- Conference Speakers
Topics:
- Adventure
- Inspirational
- Motivation & Teamwork
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Edward Bear Grylls
With an entry in The Guinness Book of Records as the Youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest, Bear Grylls is also one of the youngest motivational speakers on the international business circuit. Bear has won over even the toughest of audiences and has an extremely impressive list of references to his credit.
A short biography of Bear's amazing life
At just 23 years old, Bear Grylls entered The Guinness Book of Records as The Youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest. A remarkable achievement in itself but just two years earlier he had suffered a near fatal parachuting accident in Africa, breaking his back in three places. Narrowly escaping being paralysed for life he spent a year convalescing, constantly facing the fact that he might never be fit enough to attempt his childhood dream of climbing Everest. Despite moments of great pain and despair, Bear worked hard to regain full mobility and together with a team of friends he planned his expedition. With characteristic determination and charm he raised the enormous sponsorship needed and began training for the daunting challenge.
The actual ascent of Everest took ninety days enduring extreme weather, two months of limited sleep and running out of oxygen in the upper regions of the ‘death zone’ (above 26,000 feet). On May 26th, 1998 at 07.22am, Bear joined only thirty British climbers to have successfully completed the expedition and return alive. Every year the death toll on Mount Everest rises, for every six mountaineers who make it to the top, one will die.
On the way down from his first reconnaissance climb, Bear cheated death while navigating the perilous Khumbu Icefall, the ice cracked and he fell into a 1,000 foot deep crevasse, was knocked unconscious and came to swinging on the end of a rope. Had it not been for the tenacity of his teammates he would not be alive today. This incident was dramatised as part of the award winning, ‘Sure For Men’ advertising campaign, which stars Bear and is broadcast worldwide at present, under the trade name of ‘Rexona’.
Before the Everest expedition, Bear spent three years as a Specialist Combat Survival Instructor and Patrol Medic with the British Special Forces. In September 1997, he became the Youngest Briton to climb Mount Ama Dablam in the Himalayas (22,500 feet), a peak described by Sir Edmond Hillary as ‘unclimbable’. Bear’s book, ‘Facing Up’ soared into the best seller list and to date has sold over 45,000 copies in UK alone. The book has been published in America as ‘The Kid Who Conquered Everest’ and he has been extremely well received there.
Other Interests
As a keen environmentalist, he led the first team to Jet Ski around Britain testing a pioneering new fuel made from rubbish and owns a nature reserve on an island, off the coast of Wales. When he is not on his island. As a survival expert he is totally at home in any outdoor situation, he is a keen motorcyclist and has a passion for all extreme sports.
Bear also became the first person to cross the Atlantic via the Arctic Circle in an open rigid inflatable boat, in aid of The Prince’s Trust.
Televsion, Radio and Print Media
His natural talent for communicating and entertaining on all levels with everyone and anyone has made him a popular personality in his own right. He has been a lively television guest on Ready, Steady Cook, The Sean Hughes Show, Ainsley’s Meals in Minutes, This Morning, Through The Keyhole, Bigger Breakfast and many others. He has presented on The National Geographic ‘Young Explorers’ series and written articles for The Daily Mail, The Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph.
Books
“I have never had such a positive reaction to a guest speaker before, the team were simply enthralled…an inspiration to all who listened! Somehow Bear still managed to make the challenges we face in our jobs relevant on a personal level to yours”.
COCA COLA ENTERPRISES LTD
“Bear Grylls was exceptionally well received by the audience; we thought he scored 10 out of 10”.
BP INTERNATIONAL
“Bear Grylls has a wonderful way of conveying his passion and excitement of the life threatening adventures he’s been on in a highly personal and compelling way – the ripples he has sent out across our business has been terrific. His delivery and content for our conference was excellent”.
W H SMITH LTD
“Bear Gryll's fascinating presentation at our Negotiators and Valuers Conference was truly amazing, especially for someone so young. Without exception we were all absorbed and it has had a positive impact across our company”.
CHRISTIE & CO
