Mark Agnew

Mark Agnew is a record-breaking adventurer, Arctic explorer, and motivational keynote speaker who helps organizations build resilient teams that view change and growth as an exciting challenge rather than an obstacle to overcome. Drawing from real-world experiences in extreme environments, Mark shares powerful lessons on resilience, leadership, teamwork, and performance under pressure.

In 2023, Mark and his team made history by becoming the first people to kayak the entire Northwest Passage using only human power in a single season. Over 103 days, they faced polar bears, violent storms, crushing sea ice, and the constant threat of Arctic winter closing in. The expedition captured global attention and earned Mark the prestigious title of European Adventurer of the Year.

But Mark’s story isn’t just about success. Earlier in his career he attempted to row the Atlantic Ocean twice and failed both times—experiences that led to a personal mental health crisis and forced him to rethink his approach to goals, motivation, and resilience. These setbacks became the foundation of his speaking message: that resilience is built not through perfect outcomes, but through learning how to adapt, recover, and keep moving forward.

Today, Mark combines gripping expedition storytelling with practical insights from psychology and performance science. His signature frameworks help organizations build resilience, strengthen collaboration, and navigate uncertainty with confidence. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and former editor at the South China Morning Post, Mark has shared his story with audiences around the world and has been featured across major international media.