“True grit and rabid perseverance” Ranulph Fiennes
“Truly one of the best talks I've heard” Dimensional Fund Advisors Ltd
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Charlie Walker is an experienced motivational speaker who has delivered over 600 presentations, keynotes and after dinner speeches across five continents. His talks are energetic, thought-provoking, and illustrated with stunning expedition photography.
Using hair-raising, often hilarious tales from 15 years of human-powered journeys through some of the planet’s remotest corners, Charlie inspires audiences to push beyond their perceived limits and develop a more resilient, ambitious, and purposeful mindset. From leadership conferences to team offsites, client events and after-dinner talks, Charlie carefully tailors each presentation to the event's goals and audience. |
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Interested in working with Charlie to bring adventure-driven insight to your event?
Popular Speaking Topics
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Setting Goals and Persevering Toward them
From ambitious chancer to professional explorer, Charlie shares the value of setting big, bold targets even if they feel beyond reach. Even failure, in the right context, becomes a powerful force for growth. “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark.” – Michelangelo |
Leadership and teamwork under pressure
How do you keep a team aligned when the stakes are life and death? Charlie draws on firsthand experience from extreme expeditions to explore: • Spotting problems before they escalate • Using task cohesion to build team unity • Leading with humility and emotional intelligence • Lessons with direct relevance to high-pressure work environments. |
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Risk calculation and positive risk-taking
Where’s the line between courage and recklessness? Charlie explores how to weigh risk in volatile, high-consequence settings and applies those insights to strategic decision-making in business and life. |
Building resilience through stress testing
Resilience isn’t something we’re born with, it’s something we build. Through wild stories and hard-earned wisdom, Charlie shows how we can expand our limits by choosing challenge. Doing difficult things - on purpose - is how we grow. |
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Frequently Requested Themes • Building resilience • Coping with uncertainty • Conflict resolution • Growth mindset • Employee engagement |
Why Book Charlie? • 600+ keynotes worldwide • Deep experience in resilience, leadership, uncertainty and risk • Engaging delivery with high-impact visuals and stories • Trusted by organisations like Mastercard, Pfizer and Mitsubishi |
Ready to inspire your team? Get in touch to discuss your event.
Ready to inspire your team? Get in touch to discuss your event.
“A consummate storyteller with an infectious energy. Thoroughly recommended.”
Cavendish Medical
Cavendish Medical
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“It’s often tricky to get the balance right with external speakers, ensuring we portray the appropriate message. Charlie got the balance just right. The team were in awe of his determination and resilience which I know they'll now bring to their careers! The feedback has been brilliant with many saying Charlie was the highlight, so thank you!”
Dalcour Maclaren |
“Charlie is an inspirational and engaging speaker. He demonstrated the mindset required for overcoming challenges, and highlighted techniques that can be applied to the difficulties of day-to-day tasks. Charlie's presentations encourage individuals and teams to push past boundaries to achieve goals. He is a pleasure to work with.”
CPA Australia |
“Charlie captivated the audience from start to finish. His talk led to continued discussions amongst colleagues with wishful thoughts of joining him on his next adventures. It was total escapism for a desk-bound audience who were eager to hear more…we look forward to inviting Charlie back after his next trip and to get a copy of his book!”
Capula Investment Services Ltd |
“Charlie's incredible stories were nothing short of mesmerising and jaw-dropping. He had a unique ability to connect with everyone in the room. Charlie truly inspired our audience to go outside their comfort zones and explore their unknowns.”
TEDxIndiana
TEDxIndiana
"Everyone thoroughly enjoyed Charlie's session. Thrilling tales aplenty and. much food for thought. Brilliant!"
Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank
“One of the most inspiring, thought provoking and memorable talks I’ve ever heard.”
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“We've never had so many audience questions before.”
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“Charlie’s story is incredible - built on endless ambition, resilience and self-belief. Brilliantly told with humility and humour in equal measure. Highly recommended.”
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“We've never had so many audience questions before.”
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“Charlie’s story is incredible - built on endless ambition, resilience and self-belief. Brilliantly told with humility and humour in equal measure. Highly recommended.”
Selected references:
“Charlie presents real-world adventure and practical life lessons on resilience, highlighting the importance of mental health and offering practical strategies that resonated both personally and professionally. He shared his experiences with humour and insight and was extremely engaging. The feedback from the team has been overwhelmingly positive, with his engaging stories, the powerful connections drawn between resilience in any situation, and Charlie’s unique perspectives on breaking down stressful and challenging situations. Very inspiring!
