Keynote Speaker

Anna-Marie Watson is a former British Army officer, elite ultra-runner, performance coach and motivational speaker with over 25 years’ experience working with high-performing individuals and teams across five continents. She served nine years in the British Army, leading teams in challenging and ambiguous environments and deploying on three operational tours across extreme terrains, from the Arctic tundra to desert environments.

Anna-Marie’s transition into coaching was shaped by her military career and further strengthened through international, multi-cultural learning and development projects. A self-described “learning junkie”, she holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Coaching from the University of Derby, a Master’s in Teaching from the University of Sydney, and accreditations in Analytic-Network and mBraining coaching.

A passionate advocate for outdoor coaching, Anna-Marie has witnessed its transformational impact through leading expeditions in remote locations and exploring the science behind nature-based performance and wellbeing. She actively encourages coaches worldwide to take their practice outdoors, contributing to leading publications including The Coaches Handbook (Routledge), co-hosting the Coaching Outdoors Podcast, and speaking regularly at conferences and events.

Alongside her coaching work, Anna-Marie is an internationally competitive ultra-runner with podium finishes at the Marathon des Sables and world-class performances at Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc. Her career embodies resilience, leadership and the belief that extraordinary outcomes are achieved through mindset, purpose and perseverance.