Chris Lemons

Chris Lemons is a highly experienced commercial diver and IMCA Diving Supervisor who has dedicated over two decades to the oil and gas industry. His role involves the extreme demands of saturation diving, a profession that requires living in decompression chambers for weeks and working at depths reaching 900 feet. In 2012, Chris became the subject of international fascination following a catastrophic equipment failure in the North Sea. At 300 feet below the surface, his umbilical line was severed, leaving him without his primary supply of heat and breathing gas. Despite being left in total darkness with only a few minutes of emergency air, he survived for forty minutes until rescuers reached him. His remarkable endurance and the technical precision of his recovery team are the subjects of the acclaimed documentary and Netflix feature film, Last Breath. Today, Chris remains active in the maritime sector, using his firsthand experience of a life-threatening crisis to educate others on the vital importance of safety protocols and psychological fortitude. He provides a unique perspective on how human behaviour, procedural discipline, and trust within a team are the defining factors in surviving high-stakes environments. By recounting his journey from the seabed to recovery with humility and professional poise, Chris offers audiences a profound look at decision-making under pressure. Organisations book him for his ability to translate a survival story into a masterclass on risk management, preparation, and the necessity of dependable leadership in the face of the unexpected. On stage, Chris Lemons is best known for talks on Peak Performance, Resilience and Risk & Risk Management. Audiences leave with a clear, practical view of the subject rather than a generic overview — every keynote is shaped around the brief and the room. Their work resonates with leaders across Adventure & Exploration and Motivational Speaking, where the themes translate directly into team decisions, customer experience and growth strategy. Chris Lemons is regularly booked for Motivational Speaker and Business Speaker, adapting tone, length and format to suit the event — from a 20-minute opener to a full conference keynote with Q&A. Based in UK, Chris Lemons travels internationally for engagements. To check availability or request a tailored brief for your event, send an enquiry and we'll come back with fees, dates and a short summary of how Chris Lemons would approach your audience.