Adventure Speakers

Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Ran was the first man to reach both poles by surface travel, and the first to cross Antarctica unsupported. He’s also the oldest Briton to climb Everest, has run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, as well an ultramarathon in the Sahara. He undertook the first expedition to attempt to cross the Antarctic continent on foot during the southern winter, at temperatures of minus 90C; but sadly frostbite forced his withdrawal. Despite the setback, Ran believes that “If you are lucky enough to be able to walk without a crutch, you might as well go for it.”

Chris Hadfield

Chris learned Russian and emergency medicine on top of his test pilot and aeronautical training before spending six months in orbit. He is now best-known for performing Bowie’s Space Oddity in space – as well as publishing An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth and appraising the candidates in BBC2’s Astronauts - Do You Have What It Takes? Chris shares insights on leadership, collaboration, human ingenuity and how to avoid being paralysed by fear in the four seconds between system failure and death. He also reveals what spacewalking tells us about life on Earth.

Dr Chadden Hunter

Producer and director Chadden has worked on some of the best-known natural history series of recent times, including Wild Arabia, Planet Earth, Frozen Planet, and Seven Worlds, One Planet. He reveals the huge challenges of making these spectacular series that combine detailed planning, technical excellence, personal risk and a lot of patience. With stunning images and never-before-seen footage he looks at lessons in creative thinking, problem-solving and working in a team as well as inspiring yet cautionary examples of the fragility of the natural world.

Professor Suzie Imber

Associate Professor of planetary science, Suzie has climbed some of the world’s highest and most challenging mountains, programmed supercomputers, helped develop space tourist training programmes, and won the BBC’s search for a future astronaut. Covering everything from satellites to teamwork, the future of science to dealing with risk, she looks at the lessons from all aspects of her work.

Major Tim Peake

From 400km above the Earth, Britain’s first ESA astronaut became a household name. A former military test pilot, Tim shared his experiences and incredible photos on social media, and spoke to over 1.5million schoolchildren across Europe about the power of science.

Lewis Pugh

Lewis is the first to complete long distance swims in each of the world’s oceans. He has also swum in Arctic and Antarctic waters, and the length of the Channel. His aim is to raise global awareness of a fragile maritime environment – one with retreating glaciers and increasing levels of plastic pollution – and he has negotiated official protected status for over two million square kilometres of ocean (equivalent to the size of Western Europe). As well as highlighting the urgent plight of the world’s seas, Lewis also reflects on his mindset and the vision, prepara...

Jaco van Gass

Jaco was a member of the Parachute Regiment. When was completing his second six-month tour of Afghanistan the helicopter he was in came under enemy fire and he was hit by a rocket propelled grenade, sustaining devastating injuries and losing his left arm. He didn’t let his injuries stop him and been a member of the GB Para-Cycling team. Jaco was also a member of the record-breaking team of wounded soldiers to trek unsupported to the North Pole and was joined by Prince Harry.

Levison Wood

After serving as a Captain in the Parachute Regiment, Lev took his experience of challenging and dangerous environments to become a photojournalist and leader of expeditions. His love of Africa led him to undertake a one-man trek along the length of the Nile where he learned how communities survive in the harshest of climates. He then took on the Himalayas, Central and South America, and the route from Russian to Iran. He considers the lessons both personal and witnessed, in motivation, survival, and the nature of risk.

Benedict Allen

Benedict has lived in the Siberian wilds, survived the Skeleton Coast and crossed the Gobi. He’s contracted malaria whilst being pinned down by civil war in Papua New Guinea, he’s been shot at, hunted and left to stitch up his own chest: “It’s a bit more extreme than the corporate jungle, though there are parallels.”

