THE ONLY LIMITS ARE THOSE OF VISION
Alan Chambers joined the Royal Marine Commandos at the age of 16 and spent the next 16 years as a Royal Marine Commando. He trained as a Parachutist, Diver and Paramedic and operated in Jungle, Desert Arctic and Urban environments.
Since then Alan has travelled the world over 50 countries; cycled across Europe for charity; became one of a 4 man team who became the first and only team in the world to traverse Iceland in the winter 850km with Princess Diana as their Patron; spent 5 years training and living with the Inuit Eskimos in the North West Territories of Canada and became the first Marine to visit the grave of the Marine who died on the 1845 Franklin Expedition who are buried on Beechy Island.
In 2000 Alan led the first British Team unsupported to the Geographical North Pole from Canada over 1000km in 70 days. Prince Phillip was their patron. The documentary was shown on Discovery channel over 20 times and generated over 20 million pounds of publicity for their sponsor Diageo Johnny Walker for whom he became a global brand ambassador and board member of the JW Fund.
Alan was awarded the MBE in 2000 for effective leadership in constant adversity.
He has returned to the Geographic North Pole a further 10 times leading teams 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 ,2013. In 2009 he led a team to the South Pole across Antarctica followed by a team across Greenland from Coast to Coast 600km and launched the UK's largest education based expedition in 2008.
In 2010 Alan took his 9 year old son, Oliver, to the North Pole and became the youngest father & son to stand at the top of the world.
Not one to sit still later that year, Alan led a team up Mount Kilimanjaro.
Then Alan conceptualised and launched Extreme classrooms - changing disaffected children's lives through adventure with business and sporting mentors to guide them.
Several documentaries then followed with the Coldest Classroom on Earth at 78 degrees North in 2011 a BBC documentary which was made and shown to over 97 million and the Hottest Classroom on Earth through Africa's Rift Valley in 2012, a BBC documentary which was shown 6 times to over 100 million viewers.
Through Polar expeditions, Alan has raised £5 million for charities.
He has created 6 more extreme classrooms around the world, leading the Highest classroom in October 2013 - leading the team to summit Kala Phattar Mountain at 5200m in the Himalayas. BBC1 are making a two part documentary... the other extreme classrooms are Lowest, Wettest, Driest, Hardest and Softest. The hardest is sponsored by the WRU and the RFU as we are using rugby and rugby international mentors as the vehicle for development in New Zealand.
Alan participated and completed the Yukon Arctic Ultra challenge in January 2013.
He is a Brand ambassador for Downing Street Number 10 GREAT campaign... through Adventure is Great. Linked to Visit Britain, this has ongoing visibility and profile for the next 3 years.
Alan is also a global accomplished motivational and leadership speaker, speaking over 70 times a year to all major sectors in industry finance medicine sport and mainstream commerce.
He also has a best-selling leadership book - Keep Walking.
Previous talks have included:
2003 -Selected to be motivational speaker for Clive Woodward to the England Rugby World cup winning team.
2005 - Selected as motivational speaker by Duncan Fletcher for the England Cricket Ashes team who regained the Ashes after 18 years.
2012 - Spoke to Team GB night before they moved in to the Olympic Village about relentless focus.
2013 - Spoke to the English Institute of sport Boxing Squad
Alan has been made a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society London.
Leading at the Edge
Maintaining Team High Performance
Delivering the Impossible
Managing Adversity and Setbacks
Doing More with Less
Sports Quotes
Was invited to speak by Sir Clive Woodward to the ENGLAND RUGBY FOOTBALL SENIOR SQUAD inpreparation for the rugby world cup 2003, concentrating on project focus, maintaining direction in adversity and the change that will have to be adapted to.
Martin Johnson Captain England winning Rugby world cup team said:
"Alan's amazing story highlighting the remarkable focus & leadership he had around the North Pole trip truly inspired the team in their preparation for the Rugby World Cup 2003."
Was invited to speak by Duncan Fletcher to speak to the ENGLAND CRICKET ASHES team in their Ashes preparations. Focussing on the mental endurance and winning belief needed to achieve regaining the Ashes.
Michael Vaughan England Ashes Captain said:
"Alan Chambers gave us an hours presentation on how he got through an unsupported walk to the North Pole - an amazing journey of endurance, skill & strength. There were parallels to be shared and he told us there would be blips and setbacks along our route. After the first test I remembered what he had said"
Duncan Fletcher England Ashes Cricket Head Coach said:
"Alan Chambers was with us all the way through the Ashes, if only from a distance. At every turn he recognised a situation from his journey and related it to that which we were encountering. That was great to know and provided excellent motivation, as well as a frequent good talking point. We used Alan's analogies in the changing room after we lost the first test."
Matthew Hoggard England winning Cricket Ashes team said:
"Before the first test we had a motivational speech from Alan Chambers. He told us about some days on their expedition when they had managed to walk a mile forwards, but the ice had shifted backwards two miles, so they found themselves a mile further back than when they had started. The determination that those blokes showed was inspiring. As it turned out that situation was a good analogy for the position we found ourselves in after the first test. We used Alan's talk to help us through the difficult times."
England Rugby World Cup winner Will Greenwood said:
Having helped England win a world cup I thought I would offer Sven-Goran Eriksson some advice on how to bring home his prize. There were some key points that helped us to win in Sydney, and every little bit helps.
