Jim McNeill
Jim McNeill
Speaking Topics
Resilience
Risk
Exploration
Climate change
Leadership
Teamwork
Bio
Jim McNeill is one of the world’s most experienced and respected explorers, with over 40 years on the frontlines of polar travel and environmental change. He has covered thousands of miles in some of the harshest environments on Earth — mostly on skis, pulling everything he needs behind him.
His passion for adventure began at just 16, on a winter Outward Bound course in the snowbound Lake District. That early taste of life in extreme conditions shaped a career spanning environmental science, the military, the fire and rescue service, and the leadership of some of the toughest expeditions ever undertaken.
His expertise is sought after around the world - from the BBC to Hollywood - to keep film crews safe in the planet’s most challenging locations, both hot and cold. In 2006, he served as ITV News’ own “Ice Warrior”, reporting directly from the Arctic Ocean on the realities of climate change.
In 2001, Jim founded the Ice Warrior Project, giving “ordinary” people the opportunity to become polar explorers. Together, they have trained in the extremes of Norway and Canada, carried out expeditions across the Arctic Ocean, and gathered vital scientific data to help us understand climate change.
Jim’s latest venture, Ocean Warrior, launched in 2023, is an ambitious eleven year commitment to uncover the true state of our oceans.
With a lifetime of extraordinary experiences, Jim brings to life the realities of human performance, leadership, and teamwork in the most demanding environments on Earth - and why protecting those environments matters to us all.
Moet Hennessy UK
“Jim presented his amazing Ice Warrior program at our annual company conference. During his speech, he shared the key values that he feels are paramount to a high performing team. He appeared to all of us, as a person with a rich life history, brilliantly sharing genuine experiences, and thus hugely helped us reinforce the theme of our conference: One Team, One Ambition.”
Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP
“Nothing less than inspirational... an authoritative blend of raw experience with practical coaching... energised an already highly motivated group of senior executives.”
Pfizer
“Excellent – very engaging, very relaxed style, with a good level of humour. Jim talked about overcoming adversity by working as a team, but also respecting each other as individuals and working with their strengths to help them and the team achieve why this was important. The audience were very captivated and energised – lots of questions at the end and I’m sure the questions would have kept coming if we had the time. Jim was very happy to stay and chat to people at the end, a very approachable person who is obviously very passionate about what he does which very much came across in his presentation. I think a few people were even tempted to find out how to be part of one of his expeditions.”
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