2 May 2026 · 4 min read
Speaker of the day: Jean-Yves Michellod — Well-being at Work

Every day we spotlight one voice from the UnoMe network. Today: Jean-Yves Michellod, Well-being at Work — one of the keynote speakers we recommend for corporate events and conferences in Lusail, Riffa and across the GCC.
Who is Jean-Yves Michellod?
JTNDaDElMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmVudHJ5LXRpdGxlJTIwcG9zdC1oZWFkZXIlMjIlM0VDb25mJUMzJUE5cmVuY2VzJTIwZGUlMjBKZWFuLVl2ZXMlMjBNaWNoZWxsb2QlM0MlMkZoMSUzRSUwQSUzQ2RpdiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydmNfc2VwYXJhdG9yJTIwd3BiX2NvbnRlbnRfZWxlbWVudCUyMHZjX3NlcGFyYXRvcl9hbGlnbl9jZW50ZXIlMjB2Y19zZXBfd2lkdGhfMTAwJTIwdmNfc2VwX3Bvc19hbGlnbl9jZW50ZXIlMjB2Y19zZXBhcmF0b3Jfbm9fdGV4dCUyMHZjX3NlcF9jb2xvcl9ncmV5JTIyJTNFJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydmNfc2VwX2hvbGRlciUyMHZjX3NlcF9ob2xkZXJfbCUyMiUzRSUzQ3NwYW4lMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMnZjX3NlcF9saW5lJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc3BhbiUzRSUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlM0NzcGFuJTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJ2Y19zZXBfaG9sZGVyJTIwdmNfc2VwX2hvbGRlcl9yJTIyJTNFJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydmNfc2VwX2xpbmUlMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzcGFuJTNFJTNDJTJGc3BhbiUzRSUwQSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRQ==Jean-Yves Michellod, a mountain guide based in Verbier, is passionate about extreme skiing and freeriding. Winner of the Verbier Xtreme in 2004, his life took a dramatic turn on March 12, 2006. A terrible skiing fall on a Mont Fort slope in the 4 Valleys area in Verbier cost him the use of his legs.
Jean-Yves's determination, motivation, and passion for skiing kept his hope alive to leave his mark on the mountain once again.
Far beyond talent, courage, and an iron will, Jean-Yves teaches us a true lesson in humility. He accepts his accident and rebuilds himself, constantly reminding us: You shouldn't be afraid of hard work!
After long months of rehabilitation, hard work, hope, and doubts, Jean-Yves returned to the slopes on a sit-ski specifically designed for him. In December 2006, 10 months after his accident, Jean-Yves, alongside the Falquet brothers, won the Red Bull Hike & Ride.
On May 7, 2009, at 10:15 AM, Jean-Yves reached the summit of Mont-Blanc after more than 5 hours of climbing on crutches.
Departing from the Vallot hut at 5:00 AM after a rather restless night at over 4,300m, Jean-Yves and his entire team of guides and porters reached the summit of Mont-Blanc via the Bosses Ridge. With perfect snow conditions, he achieved the first sit-ski descent of the North Face of Mont-Blanc.Languages spoken by the speaker
- French
Jean-Yves Michellod delivers keynote speeches from Geneva to Lausanne in Switzerland and across French-speaking countries. With UnoMe, you can benefit from the experience of an athlete struck by disability who demonstrated exceptional resilience and dedication.
He delivers powerful keynotes on individual and collective motivation, well-being, and personal development.Sporting Achievements
7th place Verbier O’neill Xtreme 05
7th place Engadinsnow 06
3rd place Swiss Adaptive Ski Championship 07
1st place Verbier O’neill Xtreme 04
1st place First track freeride Chandolin 04
1st place Redbull hike and ride 07
1st sit-ski (adaptive skiing) descent of the North Face of Mont-Blanc
Filmography
Winter 05/06: Une nuit d’hiver (film by Nicolas and Loris Falquet)
Winter 06/07 and 07/08: Jym skieur libre (directed by Nicolas Falquet and Laurent Horvath) – No friends on a powder day (Red Bull hike and ride)
Winter 08/09: Son Mont-Blanc (directed by Nicolas Falquet)
Winter 09/10: – Participation in the project « Nomads » with the Falquet Brothers
Topics on stage
- Well-being at Work
- Individual and Collective Motivation
Who is this keynote for?
A talk by Jean-Yves Michellod fits annual kick-offs, leadership days, industry conferences and talent programmes. The format usually runs 45 to 60 minutes, with an optional Q&A or a closed-door executive workshop.
Booking in the UAE and the Gulf
UnoMe, the Swiss Speakers' Bureau in Dubai, handles everything: selection, negotiation, travel and preparation with your team. Contact us to check Jean-Yves Michellod's availability for your date.