Inspiring Leadership with Jonathan Bowman-Perks MBE

Aldo Kane is a Royal Marine Commando sniper turned world-record-holding adventurer and survival expert. Having faced erupting volcanoes, charged black rhinos, and the isolation of a 10-day bunker lock-in, Aldo has spent his life testing the limits of human endurance. From rowing across the Atlantic Ocean to diving on Captain Kidd’s pirate ship, his missions push the boundaries of courage, teamwork, and resilience.In his book Lessons from the Edge Aldo shares powerful lessons shaped by his time in the military and the world’s most extreme environments. Aldo discussed how to build mental toughness, lead with purpose, and turn failure into fuel. With insights on flow, stoicism, and self-belief, Aldo’s message is clear: success isn’t about avoiding risk—it’s about mastering your own mindset and becoming the captain of your own ship.His key lessons are: - The importance of resilience: Surviving and thriving depend on mental toughness and seeing setbacks as opportunities to learn - Developing mental fitness and compartmentalising emotions to focus on the task at hand in extreme environments - Harnessing flow states for peak performance under pressure - Valuing consistency over raw skill as the secret to long-lasting success - Applying stoicism—remaining calm, grounded, and pragmatic when faced with adversity - Learning that you must take action and “become the captain of your own ship” instead of waiting for things to happen - Embracing failure as a pathway rather than a permanent condition—failure is not the end - Leveraging self-belief and identity for sustained motivation in uncertain times - Building courage to tackle challenges previously avoided due to fear - Recognising that with the “right head game,” even the impossible can be made possible

Mark Sedwill, Baron Sedwill of Sherborne GCMG FRGS, is a is cross-bench peer and a member of Parliament’s Joint Committee on national security. Lord Sedwill is Chair of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and of the Atlantic & Pacific Future Forums (APFF). He is a non-executive director of Rothschild & Co (R&Co) and of Hakluyt, and a senior adviser for McKinsey, Temasek and Rasmussen Global.Lord Sedwill is President of the Special Forces Club and of the Special Boat Service Association, a Vice-President of the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charities (RNRMC), and an Honorary Colonel in the Royal Marines. He is President of the Civil Service Retirement Association, and a Trustee of St Andrews University and of the RNLI.Lord Sedwill chaired the 2021 G7 Panel on Global Economic Resilience. He was Cabinet Secretary & Head of the Civil Service (2018-20), National Security Adviser (2017-20), Permanent Secretary at the Home Office (2013-17), and British Ambassador and NATO Representative in Afghanistan (2009-11). Before that he had a diplomatic and security career serving in Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan. He was educated at St Andrews and Oxford Universities.Lord Sedwill is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and of the Institute of Directors, an Honorary Fellow of Oxford University and of St Edmund Hall, Oxford. He is an Honorary Doctor of Laws of St Andrews University, and an Honorary Bencher of Middle Temple. He is also the recipient of several other awards and honours for national and international public service.

Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Conrad Thorpe grew up immersed in East Africa’s wildlife and communities, which shaped a lifelong intellectual passion for the ethnography and cultures of the region. Conrad served 21 years in the Royal Marines, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and specialising in maritime and amphibious operations. He is very modest about his achievements and operations yet had a highly distinguished career in the Royal Marines, serving on operations around the world, including in Iraq, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan. In 2001, he led the first UK forces team into Afghanistan to secure the British embassy building in Kabul, a high‑risk mission in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 and also the Kuwaiti Embassy in Iraq.  After retiring from the Royal Marines, Conrad founded Salama Fikira (now part of the SF Group), a pan‑African and Asian risk management company based in Nairobi. Through this firm, he was responsible for managing the recovery of more than 50 commercial ships seized by Somali pirates during the height of piracy off the Horn of Africa in the 2000s and 2010s. These operations involved complex kidnap‑for‑ransom negotiations, maritime security planning, and coordination with navies and shipping companies, all conducted with a perfect safety record: no fatalities or serious incidents among the crews or his teams. His work in this space is widely recognised as a benchmark in maritime risk management and crisis response, and he continues to speak and advise on the resurgence of piracy threats in the region. Conrad is now Chairman of the Salama Fikira Group, a leading risk management and security provider with a presence across 80% of Africa and parts of Asia and Europe. The company specialises in enterprise risk, operational design, and security in complex environments, often in fragile or conflict‑affected states. He is also deeply involved in conservation and community development in East Africa, particularly in Kenya. In January 2026, he was gazetted by the Government of Kenya as an Honorary Warden under the Kenya Wildlife Service, a practical, frontline role in wildlife protection, anti‑poaching, and human‑wildlife conflict management. He is a director of Tsavo Trust and supports community‑centred initiatives such as a Sikh‑inspired “Zero Hunger for Langar” school feeding programme, reflecting his belief that conservation must be rooted in community engagement. In 2025, he and his team (Stephen White, Craig Howorth and Jamie Gillespie) repeated this feat, becoming the only all‑amputee team in history to cross the Channel twice. The 2025 swim, completed in 14 hours 40 minutes through rough seas and jellyfish, raised funds and awareness for Blesma, challenging perceptions of disability and inspiring other injured veterans.He is particularly interested in the social structures, traditions, and histories of East African communities, and how these intersect with conservation, governance, and development. This deep cultural understanding informs both his business and conservation work, allowing him to design risk and security strategies that are culturally sensitive and community‑led. In conversation, he brings a rare blend of military precision, strategic business thinking, and anthropological insight into African societies, making him a compelling and passionate interviewee.  

