Robert Swan

Biography

Robert Swan, OBE is a polar explorer, environmental leader and the first person ever to have walked to the North and South poles. He is an exceptionally gifted communicator and is regarded as one of the world's top motivational speakers.

In 1992, on completion of the walks to both poles, Robert Swan was charged by world leaders at the first ‘World Summit for Sustainable Development', held in Rio de Janeiro, to undertake a ten year global and local environmental mission involving industry, business and young people.

Upon the successful completion of the missions, Swan reported back to world leaders at the second World Summit in 2002, held in Johannesburg. Here he committed to a further ten-year mission to inspire youth to become sustainable leaders and promote the use of renewable energy for a sustainable future.

Swan's unique insights and lessons learned have enabled him to educate and stimulate young people and business leaders all around the world. He compares his icy experiences to boardroom maneuvers and his inspirational addresses on leadership and teamwork have received acclaim from discerning audiences worldwide.

His contribution to both education and the environment have been recognized through his appointment as UN Goodwill Ambassador for Youth, a visiting Professor of the School of the Environment at Leeds University and in 1994 he became Special Envoy to the Director General of UNESCO. He was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 1995.

During 2003 Robert and his company, 2041, delivered the first corporate Antarctic Expeditions on teamwork and leadership through positive participation and real missions. Throughout these five years, the ‘Inspire Antarctic Expeditions' (IAE) teams have helped design and build the world's first education station (The E-Base) in Antarctica.

Robert Swan has an extraordinary ability to inspire those around him into action. His presentations continue to thrill, uplift and stimulate audiences worldwide.

Titles

Inspiration
Robert Swan has shown through his expeditions that we have the power to overcome obstacles and achieve our goals through perseverance, determination and commitment.

Sustainable Leadership
A leader must make decisions, at times difficult ones, and have the courage to stick to them. You must show commitment, not just talk it.

Communication
We live in an age of complex communication technology, yet many people find little time to communicate effectively. In a hostile environment like the Arctic you need to explain your thoughts, feelings and actions, just to survive. Effective communication in business is equally vital.

Environmental Leadership
Robert witnessed firsthand the damage to the most delicate of the world's environments, the Polar Regions. Traveling under the hole in the ozone on the walk to the South Pole and having witnessed the devastating effect of the ice melting during his walk to the North Pole has shaped Robert's life long commitment to the environment.

Teamwork
Robert accepts that individuals in isolation rarely achieve great feats: more often it is a team effort. A team that understands its strengths and weaknesses and pulls together to face the challenge will achieve the seemingly impossible.