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Isabelle Autissier

Isabelle Autissier

Sailor, author and leading voice for the ecological transition

A pioneering sailor, agricultural engineer, novelist and Honorary President of WWF France, Isabelle Autissier embodies a rare combination of adventure, scientific knowledge and commitment. Her round-the-world races, polar expeditions and environmental advocacy inform talks that connect the experience of the open ocean with organizational challenges: leadership, decision-making, risk management, resilience, cooperation and ecological transition.

Languages
French / Français
Duration
45 to 90 minutes
Formats
Conference, keynote, panel discussion, fireside chat

Biography

Isabelle Autissier is an offshore sailor, author, keynote speaker and leading environmental advocate. Her career brings together adventure, strategy, science and collective responsibility.

A calling born from the sea

Isabelle Autissier spent her childhood in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés and later in Brittany, where her father introduced her to sailing at the age of six. A graduate of the National School of Agronomy in Rennes, she specialized in fisheries science. She conducted research on crustaceans with CORPECUM, then worked for IFREMER in La Rochelle and taught at the maritime school. This first career gave her a scientific understanding of the ocean, its resources and its fragile balance.

A pioneer of offshore racing

After competing in the 1987 Mini-Transat, Isabelle Autissier helped create IMOCA in 1991 and, upon completing the BOC Challenge, became the first woman to sail solo around the world in a race. She went on to complete four solo circumnavigations. Storms, equipment failures, capsizes and rescues, including her rescue by Giovanni Soldini in 1999, gave her first-hand experience of preparation, decision-making under pressure and the boundary between commitment and recklessness.

The sea as a school of clear thinking

At sea, ambition is never enough. Sailors must observe, anticipate, preserve resources, adapt their course and sometimes withdraw in order to protect what matters most. Isabelle Autissier applies these lessons to organizations: staying on course without becoming rigid, deciding with incomplete information, learning from failure and making cooperation a condition of performance.

An author committed to the living world

A novelist and author of works exploring the sea, polar regions and human relationships, she extends her mission of transmission through writing. After serving as President of WWF France from 2009 to 2021, she is now its Honorary President. Her recent publications include Une bouteille à la mer, a graphic investigation created with Zelba, and La Fille du grand hiver. She also performs in Sur le pont – Histoires de mers et de marins, a stage production accompanied by musician Pascal Ducourtioux.


Comfort is often the enemy of freedom.

— Isabelle Autissier
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Conferences

Drawing on offshore racing, science, writing and environmental advocacy, Isabelle Autissier shares powerful lessons for leaders, teams and organizations seeking to stay on a sustainable course.

01

Our Future Is Written in the Oceans

Connecting science, adventure and responsibility.

The ocean covers more than 70% of the planet, regulates the climate, feeds billions of people and supports a vital share of the global economy. Combining accessible scientific facts with first-hand experiences at sea, Isabelle Autissier explains why protecting it is essential to our future. The talk may also be presented under the title "How Is the Ocean Doing?". It encourages organizations to move beyond observation and connect strategy, cooperation and long-term action.

  • Understand the oceans’ vital role
  • Connect ecological transition with strategy
  • Raise awareness without inducing guilt
  • Inspire collective action
Ideal for CSR and climate events, institutions and purpose-driven companies
Format Conference or keynote · 45 to 75 min
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02

Offshore Racing: Excellence, Risk and Strategy

Making decisions in the storm without losing course.

Unstable weather, equipment failure, exhaustion and isolation: offshore racing requires decisions based on incomplete information with immediate consequences. Isabelle Autissier shares an approach built on preparation, attention to weak signals, risk prioritization and the ability to adjust course without losing sight of the mission.

  • Improve decision quality under pressure
  • Distinguish managed risk from recklessness
  • Prepare several scenarios without becoming paralyzed
  • Maintain clear thinking amid uncertainty
Ideal for Executive committees, industry, energy, transport and crisis management
Format Keynote or conference · 45 to 75 min
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03

Managing Victories and Defeats

Learning, starting again and redefining success.

Des courses réussies, des chavirages, des retraits et des sauvetages ont appris à Isabelle Autissier que la performance ne peut pas être réduite à un classement. Elle explore comment l'échec peut devenir une source de clarté, d'apprentissage et de progrès lorsqu'il est examiné honnêtement et sans reproche.