Andrew founded his Social Enterprise, SaluteMyJob, in 2015. He and his team are on a mission to better connect transitioning and former Service men and women, and their families, with ‘Forces Friendly’ organisations and the wide variety of opportunities they offer. This has led to the recent launch of a new platform, Troopr, to use technology to transform the experience for both organisations and individual members of the Armed Forces community. His former employer, IBM, is an important partner in this venture. Andrew joined Kenexa, a US provider of HR science, technology and services, In 2009, after a full career in the British Army. He was responsible for starting up the company’s government business, achieving $25m in sales and $12m in revenue in 3 years.  For his last 4 years in the Army, Andrew was Director of Army Recruiting, responsible for the recruitment of 17,000 officers and soldiers annually into the Regular and Reserve Army. As part of this work, he led a project to identify how commercial best practices, capabilities, and expertise could help to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of Army recruiting. Earlier Army appointments included command of an Army brigade in Scotland; Responsibility for the Army’s UK Training Estate, and 3 years on the Commitments (Operations) Staff in the Ministry of Defence at the height of the Kosovo crisis. In 1996, he achieved his lifelong ambition to command 1st Battalion, The King’s Scottish Borderers. He sits on the board of a US Not-For-Profit, Corporate America Supports You. He is a volunteer mentor for SSAFA and an active supporter of Combat Stress. In 2023, he established and now leads a #JoiningForces initiative to foster and enable collaboration between ‘Forces Friendly organisations. 

Omani Carson is the Founder and Chairman of Carson Group, a leading global financial services firm based in Omaha, Nebraska. He’s also a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning entrepreneur, and sought-after keynote speaker. Beyond his professional achievements, Omani is deeply committed to philanthropy, guided by his mission to create “the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people.” Alongside his wife, Jeanie, he co-founded the Dreamweaver Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to fulfilling end-of-life dreams for seniors with terminal illnesses. His charitable work extends to initiatives that provide food, clean water, and mental health support to underserved communities.  Along his path to success, and in line with his broadening focus on advancing social and environmental causes, Omani realized he was operating out of fear and scarcity rather than love and abundance. Having made this shift, and experienced the profound joy, success, and opportunities that came with it, he’s dedicated to helping others make it for themselves, and find freedom and fulfillment in their own lives.  Omani aims to inspire people to explore life to the fullest, challenge their status quo, and strive to become the best possible version of themselves—all in pursuit of creating a lasting, positive impact. His mission is to empower people to reach their limitless potential, lead consciously, and create a lasting legacy.  The Dreamweaver Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to fulfilling end-of-life wishes for seniors with terminal illnesses, founded by Ron and Jeanie Carson. They make wishes come true as a special way to thank and honour our seniors in their last days. Click to learn more about the Dreamweaver Foundation. http://thedreamweaverfoundation.org Carson Wealth has actively participated in various activities for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation since 2011. Ron & Jeanie Carson chaired the largest fundraiser of the year, the 19th Annual JDRF Promise Gala, "Going Platinum For A Cure," which raised $1.4 million for type 1 diabetes research. Read more: http://jdrf.org/omaha/2016/03/17/jdrf-promise-gala-went-platinum/ 