Mark Beaumont

In an extraordinary show of endurance, Mark cycled around the world in 194 days, taking 81 days off the record. Almost a decade later he took on the challenge again, this time aiming to travel around the world in 80 days. He smashed the existing record for cycling over 18,000 by completing the trip in 78 days. He’s also cycled the length of the Americas and of Africa. His approach is straightforward: “Test your limits - but don’t allow the big picture to frighten you. Devise a series of manageable targets, develop consistent work output, and teach yourself to calculate ...

Tim Bradshaw

Tim is a former British Army Intelligence Officer and graduate of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. His work as a Covert Human Intelligence Officer and Target Acquisition Patrol Soldier saw him recruit and run foreign agents worldwide and influence the outcome of extremely sensitive and dangerous situations. Since leaving the Army, Tim founded, and is a director of Sandstone Communications, an international leadership and team building consultancy.

JJ Chalmers

Former Royal Marine JJ almost died in an explosion whilst out on patrol in Afghanistan. After months of gruelling rehab he competed in the Invictus Games and went on to become a presenter for Channel 4 and the BBC. He recounts a compelling story of hope, determination, courage and teamwork.

Alan Chambers

The former Royal Marine (aka The Arctic Tractor) led the first unsupported UK expedition from Canada to the geographic North Pole. After taking disaffected British children to African classrooms with Channel 4, Alan showed us the method to making good with a book: Lead Yourself To Success. In presentations he emphasises the need to question norms, build total trust and make decisions purely based on the facts. Alan also advocates leading from behind.

Dr Ed Coats

Ed was chosen to join Cracknell and Fogle in a race to the South Pole. They skied for 16 hours each day and came in second – without any polar experience. In his workshop the hospital doctor uses storytelling and mindfulness techniques to give participants the tools to embrace challenge and live for the moment. Ed shows how exploring our feelings, opening up to change, managing criticism and agreeing short-term goals helps us withstand extreme pressure.

James Cracknell

After his partnership with Matt Pinsent, the double Olympic champion teamed up with Ben Fogle for a series of adventures. They rowed across the Atlantic and raced to the South Pole. In their next challenge (to run, swim and cycle across the States), James was very nearly killed by a truck. He endured a gruelling physical and neurological recovery – then took part in the coldest race on earth. James explains why we should all continue to test our limits.

Ann Daniels

With no experience of extreme sport, Ann found herself applying to join a polar expedition. She has since ski-ed to both Poles, completed more than 10 expeditions and spent over 400 days on the ice. She has also led scientific expeditions to study the changes in the Polar regions. Ann describes how she's endured the harshest of climates and most unpredictable of circumstances with lessons and insights into leadership, teamwork, planning and belief.

Karen Darke

Karen has kayaked through Alaska’s Inner Passage and cycled from Tibet to Nepal, in spite of paralysis from the chest down. After claiming silver in London she squeezed in (and filmed) an Iron Man contest as part of her build up to Rio, and then took gold in the Paralympics (despite losing a year’s training after being hit by a car). Karen shows how we can best understand ourselves and others by attempting challenges. The emotions they untap aren’t signs of weakness, they help us heal: “Listening to yourself and dealing with fear makes you stronger.”

Bruce Dickinson

Alongside his larger-than-life persona as lead singer for Iron Maiden, Bruce holds a myriad of experience in business, entrepreneurialism, mentoring and creative thinking. He is in great demand to share the secrets of his proficiency, insight, and knowledge in his ever-expanding professional fields.

Dr Will Duffin

Will has delivered medical care in some of the world’s most remote and dangerous environments, from the Himalayas to Siberia to the Pacific Islands, and in high-pressure, high-stakes situations including medical evacuations and natural disasters. With evocative, compelling stories, he explores decision-making, resilience, teamwork and personal leadership based on real-life experience.

Giles Duley

Dissatisfied with fashion and celebrity photography, Giles Duley decided to focus on humanitarian issues, travelling to Sudan, Angola and Afghanistan to highlight the issues behind the conflicts. In 2011, while on patrol with the US Army, he stepped on an IED, losing both legs and an arm. His first impulse was to check his eyes and his right arm; with them he could still be a photographer and after months of rehab, he returned to work. Giles has since returned to Afghanistan and continues to document those affected by conflict around the world and their inspiring stories.

