Lewis Pugh

Founder & CEO of The Lewis Pugh Foundation, World-Leading Endurance Swimmer, UN Patron of the Oceans & Author of “Achieving The Impossible”

Lewis Pugh’s Biography:

Lewis Pugh is one of the world’s most influential ocean advocates and the foremost endurance swimmer of his generation. Known globally for completing swims previously thought impossible, he has used his feats to shine a spotlight on fragile ecosystems and the urgent need for ocean protection. As the UN’s Patron of the Oceans, Lewis has helped secure the safeguarding of over 3.5 million square kilometres of marine areas, making him one of the most impactful conservation figures of the modern era. His work has been recognised through numerous honours, global media coverage and leadership roles across international organisations.

Lewis’s early life and academic journey shaped the foundation of his environmental mission. He studied law at both the University of Cape Town and the University of Cambridge, later becoming an Adjunct Professor of International Law at the University of Cape Town. Alongside this, he discovered a talent for extreme swimming, pushing boundaries in some of the world’s harshest environments. By the early 2000s, he had already broken numerous records, including pioneering swims around Robben Island and establishing himself as a rising figure in adventure, science and policy.

His career has since spanned extraordinary expeditions across all seven seas, every ocean and some of the planet’s most remote locations. Lewis became the first person to swim across the North Pole, the first to complete a long-distance swim in all five oceans, and the first to complete swims across an African Great Lake, South Georgia, the Maldives and the English Channel. He has also undertaken extraordinary glacial and supra-glacial swims, including a historic swim on Mount Everest. Through these achievements, he demonstrates the impact of climate change in ways that words alone cannot.

Lewis is widely recognised as a master storyteller whose advocacy reaches millions. Lewis has appeared on global platforms including CNN, BBC World Service, Good Morning America and HBO. He has been interviewed by Jon Stewart and Jay Leno and published in major newspapers, including The New York Times. As a bestselling author, UNEP Patron of the Oceans and founder of the Lewis Pugh Foundation, he continues to unite governments, scientists and communities in the fight to protect our planet’s oceans for future generations.

Why Hire Lewis Pugh?

Lewis Pugh is a compelling, high-impact speaker whose extraordinary experiences bring environmental issues to life in a way few others can. His extreme swims, from the North Pole to Antarctica, provide powerful metaphors for resilience, courage and leadership under pressure. Lewis delivers presentations that blend gripping storytelling with practical lessons on perseverance, risk, strategy and global responsibility. His TED Talks, such as “Lewis Pugh’s Mind-Shifting Mt. Everest Swim“, have been viewed millions of times, demonstrating his ability to hold an audience with authenticity, clarity and emotional power. Whether addressing world leaders or corporate teams, he inspires people to act, innovate and lead with purpose in the face of global challenges.

Lewis Pugh’s Career Highlights:

Below showcases Lewis Pugh’s inspirational career highlights from world-leading endurance swimming to environmental change:

• 2025 – Named among National Geographic’s list of the world’s leading changemakers.
• 2025 – Embarked on a special anniversary swim series marking 50 years of Jaws to highlight marine conservation.
• 2022 – Completed the Coral Swim to raise international awareness of coral reef loss.
• 2018 – Swam the length of the English Channel to campaign for ocean protection.
• 2017 – Became the first person to swim in the Antarctic waters around South Georgia Island.
• 2014 – Completed the first-ever swim across all seven seas, spotlighting global marine degradation.
• 2013 – Appointed the United Nations Patron of the Oceans, becoming the organisation’s leading figure for ocean advocacy.
• 2013 – Inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame for pioneering extreme swims.
• 2011 – Received the President’s Award from the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
• 2010 – Swam across a glacial lake on Mount Everest to illustrate the impacts of melting glaciers.
• 2009 – Awarded the Order of Ikhamanga, South Africa’s highest honour for excellence.
• 2008 – Founded the Polar Defence Project to push for protection of the polar regions.
• 2007 – Completed the first-ever swim across the North Pole to highlight Arctic ice melt.
• 2006 – Became the first person to swim long-distance in all five oceans of the world.
• 2006 – Became the first person to swim the length of the River Thames to raise environmental awareness.