Francis Tapon
Keynote Speaker: Author, Global Nomad & Public Speaker; Traveled to 127 Countries; Hiked Across the U.S. 4x; First Person to Round-Trip, Thru-Hike the Continental Divide Trail
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Francis Tapon Biography
Francis Tapon’s life reads like an improbable travelogue scribbled in the margins of a philosophy textbook. Born and raised in San Taponco to a Chilean mother and a French father, Tapon was steeped in multiculturalism from the cradle. Spanish filled the home, French rang through the halls of school, and English dominated the streets. He would later add Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Arabic, and the occasional "gunpoint dialect" to his linguistic arsenal, all in service of a life dedicated to exploration—both internal and external.
A true polymath, Tapon earned a degree in Religion from Amherst College, which, in his words, prepared him to start a church—and then he doubled down with an MBA from Harvard Business School, thus preparing to make said church wildly profitable. But instead of preaching from a pulpit or trading stocks in a glass tower, he chose to wander, driven by a deep curiosity about people, places, and perspectives.
Professionally, he’s a tech-savvy nomad who co-founded a robotic vision company in Silicon Valley and held positions at Hitachi Data Systems and Microsoft. He now consults and speaks on a fascinating spectrum of topics, from African geopolitics and Eastern European history to cryptocurrencies and robotics. Somewhere between writing books, hiking across continents, and reviewing products online, he became a top Amazon reviewer—though he’ll only critique something if it truly piques his interest, preferably nonfiction.
But it is the trail that truly defines Tapon. He has walked across the United States four times, becoming the first person to complete a round-trip thru-hike of the Continental Divide Trail. He's logged over 30,000 miles of backpacking, including 10,000 in Africa alone. He’s trekked through Morocco’s High Atlas, South Africa’s Drakensberg Traverse, and the full length of Madagascar, climbing the highest peak in 50 of the 54 African countries along the way. In 2019, this dedication earned him a spot in the California Outdoor Hall of Fame. The official line was his inspirational wilderness advocacy, but he jokes that his real achievement was going 45 days without a shower.
Tapon has documented his adventures in both print and film. He is the author of "The Hidden Europe: What Eastern Europeans Can Teach Us" and "Hike Your Own Hike: 7 Life Lessons from Backpacking Across America." His filmmaking ventures include a 77-minute feature on his CDT Yo-Yo hike and a pilot episode for "The Unseen Africa," a visual chronicle of his five-year journey through all 54 African nations. Both the full documentary and accompanying book are set to debut in 2026—pending, of course, the cooperation of publishers and production companies. He is currently seeking collaborators for this ambitious project.
Despite visiting 127 countries and counting, Tapon continues to return to San Taponco—though he insists it's not for the politics, but rather for the earthquakes. He’s never owned a television, couch, bed, or even a chair—though he is still holding out hope for a spaceship. His life goal is simple but bold: to visit every country on Earth and share the experience with anyone curious enough to listen, read, or watch.
When he's not walking across continents or speaking at conferences, you’ll likely find him writing on a laptop in bed—his second favorite thing to do there. Sleeping, of course, remains his first.
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Francis Tapon Videos
How do I book Francis Tapon to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Francis Tapon for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Francis Tapon, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Francis Tapon or any other speaker of your choice.
How much does it cost to book Francis Tapon for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Francis Tapon, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Francis Tapon are Below $10,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Francis Tapon, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
What topics does Francis Tapon speak about?
Francis Tapon is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Inspirational, Adventure, Author, Philosophy, Science, Journalist, Faith & Religion, Business, Business Leadership, Environment, Sustainability, Health & Wellness, Nutrition, Healthcare, Political, World Affairs, Economy and Finance.
Where does Francis Tapon travel from?
Francis Tapon generally travels from Africa and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
Who is the agent for Francis Tapon?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Francis Tapon for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Francis Tapon for your next private or corporate function.
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Francis Tapon or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Francis Tapon is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Inspirational, Adventure and Author. The estimated speaking fee range to book Francis Tapon for live events is Below $10,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. Francis Tapon generally travels from Africa and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are An Phung, Calvin Trillin and Jeffrey Israel. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Francis Tapon for an upcoming event.
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Francis Tapon Videos
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How do I book Francis Tapon to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Francis Tapon for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Francis Tapon, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Francis Tapon or any other speaker of your choice. -
How much does it cost to book Francis Tapon for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Francis Tapon, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Francis Tapon are Below $10,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Francis Tapon, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Francis Tapon speak about?
Francis Tapon is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Inspirational, Adventure, Author, Philosophy, Science, Journalist, Faith & Religion, Business, Business Leadership, Environment, Sustainability, Health & Wellness, Nutrition, Healthcare, Political, World Affairs, Economy and Finance. -
Where does Francis Tapon travel from?
Francis Tapon generally travels from Africa and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. -
Who is the agent for Francis Tapon?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Francis Tapon for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Francis Tapon for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Francis Tapon or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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