Monty Halls

Explorer & leadership Speaker

Monty Halls is an ex-Royal Marines Officer who worked for Nelson Mandela during the peace process in the early nineties. He left the Marines to pursue a career in expeditions, travel journalism and biology, achieving a First Class Honours Degree and becoming qualified as a marine biologist.

His degree was funded by running expeditions, the most notable of which was leading a multi-national team to the discovery of a sunken city off the Indian coast in 2002. During this period he also led four expeditions to Southern Africa, three to Malawi to explore the ecosystem of the lake and investigate poaching activity on the Nyika Plateau, and one to South Africa to dive looking for evidence of prehistoric settlements in cave systems off the Cape. For his work he was awarded the Bish Medal for services to exploration by the Scientific Exploration Society.

In 2003 Monty Halls formed his own expedition company, completing four circumnavigations of the globe over the next four years, seeking out the greatest encounters in the ocean. This brought him to the attention of television producers, being head-hunted as a competitor in the flagship Channel 4 show ‘Superhumans’, a test of elite performers, competing in a series of challenges devised by the QinetiQ testing centre. Monty won this competition, and was in demand to present further series for Channel 4, National Geographic, the History Channel, Channel 5, and the BBC.

He is best known for his three BBC2 series ‘Great Escapes’, where he lived on the west coast of Scotland and Ireland with his dog Reuben. He also presented the multi-award winning series ‘Great Barrier Reef’. In 2014 he has completed filming on the ground-breaking expedition series ‘Lost Worlds’ for the Discovery Channel. Monty has written several books, and is a regular contributor to magazines and newspapers, many of them communicating his enthusiasm for the natural world. He is also an Ambassador for various conservation groups and was awarded an honorary Doctorate by Plymouth University.

Over the last decade Monty’s real passion has become leadership and team building, drawing on his vast experience. As a speaker and corporate trainer, his work is both national and international, running courses from his base in south Devon and working with various organisations throughout the UK.

SPEAKING TOPICS

Monty Halls is passionate about speaking, and some of his speech subjects include –

Adventure: A high octane journey through three decades of exploration, adventure, and working with diverse communities throughout the globe. This is a talk backed up with world class images, footage from Monty’s award winning adventure and travel documentaries, and tales of pure adrenaline and wonder from every environment imaginable.

Change: From a career in the Royal Marines, to being part of a military group assisting Nelson Mandela, to leading teams in some of the most demanding and kinetic environments on earth, Monty Halls knows about change. This presentation is a unique perspective that explores our reactions to change, describes methods of making the most of the opportunities it presents, and galvanises audiences jaded with the usual messages of from motivational speakers. This is a talk based on genuine experience, with real take-home messages and models.

Leadership: From the rarified world of Commando Forces, to International expeditions with diverse teams, and working with elite sports teams and businesses facing challenges and change, Monty has delivered leadership talks and events across a vast spectrum. The key to the success of these events is making the content thought provoking, allowing the participants to generate and air their own thoughts on effective leadership. This acknowledges that every business, every environment, and every individual is different when it comes to effective leadership. And yet the same over-arching principles apply! Therein lies the great mystery of leading well – Monty explores these themes based on decades of experience with diverse organisations.

The Environment: Monty is President of the Galapagos Conservation Trust, a Global ambassador for the Durrell Wildlife and Conservation Trust, and a highly respected figure in the world of environmental and natural-history programming. This talk not only explores the challenges that face us all in environmental terms, but also offers solutions on a personal and corporate level. It answers that crucial question “What can I do?”, and is an upbeat, positive approach to the issues that face us all as global citizens.

Team Building: Creating a coherent team or project group can be a challenge, Monty Halls has done this for three decades, whether as a Royal Marines Officer, a leader of diverse expeditions to environments throughout the globe, or with businesses and elite sports teams. The key is to make the process dynamic, enjoyable, and engaging. The end result is a presentation and a process that explores the capabilities of any team, that celebrates their diversity of skills, and establishes a clear culture and ethos.