Ben Fogle

Since he first appeared on our screens in Castaway, Ben has rowed an ocean with James Cracknell, lived in Scott’s hut and joined Prince William in Botswana. He has also driven in Peru with a tense Hugh Dennis. The self-styled Accidental Adventurer has one big ambition remaining – to swim the Atlantic.

Jason Fox

Former Royal Marine Commando and SBS Sergeant, Jason Fox, or ‘Foxy’, has undertaken operations around the world including surveillance, hostage rescue, counter terrorism and counter narcotics missions. Now a broadcaster and instructor on Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins, he is also the bestselling author of Battle Scars: A Story of War and All That Follows in which he examines the unique teamwork, leadership and planning skills instilled by Special Forces training, but also the psychological and human cost of risking everything.

Brendan Hall

One of only ten people in the world to lead the winning team in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - an epic forty thousand mile ocean sailing race around the planet where the strongest teamwork always wins. Brendan helps create high performance cultures for teams and organisations. Acting as a creative catalyst, he unlocks the latent potenti...

Monty Halls

A former Royal Marine, Monty formed his own expedition company and led a group of divers to rediscover a sunken city beside the coast of India, suspected to be the cradle of civilisation. On television, he has undertaken Great Escapes, served as The Fisherman’s Apprentice, and relocated his life in My Family and the Galapagos. He draws together his array of incredible experiences to talk leadership, motivation, purpose and teamwork.

Nikki Henderson

The youngest person to ever skipper in a round-the-world yacht race, Nikki has become a leader in sailing and in challenging ideas of what is possible. She takes the lessons of bringing together a disparate group of individuals and forming an effective team to take on one of the toughest challenges in the world, and applies them to business and life. Alongside racing and teaching sailing, Nikki was also in the headlines as the skipper of La Vagabonde, the yacht used by environmental activist Greta Thunberg to travel from the US to Europe to attend the UN 2019 COP climate s...

Alastair Humphreys

Alastair spent four years cycling around the world, relying on the kindness of strangers and the odd bike mechanic. He has since run the Marathon des Sables, rowed the Atlantic, canoed down the Yukon and walked 1000 miles into the Empty Quarter desert. He has also started a year of ‘micro-adventures,’ to encourage audiences to take a small first step to imagining bigger challenges.

Libby Jackson

A human spaceflight expert, with experience spanning mission control, space exploration policy, and science communication, Libby shares her experiences of the European Space Agency and the UK Space Agency. From astronaut training to life on the International Space Station and the future of missions to the Moon and Mars, she looks at surprising stories from the history of human space exploration as well as insights into teamwork, leadership under pressure, and how lessons from space can inspire innovation and resilience on Earth.

Tori James

Inspiring others to test themselves and achieve great things, Tori speaks of polar bears, minus forty temperatures and having climbed higher than any other Welsh woman. Speaking from the heart, she taps into the inner reserves of determination and resilience within us all.

Aldo Kane

A former Royal Marines Commando Sniper, Aldo used the skills he learnt in service to become a survival expert in every environment. He has provided technical safety advice for dozens of television and film productions and, in front of the camera, has presented adventure shows for BBC, Natural Geographic and Discovery to name a few. He shares stories of abseiling into erupting volcanoes and being charged by a rhino and the lessons he learnt from his adventures. 

Amar Latif

Amar almost entirely lost his sight by the age of eighteen, but with determination and a desire to prove everyone wrong, he not only went on to explore the world, but start a business to help others do the same. He's also become a documentary filmmaker and presenter and has appeared on shows from The Last Leg, to The One Show, to Celebrity MasterChef.

