. Her keynotes, masterclasses, and coaching programmes are designed to Build resilience and agility to adapt in fast-changing environments · Develop a winning mindset that unlocks potential and confidence · Create clarity and focus to perform consistently under pressure · Foster collaboration, trust, and purpose to achieve lasting success.
Sarah delivers high-energy, uplifting after-dinner talks that are as entertaining as they are inspiring. Through vivid storytelling, humour, and genuine connection with the audience, she brings her Olympic journey to life in a way that is engaging and accessible for all. Her talks leave guests with an overriding message of possibility that with belief, clarity of direction, and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone, more is achievable than you might think. Warm, authentic and easy to listen to, Sarah creates the kind of shared experience that makes for a memorable and enjoyable evening. Achievements & Recognition · Double Olympic Gold Medallist (Athens 2004, Beijing 2008) · Double World Champion · Rolex World Sailor of the Year · Awarded OBE for services to sailing Away from the stage, Sarah is a proud mum of three and an advocate for getting outdoors - whether sailing, wing foiling, or mountain biking with her family.
Head of People -EMEA, POPULOUS
“As part of celebrating International Women’s Day with our teams, it was wonderful to have Sarah deliver a keynote speech at our Putney office. Alongside sharing her outstanding story of determination and drive, it was evident that Sarah had researched and tailored her delivery to have maximum impact and value to our people. Both insightful and inspiring!”
PERELLA WEINBERG UK LIMITED
“Sarah came to speak at our Women in Banking event, the talk she gave was incredibly inspiring. The feedback from the participants was incredibly positive and a number mentioned Sarah’s talk as the highlight of the event. Sarah was great to work with- she took time to understand what we wanted to achieve and delivered on just that. I would recommend Sarah for any event where you want the attendees to leave inspired and uplifted.”
Global CEO, Fuse
“Sarah delivered a really inspiring keynote for our global conference. She shared her amazing experiences, challenges and learnings in high-level sport, seamlessly integrating these, and directly addressing, the business leadership challenges we had shared beforehand. Our audience was captivated throughout the session and the feedback from our entire group was extremely positive. Sarah was a joy to work with and I would highly recommend her.”
Get in touch
hello@papillonspeakers.com
+44(0) 7814 934 740