Krishnam Thapa Magar, also known as Krishna Thapa or the "Warrior Monk," is a distinguished mountaineer and former SAS Sergeant Major who has achieved international recognition for his pioneering feats in extreme adventure and military leadership. Raised in the Nepal Himalayas, Thapa Magar fuses Buddhist philosophy with military discipline, serving as a motivational speaker and meditation guide focused on holistic wellbeing and modern leadership. He supports team development, mental health, and sustainable adventure, acting as a role model for service, compassion, and personal achievement. Krishnam Thapa Magar is globally respected for blending elite military leadership with world-class mountaineering and inspirational personal development.Thapa Magar was one of only two Gurkhas from the Royal Gurkha Rifles to pass the highly selective entry to the British Special Forces, serving as head of the SAS Mountain Troops. He operated on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, demonstrating exceptional leadership under pressure, and was the first serving Warrant Officer to summit both Everest and K2. Krishna Thapa holds nine world-first records in mountaineering, including leading the largest summit group ever to Everest, and making pioneering ski descents from peaks such as Dhaulagiri. He has guided and inspired climbers from diverse backgrounds, including amputees, the visually impaired, and Parkinson’s disease sufferers, on expeditions around the globe—it’s not just about the climbing but about enabling others to overcome adversity. As leader of Gurkha Everest Expeditions, he became the first serving Gurkha soldier to scale the world’s highest peak while opening climbing routes and exemplifying teamwork and resilience.  

Lieutenant General Sir Nick Borton was commissioned into the British Army in 1991. Over a 34 year career, he has served in UK, Germany, Belize, Bosnia, Brunei, Cyprus, Iraq and Afghanistan. He has worked in strategy and policy in the UK Ministry of Defence, and commanded at every level from platoon to corps. His most recent appointments included: Commander 16 Air Assault Brigade; Commander 3rd (UK) Division, and Chief of Staff UK Permanent Joint HQ, where he was responsible for the daily running of all UK joint operations globally. His most recent appointment was command of the NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, UK’s senior field formation, focused on NATO deterrence in Europe. He was awarded the MBE in 2002, the Distinguished Service Order for commanding his Battalion in Helmand, Afghanistan in 2008, and was appointed Knight Commander of The Order of the Bath in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours. He is a graduate of: University of Stirling; Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Cranfield University; Joint Services Command and Staff College; National Defence University Washington DC, and is a Distinguished Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute. On leaving the Army, he has pursued various strategic advisory, board and business roles and is a NATO Senior Mentor. He is married to Amanda, and they have two daughters.

Sam is an experienced transformational leader and adviser with 25 years experience in politics, government, policy-making, strategy, sustainability, financial services and running his own business.Sam has undertaken some big roles in politics and Government. He was Sir Keir Starmer's Chief of Staff for the turnaround of the Labour Party and long-serving adviser to Chancellor Rt Hon Alistair Darling's during the Global Financial Crisis. Sam helped Starmer drive the political and professional transformation of the Labour Party in opposition; climbing from -10% in the polls when Sam took on the role to +30% when he left.He has worked across Government: in Whitehall, in devolved administrations and with intergovernmental bodies, and covered briefs including the Treasury, transport, energy, business and trade during the last Labour Governments under Tony Blair & Gordon Brown.Sam spent a decade as a senior executive at the FTSE100 Aviva plc, running a range of teams and advising the CEOs and Board. One of the projects he was most proud of is authoring Aviva's Net Zero 2040 plan, which remains one of the most ambitious and comprehensive climate plans for a major financial services company.Today, Sam is Chair of Foundations: the What Works Centre for Children and Families, advising government on effective interventions in policies affecting children (for example children’s social care, family support etc). He has a long history championing causes including Living Wage Foundation, Climate Change, Gender Equality and Social Mobility.He also acts as a Specialist Partner at the strategic consultancy Flint Global as well as MD of his own advisory business Next Chapter Strategy, working with senior leaders in business, charities and politics. He is on a number of advisory boards, including the Social Market Foundation think tank.He is married, living in Yorkshire with two daughters. And is proud to have been one of the most senior job-sharing dads in the UK.Sam regularly appears on the media to provide insight and commentary.

Spencer Gore is the CEO of Gorely Group, an investment company with a mission to “create gold medal winners.” The group owns and operates businesses across healthcare and sport, including EMJ, EMJ Learning, AMJ, and Chelmsford City Football Club in the UK.A serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience, Spencer has founded and scaled seven businesses across television, travel, publishing, recruitment, sport, and healthcare. In 2012, he founded EMJ, which has grown into one of Europe’s leading digital health communication companies, building relationships with all of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical firms and engaging an audience of over one million healthcare professionals. EMJ has been recognised in The Times 100 and the Financial Times 1000 lists of fastest-growing businesses.Spencer has received multiple awards for his leadership and innovation, including the Queen’s Award, Entrepreneur of the Year at the BDA’s 50th annual awards, and recognition in The Times and LDC’s list of the UK’s 50 most ambitious business leaders.