  • Change the way failure is perceived
  • Develop individual and collective resilience
  • Build a culture of structured debriefing
  • Know when to step back in order to move forward
Ideal for Transformation programs, sales teams, managers and complex projects
Format Experience-based keynote · 45 to 75 min
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04

CSR: The Company as a Human Adventure

Setting a shared, meaningful and responsible course.

A crew can only succeed when the mission is clear, roles are understood and everyone protects the resources on which the group depends. Isabelle Autissier draws a parallel between a sailing boat and an organization. She presents CSR not as an additional communication exercise, but as a compass connecting performance, engagement and responsibility.

  • Make CSR a decision-making principle
  • Give meaning to the collective project
  • Strengthen cooperation and shared responsibility
  • Combine performance with responsible resource use
Ideal for CSR conventions, executive seminars and organizations undergoing transformation
Format Conference or fireside chat · 45 to 90 min
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05

Being a Pioneer

Opening a path in a traditionally male environment.

As the first woman to complete a solo round-the-world sailing race, Isabelle Autissier speaks about the competence, perseverance and inner freedom required to succeed without giving up one's identity. Her experience challenges stereotypes and explores legitimacy, confidence and the responsibility carried by those who open a path for future generations.

  • Inspire courage and confidence
  • Promote diverse leadership models
  • Move beyond limiting expectations and stereotypes
  • Show how a pioneer can transform an environment for the long term
Ideal for Women’s leadership, diversity, schools and professional networks
Format Experience-based talk or interview · 45 to 75 min
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For which events?

Isabelle Autissier speaks at the key moments where people, performance and impact matter.

  • Seminars and conventions
  • Leadership committees and strategic talks
  • Product launches
  • CSR and climate events
  • Institutions, schools and universities

Possible formats

Formats adaptable to your goals and context.

  • Inspiring talk
  • Impactful keynote
  • Participative workshop
  • Panel
  • Webinar

Why choose them?

A unique experience serving strong, useful messages.

  • Field experience backing the message
  • Authentic and inspiring stories
  • Human, demanding and accessible approach
  • Tailored content aligned with your stakes
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Videos

A selection of videos showcasing her voice, her world and the way she connects maritime experience with environmental and human challenges.

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Isabelle Autissier: Protecting the Oceans Through Collective Action 1:12:19
Interview

Isabelle Autissier: Protecting the Oceans Through Collective Action

Isabelle Autissier met en évidence les menaces qui pèsent sur les océans et appelle les citoyens, les entreprises et les autorités publiques à agir ensemble.

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Lessons from the Sea 18:23
Conference clip

Lessons from the Sea

Isabelle Autissier partage trois leçons essentielles de la navigation : s'adapter à la nature, respecter son rythme et cultiver la solidarité.

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Isabelle Autissier: Acting for Sustainable Agriculture and a Sustainable Planet 1:26:12
Interview

Isabelle Autissier: Acting for Sustainable Agriculture and a Sustainable Planet

Isabelle Autissier avertit sur le réchauffement climatique et plaide pour une transformation profonde de l'agriculture, de la pêche et des modes de consommation.

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What the Sea Teaches Us 1:39:09
Interview

What the Sea Teaches Us

Isabelle Autissier partage son expérience en tant que marin et appelle à un plus grand respect pour les océans, leurs ressources et l'équilibre du monde vivant.

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Want to feature Isabelle Autissier at your next event?

Our team helps you craft a tailored intervention, aligned with your goals and your audience.

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Publications

  1. Une bouteille à la mer — with Zelba, 2025. A graphic maritime investigation combining scientific encounters, education and a call to protect the oceans without fuelling paralysis or eco-anxiety.
  2. La Fille du grand hiver — Paulsen, 2025. The story of Arnarulunnguaq, a young Greenlandic woman who became an essential member of a major polar expedition.
  3. Le Naufrage de Venise — Stock, 2022. An ecological and political fable about a fragile city facing human excess and climate disruption.
  4. Oublier Klara — Stock, 2019. A novel about memory, exile, family ties and the silences of a family history.
  5. Soudain, seuls — Stock, 2015. A couple stranded on a hostile island confront fear, survival and the truth of their relationship.
  6. Seule la mer s’en souviendra — Grasset, 2009. A maritime story about ambition, solitude and the darker side of adventure.
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