Number 15.
"Bring in someone who has done something really difficult for a chat. Alan Chambers, a former Royal Marine, spoke to the England rugby team in summer 2003 about his experience of leading the first successful British team to walk unsupported from Canada to the geographical North Pole. After immense challenges - including the evacuation of two team members - and extreme frostbite and hunger, he raised the flag on top of the world on May 16, 2000. The walk on the ice took 70 days.
He was awarded the MBE in the 2000 New Year's Honours list for determination and strong leadership in such adverse conditions. He delivered a similar talk to the England cricket team prior to the Ashes series in the summer.
Andrew Flintoff and Michael Vaughan wrote in their respective newspaper columns that after their defeat in the first Test they recalled the setbacks that Alan had faced and looked at the challenge ahead with renewed energy, commitment and belief. It worked for the rugby and cricket teams, so why could it not work for the footballers? What he did was seriously tough, so much so that rugby seemed easy after that."
Business Quotes
Martin Hegarty, Training Manager British Petroleum said:
"Alan's leadership skills borne out through his determination mixed with his consideration of the needs of others gave us all much to think about. His effort in achieving a task that many people could not even begin to consider is truly inspiring"
Charles Dunstone, Founder Chairman Carphone Warehouse said:
"Inspirational - He's a genuine hero"
Pat O' Driscoll CEO Northern foods said:
"Alan's account of the expedition and his leadership insights made us all think very deeply about our roles and what it takes to succeed against the odds. He is human, inspirational and a real coach. Our business will benefit hugely if we apply what we have learnt from him"
Rooney Anand, CEO Greene King Brewing Company said:
"Alan's presentation was fascinating, you could hear a pin drop in the audience! The feedback we received afterwards was that Alan had really touched people and that he had really made them think. Alan is so passionate about his achievements, he really is a memorable speaker. I think it was one of the best presentations I have ever seen and I know from the feedback from the team that they feel the same way"
James Davison, CEO Cargill Investor Services said:
Alan is one of life's unique characters. His story of the trek to the North Pole is both fascinating and insightful and has important lessons for all leaders and all teams. His anecdotes about team selection, project planning and "leading from the back" have resonance with the everyday issues that I and other business leaders face.
Tim Savage, Group Sales Director Niagara Health Care said:
"There is no doubt in my mind that Alan helped focus the sales teams and aided them in their limiting beliefs…your message will be quoted all through this years mantra"
Andy Mitchell Managing Director Hill Hire PLC said:
"Alan spoke at two Hill Hire conferences about his North Pole expedition. This linked directly into the theme of our conferences, which was teamwork and that the only way to be successful in business, is if people work together for a common goal and, more importantly, stick together and keep focused. Alan's presentation drew all the necessary parallels, which undoubtedly made people think, and also humbled people when they realized that their problems were miniscule in life compared to the experiences which Alan and his team had encountered."
Rose Sculley, Director of Development, Women's World Banking said:
"I am a tremendous fan of Alan and feel strongly that his incredible story should be shared with the world. He is an adventurer of this century who leads by example in a thoughtful and skilful way. He has complete self-confidence of the type that builds teams by recognizing that it takes the whole team and not one man to succeed. I am in awe of Alan's accomplishments"
Mark Cartwright, National Sales Manager AAH Hospital Service said:
"I would like to express my sincere thanks to you for coming to present at our Company Conference last week. The feedback we have received from our employees has been extremely positive. People were visibly moved by your story and you were the topic of conversation at dinner!"
Clare Bristow, Lawyer Arup said:
"Alan Chambers offers a fascinating description of the many challenges faced by his team on their various explorations. Alan skilfully presents his experiences in a way which enables his audience to relate them to their particular industry and to the skills required for successfully bringing in any project. A truly inspirational talk highly recommended for those seeking to motivate their own teams."
Swissre Global Conference Switzerland
Alan was very impressive and a nice break from the usual "rah, rah" speakers we have had. Hearing about what he went through and the teamwork needed really made us think about our key roles in the business, an excellent choice of speaker! Impressive story that can be related to daily teamwork self leadership personal growth & improvement. We could learn a lot from this guy.
Alan Chambers was a great choice of speaker. Good to get someone from a completely different background - Lots of parallels can be drawn to our own industry; an incredible and memorable tale of determination and endurance.
Alan made a superb contribution to our recent Brigade Study Day. His account of the planning and execution of the first unassisted Polar expedition was interesting, educational and entertaining in equal measure. It served as a great climax to the day and one I know everyone was looking forward to. His innovative approach to problem solving, resource management and leadership in extreme conditions is an inspiration to us all and was the subject of much discussion throughout the day.
As the Army seeks to further develop its professionalism we will ask more and more of our personnel and soldiering in this age of deep complexity will require a whole spectrum of new skills. I believe that increased exposure to innovators and role models from outside the military sphere can only lead to better informed opinions and more considered decisions. The rest of the day was a great success and I, for one, was pleased to see pictures of snow on such a warm day.
Good stuff and what a nice bloke!
DCOS, HQ 1st Artillery Brigade
A dynamic and versatile speaker, Josh is able to draw upon his experience and expertise to give inf…