Ollie Phillips is a world-class motivational speaker whose career spans elite sport, international coaching, global business leadership and record-breaking adventure. Best known as the Former England Rugby Sevens Captain and 2009 World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, Ollie built his reputation performing under pressure at the very highest level of professional sport. Across a 14-year rugby career, he represented England internationally, competed in two Rugby World Cups and captained his country for three years. His experience leading teams in high-stakes environments now forms the foundation of his inspiring keynote speeches, where he shares powerful lessons on resilience, teamwork, leadership and sustained high performance.
Away from rugby, Ollie has continually pushed the limits of human endurance and mental resilience. He is a Four-Time Guinness World Record Holder who has completed some of the world’s toughest physical challenges, including rowing across the Atlantic in the ‘World’s Toughest Row’, swimming the English Channel and circumnavigating the globe during the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. Ollie has also undertaken expeditions in extreme locations including Mount Everest and the North Pole, experiences that have shaped his understanding of mindset, fear management and personal growth. These extraordinary adventures allow Ollie to connect with audiences in a unique and authentic way, demonstrating how individuals and teams can overcome adversity, embrace discomfort and unlock potential in challenging circumstances.
Alongside his sporting and adventure achievements, Ollie has established an impressive business career. As a Former Director at PwC, he led large-scale transformation and culture projects for major organisations and UK government departments, including work during the COVID-19 pandemic that supported national recovery initiatives across sport, media and culture. He also served as Head Coach of Wales Women’s Rugby Sevens and Head of Performance for Team China’s Olympic Ball Sports Programme, overseeing elite athlete development and high-performance systems on an international scale. Combining these experiences with an Executive MBA from the University of Cambridge, Ollie brings a rare blend of elite sport, leadership strategy and commercial expertise to every speaking engagement.
Today, Ollie is the Founder and CEO of Optimist Performance, a consultancy dedicated to helping organisations create high-performing cultures, aligned leadership teams and resilient mindsets. His keynote speeches are energetic, insightful and highly practical, drawing on real-world experiences from sport, business and adventure to help audiences perform at their best when it matters most. Ollie has worked with leading organisations including Google, Tesco, UBS, Lloyds and Accenture, inspiring leaders and teams to navigate uncertainty, communicate effectively and move from capable to exceptional. His engaging storytelling, combined with actionable leadership insights and lived experience at the highest level, makes Ollie one of the most impactful motivational speakers available for corporate events, leadership conferences and team development programmes worldwide.
