Kieren Perkins OAM is a celebrated Australian Olympian known for his remarkable swimming career.
He won two Olympic gold medals in the 1500m freestyle (1992, 1996) and two silver medals, while setting 11 world records and over 40 Australian records.
His swimming journey began at age eight, initially as a form of rehabilitation for a leg injury. Under the guidance of coach John Carew, Perkins quickly emerged as a prodigious talent. At the 1992 Australian Olympic trials, he made headlines by breaking world records in the 400m and 1500m freestyle events. Later that year, he won gold and silver medals at the Barcelona Olympics. His memorable performance in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where he won the 1500m freestyle from lane eight, solidified his status as a sporting legend.
Perkins became the first swimmer to hold Olympic, World, Commonwealth, and Pan Pacific titles simultaneously in the 1500m freestyle category and played a pivotal role in securing the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games for Australia.
After retiring from competitive swimming, Perkins transitioned into the business world, joining National Australia Bank (NAB) in 2009, where he held senior roles including Executive Director of Personal Banking. In 2021, he became CEO of Australian Unity Bank, focusing on member-first financial services and business growth strategies. He served on multiple boards, such as Swimming Australia, the Australian Sports Commission, and the Starlight Children's Foundation, among others. Perkins also holds an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of Queensland.
In 2022, Perkins was appointed CEO of the Australian Sports Commission, where he is dedicated to building a more inclusive and sustainable sporting system. His initiatives, including the High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy and the Win Well framework, emphasise athlete wellbeing and integrity, preparing Australia for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. Kieren Perkins continues to make a significant positive impact on Australian sports.
Talking Points
Transformational Leadership
Building winning teams and cultures.
Transformational Leadership
Mindset & High Performance
Mindset tools for elite performance.
Mindset & High Performance
Adaptability
Transitioning to corporate world and lessons learnt from an Olympic journey.
Adaptability
Resilience
How do we make good decisions under pressure and deliver our potential when it matters? Challenging times can make it difficult for us to keep the consequences and outcomes in perspective. In this keynote, Kieren shares how to recognise the strength within and how to bring out that strength when under pressure. How to build the right team culture around you, to create the support needed for sustained success. Kieren shares take home strategies to build and practice your resilience. Kieren uses his sporting and business experience to help others find their own potential.
Resilience
Olympic Journey
Kieren's story of his Olympic Journey.
Olympic Journey
Video
Kieren Perkins | 'Champions' Sydney Corporate Luncheon | Saxton Speakers Bureau
Kieren Perkins is a hero of the Australian sporting arena. From Captain of Swimming at Brisbane Boys' College in 1990, to dual Olympic gold medallist just six years later, Kieren has added an impressively long list of awards and achievements to his name. Kieren has held 18 Australian records, 3 World records, and 3 Commonwealth records and has represented Australia all over the world, including Monte Carlo, Rome, Auckland, Canada, Barcelona, Atlanta and, of course, at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.Kieren Perkins poolside interview 1996 Gold Medal
Kieren Perkins is Back In The Pool | Studio 10
Former Olympian and Starlight Foundation Ambassador Kieren Perkins is leading the charge on a brilliant initiative called the Super Swim challenge.Kieren was engaging and his content was excellent. The audience warmed to him quickly. He was very approachable after the event, which our guests really appreciated. ... keep reading Powercor Australia
Kieren was above expectation - extremely professional, friendly and courteous, and made himself available to mix with delegates afterwards. He spoke about his experiences, and related them easily to the layman and business person alike. Very articulate. Delegates commented without solicitation on how they believe Kieren was the best they had heard.
Kieren supported the initiatives with vigor. A fine young man. Spoke from the heart
Kieren was very professional and very interesting.
