Sarah Davis

A professional risk manager with a passion for risk-taking

 

Hi there - thanks for checking out my website.

Here’s a snapshot of me and a few of my BIG things.

I’m a British-born Australian (also hold Irish citizenship). I left the UK for Australia in 2003 for a couple of years and, like many Poms, never went back.

Work-wise, I spent over two decades in risk management, primarily in financial services in banks including National Australia Bank (who kindly moved me from London to Sydney via Melbourne), Macquarie Bank and Citi, leading teams and running projects.

In my forties, while life was good, I was in search of more out of life and decided to step away from my corporate life and attempt to paddle the length of the Nile.

After two years of planning, paddles hit the water and what followed was a life-changing adventure. There were hippo attacks, being arrested and detained in Burundi and running lethal rapids.

It was equal parts tough, terrifying and fun! It made me feel truly alive and was what I’d been searching for.

Next was paddling the Murray River in Australia, before cycling nearly 5,000km across Australia and solo-bike packing 1,600km through Oman. You can read more about my adventures here. Closer to home, I embarked on a quest to do 52 Gulps - things that took me into the unknown, uncertain and uncomfortable. The goal was to make being out of my comfort zone a familiar place. It was a wild ride! Head to this page here to find out more.

My next expedition is due to start in July 2027. It is to travel from the North Pole to the South Pole, largely human-powered. Head to www.goingpoletopole.com to find out more.

Outside of my adventures, I’m a volunteer surf lifesaver, a board member for Volleyball NSW and a volunteer mentor for Minerva, Outdoors NSW+ACT and Success Works.

My work focuses on supporting people to be bold and do BIG things. I help them embrace uncertainty, develop risk literacy and achieve what might have once seemed impossible.

My overarching message is:

THINK BIG - ACT BOLD - DO MORE

My goal is to encourage and help people do exactly that.

 
A woman with blonde hair smiling and wearing a red dress, standing next to a large sign promoting the event 'Paddle the Nile' sponsored by ShawandPartners. The sign features a photo of a woman in a pink athletic top on a paddleboard outdoors, with a

A woman with blonde hair smiling and wearing a red dress, standing next to a large sign promoting the event 'Paddle the Nile' sponsored by ShawandPartners. The sign features a photo of a woman in a pink athletic top on a paddleboard outdoors, with a scenic background of water, trees, and a partly cloudy sky.

Three women wearing black swimsuits and swim caps with red, white, and black stripes posing on a beach, smiling and flexing their arms in front of the ocean waves.

Three women wearing black swimsuits and swim caps with red, white, and black stripes posing on a beach, smiling and flexing their arms in front of the ocean waves.

Three people sitting on a red couch in a TV studio. The background shows a large screen with the text 'BBC South East Today.' The person on the left is a man in a dark blue suit, white shirt, and red tie with blue dots. The person in the middle is a

Three people sitting on a red couch in a TV studio. The background shows a large screen with the text 'BBC South East Today.' The person on the left is a man in a dark blue suit, white shirt, and red tie with blue dots. The person in the middle is a woman with shoulder-length dark hair, white blouse, and dark pants. The person on the right is a woman wearing a black sweatshirt with white text and graphics, and blue jeans.

A woman in athletic gear paddling a pink kayak on water, wearing sunglasses and a colorful headband, with three other paddlers blurred in the background.

A woman in athletic gear paddling a pink kayak on water, wearing sunglasses and a colorful headband, with three other paddlers blurred in the background.

A woman with blonde hair in a ponytail holding a microphone and smiling during an outdoor event, with a blue tent or banner in the background.

A woman with blonde hair in a ponytail holding a microphone and smiling during an outdoor event, with a blue tent or banner in the background.

Sarah Davis in a pink helmet and sunglasses taking a selfie on a raft, with a man steering in the background on a river surrounded by green landscape.

Sarah Davis in a pink helmet and sunglasses taking a selfie on a raft, with a man steering in the background on a river surrounded by green landscape.