Mastercard
“Charlie speaks both passionately and frankly about his many travels, in a thoroughly engaging way. The audience was captivated by a life of adventure, from the comfort of their seats.”
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
“Charlie gave our company a really inspiring talk about his travels and the challenges contained within. The stories he has to tell are deeply awe inspiring and truly captivating. I can't recommend him enough.”
Benevolent AI
“Your speech was a smash hit. You captured exactly the topics and even the nuances of what we asked for. Thank you for that. I would also like to thank you personally. The last 2 years have been a bit of a mire for me, thank you for opening my eyes, suddenly I see huge achievements where just last week I only saw frustration. And I think somewhere across the horizon - instead of rain, the mountains have a golden aura on top of them again.”
Pfizer
“Charlie’s talk was deeply engrossing and thoroughly entertaining. The madcap stories and important messages about following dreams and maximising potential complimented each other wonderfully. Strongly recommended!”
Umony
“I was delighted that Charlie was able to tailor his presentation not only to the theme that we had for the event but also for the specific audience involved. It’s great to have a speaker who really takes the time to prepare and delivers exactly what you need.”
Procurious
“Your incredible session was not only insightful and engaging but also resonated deeply with the conference audience. We’ve received fantastic feedback from our attendees.”
Corporate World Intelligence, Dubai
“Charlie is a class act. A gentleman, well spoken, intelligent and a great public speaker and author. His insights are incredibly valuable, and his humour adds a delightful touch that kept everyone engaged. He has entertained my clients twice now! A consummate professional and I have no hesitation in recommending him to others.”
Tandem Financial
“Thank you for your inspiring presentation. The feedback from the clients has been tremendous...
you are definitely living our values.”
Citywide Financial Partners
“Charlie has an infectious energy and is a consummate storyteller. He communicates with a large dollop of humility and explores his extraordinary travels through accessible anecdotes that reaffirmed our faith in humanity and fired our imaginations. Thoroughly recommended.”
Cavendish Medical
“Very inspiring, and all the team were buzzing with energy after the talk.
I’ll definitely be recommending Charlie's talks and books to people I meet!”
Calumino Ltd, Sydney
“A fantastic talk! It was impactful and the messages around resilience,
perseverance and learning from your mistakes really resonated deeply with the team.”
Howden CAP, London
“Inspiring, funny, and full of adventure. He had the audience hooked from start to finish, and his talk really made the day special. I’d happily recommend him to anyone looking for a speaker who can share truly memorable experiences.”
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
"The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive — everyone found Charlie incredibly engaging, energetic, and genuinely motivating. The talk struck exactly the right chord. The practical tools for problem-solving, staying resilient through uncertainty, and fostering effective teamwork were not only insightful but immediately applicable to our day-to-day work. It was clear Charlie took the time to understand our team and objectives through our prior conversations, and that made a real difference. I’d wholeheartedly recommend him to any organisation looking to bring fresh perspective and motivation to their people."
Ryan Specialty Group
“Charlie was an incredible speaker. His messages on perseverance and perspective not only hit a special chord but inspired so many in the audience to seek new ways to view the world and challenge themselves.
I would highly recommend Charlie to any audience.”
Future Farmers of America, Arizona
“Thank you for your attendance at our event in Charlotte, NC. Your presentation exceeded our high expectations!”
Capital Directions, Atlanta
“Thank you so much for speaking to us last night – it was entertaining and deeply inspiring. And not to mention provided some well needed escapism on a dark Tuesday evening! We’ve had brilliant feedback and all the guests said how much they’d enjoyed it and particularly chatting to you afterwards, so thank you again for sticking around for the networking at the end!”
Simmons & Simmons LLP
“We've had Charlie in twice now! Inspiring from start to finish, his story is incredible - built on endless ambition, resilience and self-belief and brilliantly told with humility and hilarity in equal measure. Highly recommended. Charlie’s natural and engaging style meant that his talk was entertaining, inspiring and thought provoking in equal measure. His session was certainly the highlight of the workshop fitting perfectly with our theme and generating new insights and energy into the following discussions.”
Syngenta Agrochemicals
“I’ve had the privilege of Hearing Charlie speak at several events over the years. Each time, Charlie has captivated the audience with his extraordinary stories and deep insights. His ability to weave adventure, resilience, and human connection into his talks is truly remarkable. Charlie’s authenticity and passion resonate long after the event, leaving audiences inspired and reflective. I can’t recommend him highly enough as a speaker who not only engages but profoundly impacts those who hear him.”
Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment
“Charlie bought a unique energy and eloquence to his storytelling. He had every client and team member gripped in spellbound silence. I would highly recommend Charlie to anyone wanting to be inspired, educated and entertained. On top of that, but just as important, Charlie is just a totally normal and lovely bloke.”
Emery Little Wealth Management
“It’s often tricky to get the balance right with external speakers, ensuring that we are portraying the appropriate message but you got the balance just right and individuals were in awe of your determination and resilience which I know they'll now bring to their careers at DM! The feedback has been brilliant with many people saying you were the highlight, so thank you!”
Dalcour Maclaren
“One of the most inspiring, thought provoking and memorable talks I’ve ever heard. Charlie is a fluent, engaging & witty speaker. So lovely to have a speaker who doesn’t rely on notes. We'll definitely be inviting Charlie back next year.”
Chalke History Festival
“Charlie gave an excellent and highly entertaining talk about one of his extraordinary journeys to a packed audience at the SES Explorer Talks programme.”
Scientific Exploration Society
“The audience were enthralled from the start. It was no mean feat to fully engage a room full of experienced business-people, law lords and peers. You really left them wanting more!”
Bryanston Society
“Charlie told of his extraordinary journeys with wonderful eloquence and humour. His passion for travel and his remarkable photographs deeply engaged the audience who were on the edge of their seats.
We had a lot of thanks from the packed audience after this special event.”
Royal Geographical Society, Hong Kong
“Charlie kept us intrigued and a in awe of his fortitude with accounts of the ups and downs of completing such a task. His many anecdotes provided excellent insight into the hardships and loneliness that he faced and the supreme importance of his upbeat outlook and determination to keep going. His presentation had all the elements that our audience enjoy: thrilling anecdotes, great images, and a journey both novel and daring.”
Royal Scottish Geographical Society
“Charlie featured in a line up of first-class adventurers from across the spectrum of explorers, daredevils and pioneers. Each speaker was limited to just 20 slides. The challenge is that each slide automatically scrolls forward after just 20 seconds. Charlie rose to that challenge and entertained the sell out 1000+ audience with his daring descent of a little known tributary of the Congo River by dugout canoe, dodging crocodiles, hippos and rapids along the way.”
Hope & Homes for Children
“Charlie delivered an incredibly fascinating talk to our team as part of our "Expand Your Horizons" initiative. The session, held online, brought together team members from various countries, backgrounds, and interests. Charlie's engaging and insightful presentation drew from his wealth of experiences, offering valuable lessons on overcoming adversity. While the talk was already impressive virtually, I have no doubt that Charlie would be even more impactful in person. Thank you for an outstanding team event!”
Lima Labs, Nairobi
“It was great to have Charlie in again. As ever, we thoroughly enjoyed the presentation, and there were lots of people overheard talking about it afterwards.”
Comply365, Bristol
“That was so great - thank you so so much! Amazing story, so interesting and inspiring. Everyone really enjoyed it!”
Busuu, London
“Charlie presents real-world adventure and practical life lessons on resilience, highlighting the importance of mental health and offering practical strategies that resonated both personally and professionally. He shared his experiences with humour and insight and was extremely engaging. The feedback from the team has been overwhelmingly positive, with his engaging stories, the powerful connections drawn between resilience in any situation, and Charlie’s unique perspectives on breaking down stressful and challenging situations. Very inspiring!
Mastercard
“Charlie speaks both passionately and frankly about his many travels, in a thoroughly engaging way. The audience was captivated by a life of adventure, from the comfort of their seats.”
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
“Charlie gave our company a really inspiring talk about his travels and the challenges contained within. The stories he has to tell are deeply awe inspiring and truly captivating. I can't recommend him enough.”
Benevolent AI
“Your speech was a smash hit. You captured exactly the topics and even the nuances of what we asked for. Thank you for that. I would also like to thank you personally. The last 2 years have been a bit of a mire for me, thank you for opening my eyes, suddenly I see huge achievements where just last week I only saw frustration. And I think somewhere across the horizon - instead of rain, the mountains have a golden aura on top of them again.”
Pfizer
“Charlie’s talk was deeply engrossing and thoroughly entertaining. The madcap stories and important messages about following dreams and maximising potential complimented each other wonderfully. Strongly recommended!”
