What does it take to survive the impossible? In this episode of Matters of Consequence, recorded live at Nordic Business Forum 2026, Michael sits down with Nando Parrado, whose story of resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship redefines the boundaries of human endurance. This is the first episode in a special series from NBF, exploring the human edge in action.
In 1972, Nando was one of the survivors of the Uruguayan rugby team whose plane crashed in the Andes, leaving them stranded at 11,000 feet in freezing temperatures with no resources. Over 72 days, Nando and his teammates faced starvation, extreme cold and the emotional weight of unimaginable loss. His decision to embark on a treacherous climb out of the mountains without proper gear or experience was driven by trust in his teammates, love for those he lost and the judgment to act when hope seemed impossible. His story is a testament to how these human qualities can forge unbeatable teams and sustain us through the most extreme circumstances.
Today, Nando is a television producer, entrepreneur and a voice on the power of the human edge, the resilience, connection and compassion that allow us to endure and even thrive in the face of adversity. In this conversation, he shares the raw, unresolved tensions of his journey from the Andes to the boardroom and reflects on how these lessons apply to leadership, teamwork and life itself.
Why listen?
Whether you are a leader, part of a team or simply someone navigating uncertainty, Nando’s story offers a deeply human perspective on what it means to confront the impossible and emerge stronger.
Keywords: Andes disaster, survival, resilience, trust, love, judgment, compassion, human edge, leadership, teamwork, Nordic Business Forum, Nando Parrado, Matters of Consequence.
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