Spike Reid

Spike Reid is an adventurer, International Mountain Leader, and the first person to stand-up paddleboard the entire length of the River Ganges, a groundbreaking 98-day expedition featured on Discovery Channel India and BBC's The Travel Show. His pioneering journeys, from remote mountain ascents in Siberia and Tajikistan to surviving a polar bear attack in the Arctic that earned him an Olympic Torch nomination, demonstrate extraordinary resilience and leadership under pressure. Through engaging talks drawn from expeditions across over 70 countries, Spike inspires audiences to embrace courage, adaptability, and perseverance, equipping teams and individuals with the mindset to navigate uncertainty and achieve ambitious goals.

In 2011, Spike Reid faced a charging polar bear in the Arctic and survived the savage attack by reloading his rifle under extreme duress, saving not only his own life but protecting the group of teenagers he was leading after one member of the expedition had already been killed. The following year, he was nominated for his actions in that life-or-death moment and for his broader work inspiring young people, running with the Olympic Torch on the opening day of the relay. That resilience under pressure has defined his career as an explorer and International Mountain Leader, taking him to over 70 countries and through some of the world's most challenging environments, from first ascents in Siberia and Tajikistan to the first paddleboard circumnavigation of Martinique. His most ambitious achievement came with a pioneering 98-day journey stand-up paddleboarding the entire length of the River Ganges, raising global awareness of single-use plastic pollution in waterways and oceans through an expedition featured on Discovery Channel India and BBC's The Travel Show.

Spike's credibility extends beyond personal expeditions into meaningful contributions to the exploration and adventure community. In 2008, he led a team that won the first Royal Geographical Society and Land Rover bursary, circumnavigating the world along the 50°N latitude to investigate the social impact of climate change. He subsequently worked at the RGS for over three years, organising events and learning from a diverse range of speakers before supporting Sir Ranulph Fiennes's The Coldest Journey expedition with education engagement across the UK. His leadership experience also includes two years as elected President of his Students' Union, representing over 30,000 students, and his innovative thinking earned national recognition when his extreme sport concept, the Slegoon, won a design competition for its bold vision. As an International Mountain Leader, he regularly guides both adult and teenage groups into remote regions overseas, translating his expertise into practical mentorship.

Spike's talks offer audiences far more than thrilling stories. He connects the lessons learned from navigating uncertainty in extreme environments to the challenges faced by teams and individuals in everyday professional and personal contexts. Whether speaking at conferences, after-dinner events, schools, or universities, he equips audiences with actionable insights on courage, adaptability, and perseverance drawn from real-world experience. His ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity and warmth ensures that participants leave with a renewed mindset for tackling ambitious goals and overcoming obstacles. Through his work as a speaker at venues including the RGS, Adventure Travel Show, and Explorers Connect, Spike creates lasting impact by inspiring audiences to push beyond perceived limits and embrace the resilience required to thrive under pressure.