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Mark Agnew - Record-Setting Adventurer, Author & Motivational Resilience Speaker, Keynote Speaker

Mark Agnew

Mark Agnew Record-Setting Adventurer, Author & Motivational Resilience Speaker

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Mark Agnew - Record-Setting Adventurer, Author & Motivational Resilience Speaker, Keynote Speaker
Mark Agnew's Biography

Mark Agnew is a UK-based keynote speaker on change and resilience, a record-setting adventurer and a bestselling author. In 2023 he was part of the first team to kayak the entire Northwest Passage, spending 103 days in the Arctic, and he was named European Adventurer of the Year.During the expedition a polar bear tried to get into his tent. That night gave its name to Find Your Polar Bear, a keynote built with leading psychologists and tested in the Arctic. It helps organisations treat change as an exciting challenge, using the same mindset that carried him through some of the world's most hostile waters.The framework is simple: “If you can reframe change as an exciting challenge, you'll enjoy it. And if you enjoy it, you'll outperform ever

  • SPEAKING VIDEOS

  • HONORS and AWARDS

  • BOOKS

Mark Agnew | Find Your Polar Bear, Full Keynote play Mark Agnew | Find Your Polar Bear, Full Keynote
Mark Agnew | Showreel | Find Your Polar Bear play Mark Agnew | Showreel | Find Your Polar Bear
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Award

European Adventurer of the Year
Award

Endurance Asia Feat of the Year
Award

World Explorer Collective Top Explorer
Award

Top 10 Greatest Kayak Expeditions of the Century
Award

UK Speaker Awards
Award

Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature
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There Will Be Headwinds: Kayaking the Northwest Passage There Will Be Headwinds: Kayaking the Northwest Passage
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Mark Agnew Speaker Solutions
Keynote Workshop
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Mark Agnew Keynote
Find Your Polar Bear

As Mark Agnew lay in his tent in the Arctic, he was woken by a deep guttural growl: a polar bear was trying to get in. In his signature keynote he shows teams how to view change as an exciting challenge.

Actionable takeaways:

  • Reframe change as an exciting opportunity so your people are motivated to take on the challenge.
  • Camaraderie forms when tough times are shared. Help your staff build bonds through shared effort as they face change together.
  • Being tough and being resilient are different things. Tough people persevere at all costs. Resilient people know when to persevere and when to adapt.
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Mark Agnew Workshop
Track Your Polar Bear - Half-Day Workshop

Dive deeper into the Find Your Polar Bear framework with games, discussions and examples of the psychology behind the adventure. A good fit for an offsite and a practical way to complement the keynote.

Mark Agnew
Mark Agnew's Biography

Mark Agnew is a UK-based keynote speaker on change and resilience, a record-setting adventurer and a bestselling author. In 2023 he was part of the first team to kayak the entire Northwest Passage, spending 103 days in the Arctic, and he was named European Adventurer of the Year.

During the expedition a polar bear tried to get into his tent. That night gave its name to Find Your Polar Bear, a keynote built with leading psychologists and tested in the Arctic. It helps organisations treat change as an exciting challenge, using the same mindset that carried him through some of the world's most hostile waters.

The framework is simple: “If you can reframe change as an exciting challenge, you'll enjoy it. And if you enjoy it, you'll outperform everyone else who only sees an obstacle to endure.”

Google, the NHS and John Lewis have booked Mark, and Google described his session as “the best talk we've heard.” Audiences describe his talks as exciting, funny and full of story.

His book There Will Be Headwinds: Kayaking the Northwest Passage was shortlisted for the Boardman Tasker Award. He was the founding editor of the Adventure Sports section at the South China Morning Post and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Mark Agnew is ready to inspire your teams!
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Call us on +44 (0) 20 3393 1061 or email us at info@speakeragency.co.uk

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Mark Agnew testimonials

Ricco Zuschlag

Country Lead, Google

It really was one of the best, most inspiring talks I've ever heard. I often can't concentrate but it was like watching a movie. I couldn't stop watching.

Fionn Bellis

Director of Medical Education RDUH, NHS

One of the best presentations I have heard in quite some time. The entertaining stories of adventure with a structured break out groups considered aspects of leadership, resilience and adversity - all essential skills for survival.

Emma-Louise Reynolds

Partner & Customer Care, John Lewis

Since the event, I can tell there is pace to get onboard with new ideas. I can tell there is a step change in how leaders are talking to each other. Rather than being threatened by adopting new technology, we are now talking about going on this journey together and being an early adopter. It was brilliant, engaging, warm and very human.

Frequently Asked Questions About
Mark Agnew

Mark Agnew speaks about change and resilience. His keynote, Find Your Polar Bear, helps teams treat organisational change as an exciting challenge, drawing on his record-setting Northwest Passage kayak expedition.

Contact Speaker Agency through the enquiry form on this page with your event date, location, audience and format. Our team will confirm availability and send a tailored proposal.

Corporate conferences, leadership events, offsites and team events. Google, the NHS and John Lewis are among the organisations that have booked him.

Yes. Track Your Polar Bear is a half-day workshop that takes teams deeper into the Find Your Polar Bear framework through games, discussions and the psychology behind the adventure.

Fees depend on the date, location, format and length of the engagement. Contact Speaker Agency for a quote.

The length of Find Your Polar Bear is agreed with each client to fit the programme. It can be followed by the half-day Track Your Polar Bear workshop.

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Ödül European Adventurer of the Year

Named European Adventurer of the Year in 2023.

Ödül Endurance Asia Feat of the Year

Winner.

Ödül World Explorer Collective Top Explorer

Recognised as a Top Explorer by the World Explorer Collective.

Ödül Top 10 Greatest Kayak Expeditions of the Century

The Northwest Passage expedition was named one of the top 10 greatest kayak expeditions of the century.

Ödül UK Speaker Awards

Shortlisted for Best Storyteller and Best Newcomer.

Ödül Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature

Shortlisted for There Will Be Headwinds: Kayaking the Northwest Passage.