After Dinner Speakers
Everest Summiteer, First Woman to Skydive Everest & Risk Leadership Speaker
In times of rapid change, one skill separates the bold from the burnt-out: the ability to take smart risks. The leaders and teams who win act decisively under pressure and turn fear into focus.
Holly challenges the comfort culture holding many businesses back. Drawing on summiting the north side of Everest, becoming the first woman to skydive Everest and patrolling with anti-poaching units in Africa, she unpacks what it takes to make bold, calculated decisions when the stakes are high. This talk is not about recklessness; it redefines risk as a catalyst for innovation, growth and personal leadership.
Key takeaways:
- How to turn fear into forward motion when the pressure is on
- Why comfort kills innovation and how to stay bold in uncertainty
- A practical framework for taking smart, calculated risks
- The psychology of resilience and high-stakes decision-making
- How to cultivate a culture where bold thinking thrives
Ideal audience: Leadership and strategy teams navigating change, sales and growth teams, and main-stage conferences.
Leading Under Pressure: Redefining Leadership in a World That Won't Slow Down
The rules of leadership are being rewritten. Leaders who thrive are not the ones with all the answers, but the ones brave enough to act when the path ahead is unclear.
Holly draws on leading teams on high-altitude expeditions and working on the frontline of conservation to explore how courage, empathy and calculated risk-taking unite teams, fuel innovation and build trust. She challenges leaders to shift from control to connection, hierarchy to humanity, and comfort to growth.
Key takeaways:
- How to lead when there is no playbook
- Turning high pressure into high performance
- Why courage, empathy and inclusion are a leadership edge
- How to create a culture that thrives through uncertainty and change
Ideal audience: Senior and emerging leaders, organisations in transformation, and HR, DEI and ESG professionals.
The Elephant in the Boardroom: The Conservation Risk Equation
Sustainability is one of the most overused words in business, yet one of the least understood. Too often it is treated as a line item or a CSR box to tick, rather than a leadership opportunity, a risk management strategy and a growth driver.
Drawing on more than a decade of frontline work protecting African elephants and supporting women-led conservation, Holly shows how businesses that prioritise biodiversity and community impact are future-proofing themselves, and how environmental risk can become an opportunity to lead differently.
Key takeaways:
- How environmental risk shapes business resilience and reputation
- Why conservation and climate action are strategic investments
- How to integrate purpose and profit for long-term sustainability
- Practical examples of innovation driving measurable impact
Ideal audience: Boards, investors and senior leaders setting ESG strategy, and conferences on innovation and the future of business.