Dame Ellen MacArthur

The Vendée Globe is the toughest challenge the world's oceans have to offer: 100 days alone at sea, circumnavigating the globe. Ellen MacArthur captured the public’s attention as she battled against the elements and equipment failures during her gruelling 94 day voyage. Since becoming the fastest solo sailor to circumnavigate the globe, she has founded the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, world leaders in the field of bringing the ideas behind the circular economy to life.

Colin MacLachlan

Colin appeared on SAS: Who Dares Wins and is a former SAS soldier with over twenty-five years of risk related and security experience. As a speaker Colin talks about his expertise and experiences in elite leadership, resilience and survival, teamwork, and risk management.

Mike Massimino

Mike's extraordinary life has taken in two Space Shuttle trips, becoming the first person to tweet from space, appearing as a regular on the hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory, and becoming a bestselling author, broadcaster and academic. All of it achieved with a rare combination of purpose, humour and sense of perspective. He shares his journey to becoming an astronaut, from being rejected by NASA three times to his first flight into space, and his insights on leadership, teamwork, perseverance and what it feels like to look down on Earth while on a spacewalk.

Chris Moon

One of the few to have survived capture by the brutal Khmer Rouge, Chris was then blown up by a landmine in Mozambique – losing a hand and part of his leg. He has since taken on dozens of gruelling ultramarathons. Leading by example, Chris talks about focus, self-belief, dealing with change and pushing yourself to the limit.

Lowri Morgan

Lowri has over twenty years’ experience of broadcasting. Her face is a familiar feature in adventure documentaries which follow her competing in some of the toughest endurance races in the world. She has lived with indigenous tribes and dived two and half miles down to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean to visit the wreck of Titanic.

Bonita Norris

The youngest person to reach both the summit of Everest and the North Pole, Bonita shares her lessons from taking on some of the toughest challenges. From never giving up to how to set and achieve your goals, her engaging presentations inspire audiences as well as equipping them to take on their own gruelling tests.

Ollie Ollerton

Ollie is a former UK Special Forces operative, whose military learnings have brought him success in a variety of fields, from TV to business. One of the founding Directing Staff on Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins, his charisma on the show has won him a legion of fans, and he has become a successful entrepreneur.

Mark Ormrod

On Christmas Eve 2007 Mark was on a routine patrol when he stepped on an Afghan mine, becoming the conflict’s first triple amputee. At the brink of despair after being told he’d never walk again, his ‘Marine’s ego’ kicked in and he conquered his new bionic legs. He’s since taken on incredible challenges, including competing in four sports (and winning four medals) at the Invictus Games. In an extraordinarily uplifting speech, Mark proudly explains: “Choose who you listen to, as some won’t believe you can achieve what you want.”

Richard Parks

When injury cut short his rugby career, Richard was inspired by Ran Fiennes to retrain as a mountaineer. He’s since taken on the most arduous physical challenges from climbing the highest peaks on all seven continents to the Yak Attack mountain bike race in Nepal, five consecutive marathons in Peru’s rainforest, two Ironman contests (back-to-back) in Snowdonia and a race to the South Pole. Testing his capabilities to the limits, and helping to further scientific understanding of mind and body through his expeditions, Richard reflects on what a person is capable of.

Dr Bertrand Piccard

Bertrand made history when he circumnavigated the Earth in the Breitling Orbiter balloon. He continued his pioneering work with Solar Impulse, successfully completing the first ever entirely solar-powered round-the-world flight by aeroplane: “If we can fly day and night without fuel, everybody could use these same technologies on the ground to halve energy consumption.” As a trained psychiatrist Bertrand talks about changing behaviours and overcoming neighsayers in pursuit of a cleaner, sustainable future.

Mark Pollock

Mark has rowed for his country, run across the Gobi desert and trekked to the South Pole. Even more impressively he undertook these achievements after losing his sight. Less than a year after returning from the Pole, a fall left Mark paralysed and facing months of gruelling rehabilitation. With a personal mission to cure paralysis, Mark discusses resilience, adversity and the intersection between technology and humans for the future of medicine.

