Monty Halls Keynote Speaker

Broadcaster and travel journalist
Former Royal Marine Officer and leadership consultant
Qualified marine biologist

Monty Halls's Biography

Monty Halls is a former Royal Marines Officer, who has specialised in lecturing on change, on the creation of nimble, reactive cultures, and in dealing with the unexpected. In this he has vast experience. During his time as a commando he worked for Nelson Mandela as the South African nation navigated a period of supreme upheaval. He then went on lead expeditions in some of the most unpredictable environments on earth, and was awarded the Bish Medal for services to exploration. This led to a career in the production of wildlife and adventure documentaries for the BBC, National Geographic, and Discovery. Of these the best known are the three hugely popular BBC series ‘Great Escapes’, where he lived on the west coasts of Scotland and Ireland with his dog Reuben.

He has written thirteen books and is a regular contributor to magazines and newspapers. His latest book, Churchill’s Killing House: The Origins of World War II’s Legendary Commando Fighting Force, explores the origins of the Commandos and the leadership, innovation, and elite culture that helped turn the tide of the Second World War.

Latterly he has worked in sustainability and conservation, working with international partners to create a marine sampling system that can be used by ordinary people with no scientific training. The resultant system is now being used throughout the UK.

As a speaker he is in demand nationally and internationally, speaking on topics such as leadership under duress, team culture, and operating in stressful environments. His messaging is built around the power of strong culture, and how it can be a still point in a turning world. It is a message that is more resonant than ever in the current climate.

Tales of the Unexpected

Dealing with change, uncertainty, and a fluctuating future requires a certain mindset. Taking lessons from his time as a Royal Marines Officer, working on blue chip wildlife documentaries, and leading elite teams in remote environments, Monty explores the culture and capabilities of groups that prosper when the environment changes at dizzying speed. Sir Randolph Fiennes described this talk as: “A brilliant presentation, one that highlights the need to adapt to change in the modern world.”

Leadership and Teamwork

Is it communication? Is it a clear group ethos? Is it authoritarian command? Is it collaborative effort? These are questions endlessly debated, dissected, and re-defined in the quest for world class performance. But one thing is clear. Good leadership combined with potent teamwork achieves extraordinary results. This talk explores great examples of each, and unpicks the principles behind them.

Travel, trails and tribulations

Monty was described by the CEO of Stanfords (the world’s most respected travel bookshop) as “a rock star of travel”. This talk is a celebration of the diversity of cultures, of the characteristics that unite us, of great adventures, and the kindness of strangers on the road. It is a story about us, global citizens, and the alchemy of the meeting of nations and cultures.

Commandos, Culture, and Creating Change

Monty has written two books on the origins of special forces, taking a deep dive into the method and mindset required to create elite performance. This talk is a journey through that story, from origins to cutting edge performance, one that has created globally recognised excellence.

He draws on frontline experience as a former Royal Marines Officer to show leaders how to build nimble cultures that respond decisively when conditions change.
He brings hard won perspective from operating in high risk environments, translating lessons from expeditions and exploration into practical approaches to uncertainty and pressure.
He uses vivid storytelling from BBC, National Geographic and Discovery productions to make leadership, teamwork and resilience memorable for any audience.
He has worked at moments of profound national change, including supporting Nelson Mandela during South Africa’s transition, and connects those lessons to organisational change today.
He equips teams with clear, culture led behaviours that help organisations stay aligned, calm and effective when the unexpected hits.

Videos of Monty Halls

CF24 Guest speaker: Monty Halls

Confluence - the turbulent relationship of man and shark | Monty Halls | TEDxVilnius

Monty speaking 22

Books by Monty Halls

Churchill's Killing House: The Origins of World War II's Legendary Commando Fighting Force

The Fisherman's Apprentice

Dive: The Ultimate Guide to the World's Top Dive Locations

Escaping Hitler: Heroic True Stories of Great Escapes in Nazi Europe

Commando: The Inside Story Of Britain's Royal Marines

Comments & Testimonials

Without doubt, his talk to our conference delegates was one of the most inspirational and entertaining that we've had for years. Monty is an outstanding speaker and even audiences who are jaded by conference overload are electrified by his passion and zest for life. He left our delegates buzzing.

Tropicana Drinks PLC

“Monty’s presentation exceeded my expectations once again. As I had hoped, it was fun, educational and inspirational, with the added element of escapism and a subtle, but not overbearing, message about the great effects of teamwork. I have seen his presentations three times over the past ten years, both from a corporate and educational perspective, and each time they have delivered. On every occasion he is able to adapt to his audience with great ease and professionalism. The audience was captivated. You could hear a pin drop at times, and other times were filled with laughter. A real feel good factor evening!”

“You were outstanding, Monty Halls. What an orator and what a compelling session. Incredible.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed working with you, and the weaving of the Isle of Man story into your presentation was genius… you had the Royal Hall in the palm of your hands.”