Bravery is a learned skill.
Todd Sampson is an adventurer and documentary filmmaker, he has:
• Embedded with Iraqi snipers during the Battle of Mosul
• Trained with the French Foreign Legion in the Amazon
• Fought in an MMA cage fight in New Mexico (he lost)
• Climbed a 120-metre rock face blindfolded
• Walked a wire between two buildings 21 storeys up
• Tracked with Eagle Hunters in Mongolia
• Lived with the Reinder Herders in Siberia
Beyond adventure, Todd is the co-creator of Earth Hour, one of the largest environmental movements in history.
He has an MBA and is the former CEO of Leo Burnett Australia.
The Financial Review ranked him as one of the country’s most influential executives.
Todd began his television career on the critically acclaimed ABC series Gruen, which has remained one of Australia’s most popular shows for more than eighteen years. He is the writer, producer, and host of several award-winning documentaries, including...
• ABC/Discovery Channel’s Redesign My Brain (Documentary of the Year)
• Discovery Science’s Life on the Line
• Long-running adventure series Body Hack (nominated for Best Factual Series and Most Outstanding Documentary of the Year)
• Mirror Mirror (shortlisted for Documentary of the Year)
• WHY? most recent series currently on the ABC
Away from the camera, Todd enjoys mountaineering. He’s climbed to the top of Mount Everest, unguided.
Talking Points
Brain Power
The premise of Todd's award-winning Discovery Science series Redesign My Brain was simple. For over 70 years, science has told us that our brains are fixed. You are born with the brain you have, which develops rapidly until the age of seven, and then it starts a steady decline from age 30 until you die and there was nothing you could do about it. But science has now proven that to be false. In fact, modern science has shown that our brain is plastic and that we all have the ability to improve it at any age and at any time. This presentation will show you how to boost your brain power.Brain Power
Todd will not only take you behind the scenes of this extraordinary scientific journey, he will also provide you with the practical tools, strategies and techniques to improve your brain. We are all capable of more than we realise, and modern science is showing us how.
Creativity and Fear
In this compelling keynote, Todd Sampson unpacks the two most powerful forces in leadership and innovation: creativity and fear.Creativity and Fear
He shares the origin story of Earth Hour, now one of the largest global environmental movements in history—an idea born in a Sydney hotel room by a small, ordinary group of people using nothing more than their imagination. That story becomes the anchor for a deeper message: creativity is the last competitive advantage in a world increasingly driven by algorithms and sameness.
Drawing on personal experiences—from being trapped in a blizzard on Denali to taking the reins as a reluctant CEO—Todd reveals how fear is often the invisible force that kills our best ideas before they begin.
Using humour, insight, and actionable techniques, he shows how creativity can be learned, and fear managed—if we’re willing to be braver for just five minutes longer.
This talk is both a rallying cry and a roadmap for leaders and teams to embrace bold thinking, take action, and tap into the creative potential that exists within all of us.
Because if Earth Hour taught us anything, it's that ordinary people with a simple idea can help change the world.
In Conversation with Todd Sampson
Todd Sampson is one of Australia's most compelling minds to sit across from.In Conversation with Todd Sampson
This hosted conversation format draws out the thinking behind the headlines: what extreme environments reveal about leadership under pressure, why fear is a decision-making problem not a courage problem, how neuroscience is rewriting what we know about human potential, and what decades at the edge of experience teach us about ideas that actually move people.
The conversation can be shaped around your audience and event theme, drawing from topics including creativity in the age of AI, media literacy, risk and fearlessness, the applause trap of ambition and success, and the deceptively simple power of curiosity.
Video
Todd Sampson | The difference a good teacher can make | Anh's Brush With Fame
Todd Sampson was never really an academic student. In fact, he failed most of his classes. That is, until his science teacher saw his potential, gave him an aptitude test and moved him into a higher graded class.He was fantastic! Everyone loved him and followed him out of the hall, buzzing with questions. He was so friendly, down to earth and engaging. He was not only inspirational, but funny and ap ... keep reading Golden Key
Todd was excellent, such a lovely guy. His message was very powerful and he really validates it by his own example in his personal and work life. It was really great of him to stick around after the event and speak to the queue of people who patiently waited for his attention. He is a very warm and compassionate person and his intelligence and sense of humour was evident throughout his presentation.
Todd was obliging & worked with the audio crew & support team ahead of delivering his speech. His performance was outstanding & engaging. We received great feedback from our attendees after the conference. Todd even hung around after his speech and spoke to delegates, taking photos etc.
Todd Sampson provided a highly energetic, well considered and insightful presentation that had the audience hanging off his every word. The use of video and sound added a really engaging element to the presentation, particularly after having the behind the scenes' comments from Todd prior to each of the videos. He was really generous with his question time and his honest and insightful answers were much appreciated by everyone in the room. Everyone left with a least one practical tip on how they could improve their brain power. Couldn't recommend him highly enough, and would gladly have him back in the future to hear about the behind the scenes findings from other documentary series such as Body Hack.
Todd Sampson provided a highly energetic, well considered and insightful presentation that had the audience hanging off his every word. The use of video and sound added a really engaging element to the presentation, particularly after having the behind the scenes' comments from Todd prior to each of the videos. He was really generous with his question time and his honest and insightful answers were much appreciated by everyone in the room. Everyone left with a least one practical tip on how they could improve their brain power. Couldn't recommend him highly enough, and would gladly have him back in the future to hear about the behind the scenes findings from other documentary series such as Body Hack.
Todd Sampson was our guest speaker at our Mid Year Sales meeting in Sydney. Everyone in the audience were captivated from the moment he started talking. An inspiring amazing speaker. Everyone left with a lot to think about. Thanks Todd.
We were very grateful to have such an incredible speaker . My Leadership Team commented that Todd was the best speaker they have ever seen
Todd was great to have at our event. The team loved how engaging he was and how he was able to get us to think in different ways. He was very kind and professional when he arrived and throughout.
