Rob Hamill
Marathon Rowing Champion
Profile
Whether it’s laugh out loud humour, inspiration or thought-provoking anecdotes and perspective, Rob Hamill’s deeply moving presentations has it all.
Marathon rowing champion Rob Hamill has been an International rowing representative for 16 years. Rob’s numerous rowing achievements include World Champs silver, Commonwealth gold and a world record on the indoor rowing machine.
Ambitious goal-setting, teamwork and overcoming adversity in multiple Atlantic Rowing Race campaigns is the spine of Rob’s presentations, accompanied by the challenge of following his brother Kerry’s journey into Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge genocide, the subject of the acclaimed and award-winning documentary Brother Number One. Rob’s account is a powerful and inspiring message on tenacity, hope, love and the last human freedom: the power to choose your attitude and how you respond to any given situation.
Current Work
Rob’s latest endeavour is perhaps the most challenging yet rewarding of all: To sail around with world with his wife and three sons; a challenge that will take two to four years to complete and is documented The Cruising Kiwis vlog.
Previous Experience
Author: Rob has published The Naked Rower, a fascinating account of how he and Phil Stubbs captured headlines around the world by winning the gruelling and inaugural Atlantic Rowing Race in 41 days. He then led teams to successful defences in the next two editions for a three-peat of victories.
Media
Feedback
Once again I really appreciate the professional, hilarious and poignant way you spoke.
Your presentation engaged our group from the very start, and your personal comments, coupled with your well constructed audiovisual presentation, enthused and motivated my team - even to the extent that I overheard a number working out how they might put together a team for the inaugural Trans Tasman race! Your message around the challenges you have faced (exceptional ones which you made sound normal!) especially with the Trans Atlantic Rowing Race inspired us all in a way that we could relate those efforts to changes to make in our own work (and personal) lives to become more effective in achieving goals.
Our management team were impressed with your story, and your presentation was much appreciated. I enjoyed the way you spoke both of your adventure and also life lessons, perspectives and values. Many thanks for your time and inspiring message.
I loved your presentation. It was from the heart and I really relate to that. It's a bit like watching a movie that is a based on a true story as compared to a Hollywood fake, the true story always gives me much more viewing pleasure.
Rob spoke for AstraZeneca at our sales and marketing conference in March 2009. He was an excellent speaker - entertaining, yet also able to get across some powerful messages. The team was quoting him for several days afterwards! Rob's strengths were not only his presentation, but also his engagement and willingness to speak with the team both before and after his presentation. We would highly recommend Rob and wouldn't hesitate to use him again.
Rob was extremely motivational, interesting and inspirational... it was a fun presentation, lots of laughs and some good stories.
Thanks Rob. Your address last night captivated our audience and I particularly liked the way you wove personal aspects, values, philosophy and humour into your riveting story.
The content of Rob's experiences are remarkable and were presented in a light and often very humorous style. The speech will be enjoyed by the vast majority of audiences... he went out of his way to talk to many of the guests about his life and experiences, which was appreciated and well beyond the brief. I could recommend him highly as a great after dinner speaker.
Thanks again for you excellent presentation at our conference. The feedback has all been very positive in terms of your passion, the humour, the presentation slides, and the life messages. An excellent package which we thoroughly enjoyed.
As you are aware we had a most successful and enjoyable conference with over 650 in attendance. Many people have commented that Rob Hamill's presentation was the highlight of the Conference. I must say that his ability to thread the sponsor's name and services throughout his address, and in such a subtle way, was indeed very clever and professionally managed.
It is always difficult to find an appropriate speaker when we had an audience of such highly successful and motivated people but we found an impressive speaker this year at the breakfast in you Rob. You really captured the imagination and attention of those people and left them feeling inspired and humbled by your amazing achievements. All through the weeks competition race managers, officials, skippers, everyone that attended the breakfast, were buzzing about your presentation and talking about the attributes and skills that you must have had to achieve such a feat. You truly added value to this event and helped in making it the success that was achieved.
Rob fitted the bill superbly - his story was fantastic enough in itself, as well as being highly motivational, very moving and a real eye-opener. He has the rare ability to be able to relate his personal insights to issues facing people in business today. He used his story to emphasise the importance of teamwork, planning and communication. He is without doubt one of the most outstanding speakers I have had the privilege of hearing - this is not praise given lightly. I have co-hosted Telecom's last three sales conferences and Rob is the only speaker that I can recall receiving a standing ovation from our sales force. This is a real testament to Rob as we have also had some highly rated international speakers at our conferences.
Your easy listening and humorous style provided us with great insight into the planning, preparation and successful execution of a truly ambitious goal. There is always a close correlation between successfully competing in a top-level sport and managing a successful business. The focus and commitment you guys showed in making the journey across the Atlantic applies equally to any business. Rob, thanks for a most enjoyable and informative presentation. I don't think you're going to get any takers from our crew for the next race. We will just settle for another presentation when you've completed it.
Rob, being a 'closing speaker' places special demands on a speaker, for theirs is the speech that cements the 'feel good' factor as everyone leaves for home. You did us proud! Your story was fascinating - a story of believing in yourself, of motivation and commitment, of thorough planning and preparation, the actual doing and finally of the accolades of success (unfortunately without the monetary rewards). Such a story speaks to us at different levels - astonishment that two individuals could achieve what you and Phil did and the courage to believe that if that is possible, so too, must be the goals we set ourselves in our businesses. You certainly 'showed' us along with the rest of the world that challenges bigger than we could believe in, are achievable.
Child Cancer Foundation was looking for an inspirational speaker who would reflect the passion, the hope and the commitment exhibited by CCF and its members. When I set out to look for such a person Rob Hamill’s name kept bubbling to the surface and I’m delighted I made the phone call. Rob your speech is probably the most inspiring talk I have ever listened to. Your story is an amazing one delivered in a passionate and yet entertaining manner.
Words cannot describe the effect you and your stories had on the group. Suffice to say the background of the Atlantic Challenges were inspirational and damned exciting. We pride ourselves in that pioneering and winning.
However, your focus on the world order opened more than a few eyes....and Cambodia and your brother utterly saddening and awe inspiring at the same time.
You made a huge difference...and I now you will again with our group in times to come.