Simon Reeve

From his first break in journalism studying the changing nature of terrorism, Simon has since risked his life revealing some of the most surprising aspects of life in his acclaimed travelogues. He's been arrested by the KGB and electrocuted in a war-zone, he's hunted with the Bushmen of the Kalahari, witnessed trench warfare first hand and wandered through a radioactive waste dump. He recounts some of the incredible journeys he's undertaken and the lessons he's learned about people, life and the planet.

Ben Saunders

A record-breaking long-distance skier and leading polar explorer Ben was the youngest person ever to ski solo to the North Pole and has trekked over 7,000km across Polar regions. A three-time TED speaker he’s been described by TED founder Chris Anderson as “a powerful storyteller”.

Debra Searle

After her oarsman husband developed an uncontrollable fear of the ocean, Debra continued alone and rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic. Having battled against 30’ waves and force 8 squalls in a 23 foot plywood boat, Debra describes the exhilaration of reaching a goal that once seemed unattainable. She’s also led a team of ‘ordinary’ businesswomen on an expedition to the Arctic Circle and leaves audiences with the impression they too can rise to their own challenges.

Lucy Shepherd

Lucy is redefining what it means to be an explorer in the modern world. Her expeditions have taken her to some of the most inhospitable parts of the world. She documents these adventures, with the latest being broadcast on Channel 4, which tells the story of her pioneering expedition across unexplored Amazon rainforest. Lucy engages audiences with her contagious passion for the world’s wild places and delivers inspiring talks on mindset, leadership and the importance of embracing the unknown. 

Joe Simpson

A terrifying climbing accident in the Andes took Joe to the brink of death. His story of survival and comradeship has since captivated millions in the film Touching The Void. Joe explains to delegates how making the right decisions, in the right place at the right time, can make the difference between succeeding and dying. Careful planning, effective teamwork, goal setting, coolness under pressure and self-belief are vital factors: “It’s about choice, not chance.”

Helen Skelton

After Blue Peter, Helen has presented everything from Holiday Hit Squad to Wimbledon, Countryfile to Women's Super League football. She’s also taken on extraordinary challenges including desert ultra-marathons, kayaking up the Amazon, and walking a tightrope across one of London’s most familiar landmarks.

Ed Stafford

Ed Stafford is the first person to walk the length of the Amazon river, taking over two years, dicing with death, and discovering amazing things about the world, communities, and himself. Just a couple of years later he was pushing himself physically and mentally once again by living alone on a desert island with no equipment, provisions or support. Ed speaks about risk, overcoming fears, and the power of human determination.

Richard Villar

Richard served as SAS Medical Officer, operating in the field on soldiers and civilians alike. He is now a leading orthopaedic surgeon and a member of the Disaster Emergency Response Team – responding to events like the earthquake in Haiti and civil war in Libya. Richard describes arriving in a stricken area with the infrastructure destroyed: “Without water, power or the rule of law, you take nothing for granted - the challenges go beyond what most of us can imagine.”

Simon Wheatcroft

Simon was determined not to let his blindness be a barrier to doing things, including distance running. Using a mobile phone and app, he was able to start training on busy open roads without a guide. After just a few months training, a few set-backs and a lot of determination he was running ultramarathons. He now works with technology companies to help him push himself further and achieve even more incredible things.

Nick Wilson

Nick served fourteen years in the army and was deployed on several operational tours around the globe including Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He now fronts the Let’s Talk mental health podcast. Nick’s talks cover a range of topics surrounding mental health in the workplace, resilience and the impact of change and transition. It is his purpose in life to inspire, educate & empower individuals and organisations so they can manage their own mental wellbeing.

Maria Witchell

With a career that has involved leadership roles in both the military and banking (as well as being a polar explorer and hostage negotiator), Maria has a wealth of experience working and leading in high-pressure environments.