Oli France
OLI FRANCE – Inspirational Speaker on Leadership
Oli France is an international keynote speaker, expedition leader and adventurer who helps world-class teams thrive in uncertainty.
For more than fifteen years, Oli has led teams through some of the world’s most remote, complex and hostile environments – from Iraq to Syria, Somalia to Congo, Yemen to Siberia. These experiences have given him a unique perspective on what it takes to lead with clarity under pressure, navigate complexity, take intelligent risks and sustain high performance when the stakes are high.
On stage, Oli translates lessons from the extreme into practical ideas for business: how leaders create clarity amid uncertainty, how teams build trust and execute under pressure, why intelligent risk-taking drives progress, and how a relentless focus on ‘World-Class Basics’ separates the good from the great. His clients include McKinsey, Google, Accenture, Rolls-Royce, Prudential, AIA, DHL, HP, AbbVie and Equinor.
Across 85+ countries, Oli has navigated deserts, jungles, mountains, warzones, minefields, avalanches, earthquakes and interrogations – experiences that underpin his belief in curiosity, conviction and the power of the Explorer’s Mindset.
In 2024, Oli completed a 64-day, 3,588-mile human-powered journey from Death Valley to Denali, generating global coverage from the BBC, Reuters, National Geographic, Red Bull and The Times. The expedition forms part of his world-first Ultimate Seven project: journeys from the lowest to highest point on every continent.
SPEAKING WORK
Oli is a speaker at corporate events, workshops and schools, both in the UK and internationally.
He provides tailored talks and presentations, using photography and video, but always anecdotes, humour and passion. His recent years have been all about setting ambitious personal challenges and finding motivation, often from deep within, to achieve his aims.
His topics include –
Leading with Clarity in a Complex World – How do leaders create confidence when the path ahead is uncertain? Oli explores how to cut through complexity, focus on what matters most, make better decisions under pressure and give teams the clarity and conviction to keep moving forward.
How High-Performing Teams Execute Under Pressure – What separates good teams from great ones when the stakes rise? Drawing on experiences leading teams in extreme environments, Oli explores trust, communication, decision-making, zero complacency and the World-Class Basics that drive consistent execution under pressure.
The Explorer’s Mindset: Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity –How do we respond when there is no clear map? Oli shows how curiosity, adaptability, intelligent risk-taking and the courage to act can help leaders and teams embrace uncertainty, build momentum and become pioneers who shape change rather than simply react to it.
'Inspirational talk this morning by Oli France at Clerkenwell Design Week. Not to be missed!'
— John Cave, Executive Director, EH Smith Group
'Excellent presentation Oli. Inspiring and thought-provoking.'
— John Newcomb, CEO, Builders Merchants Federation
‘I really appreciate the professionalism that went into Oli's presentation. He managed to link it perfectly to what we do at Covetrus - very well done!’
— Rachael Milligan, HR Director, Covetrus