Umony
“I was delighted that Charlie was able to tailor his presentation not only to the theme that we had for the event but also for the specific audience involved. It’s great to have a speaker who really takes the time to prepare and delivers exactly what you need.”
Procurious
“Your incredible session was not only insightful and engaging but also resonated deeply with the conference audience. We’ve received fantastic feedback from our attendees.”
Corporate World Intelligence, Dubai
“Charlie is a class act. A gentleman, well spoken, intelligent and a great public speaker and author. His insights are incredibly valuable, and his humour adds a delightful touch that kept everyone engaged. He has entertained my clients twice now! A consummate professional and I have no hesitation in recommending him to others.”
Tandem Financial
“Thank you for your inspiring presentation. The feedback from the clients has been tremendous...
you are definitely living our values.”
Citywide Financial Partners
“Charlie has an infectious energy and is a consummate storyteller. He communicates with a large dollop of humility and explores his extraordinary travels through accessible anecdotes that reaffirmed our faith in humanity and fired our imaginations. Thoroughly recommended.”
Cavendish Medical
“Very inspiring, and all the team were buzzing with energy after the talk.
I’ll definitely be recommending Charlie's talks and books to people I meet!”
Calumino Ltd, Sydney
“A fantastic talk! It was impactful and the messages around resilience,
perseverance and learning from your mistakes really resonated deeply with the team.”
Howden CAP, London
“Inspiring, funny, and full of adventure. He had the audience hooked from start to finish, and his talk really made the day special. I’d happily recommend him to anyone looking for a speaker who can share truly memorable experiences.”
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
"The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive — everyone found Charlie incredibly engaging, energetic, and genuinely motivating. The talk struck exactly the right chord. The practical tools for problem-solving, staying resilient through uncertainty, and fostering effective teamwork were not only insightful but immediately applicable to our day-to-day work. It was clear Charlie took the time to understand our team and objectives through our prior conversations, and that made a real difference. I’d wholeheartedly recommend him to any organisation looking to bring fresh perspective and motivation to their people."
Ryan Specialty Group
“Charlie was an incredible speaker. His messages on perseverance and perspective not only hit a special chord but inspired so many in the audience to seek new ways to view the world and challenge themselves.
I would highly recommend Charlie to any audience.”
Future Farmers of America, Arizona
“Thank you for your attendance at our event in Charlotte, NC. Your presentation exceeded our high expectations!”
Capital Directions, Atlanta
“Thank you so much for speaking to us last night – it was entertaining and deeply inspiring. And not to mention provided some well needed escapism on a dark Tuesday evening! We’ve had brilliant feedback and all the guests said how much they’d enjoyed it and particularly chatting to you afterwards, so thank you again for sticking around for the networking at the end!”
Simmons & Simmons LLP
“We've had Charlie in twice now! Inspiring from start to finish, his story is incredible - built on endless ambition, resilience and self-belief and brilliantly told with humility and hilarity in equal measure. Highly recommended. Charlie’s natural and engaging style meant that his talk was entertaining, inspiring and thought provoking in equal measure. His session was certainly the highlight of the workshop fitting perfectly with our theme and generating new insights and energy into the following discussions.”
Syngenta Agrochemicals
“I’ve had the privilege of Hearing Charlie speak at several events over the years. Each time, Charlie has captivated the audience with his extraordinary stories and deep insights. His ability to weave adventure, resilience, and human connection into his talks is truly remarkable. Charlie’s authenticity and passion resonate long after the event, leaving audiences inspired and reflective. I can’t recommend him highly enough as a speaker who not only engages but profoundly impacts those who hear him.”
Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment
“Charlie bought a unique energy and eloquence to his storytelling. He had every client and team member gripped in spellbound silence. I would highly recommend Charlie to anyone wanting to be inspired, educated and entertained. On top of that, but just as important, Charlie is just a totally normal and lovely bloke.”
Emery Little Wealth Management
“It’s often tricky to get the balance right with external speakers, ensuring that we are portraying the appropriate message but you got the balance just right and individuals were in awe of your determination and resilience which I know they'll now bring to their careers at DM! The feedback has been brilliant with many people saying you were the highlight, so thank you!”
Dalcour Maclaren
“One of the most inspiring, thought provoking and memorable talks I’ve ever heard. Charlie is a fluent, engaging & witty speaker. So lovely to have a speaker who doesn’t rely on notes. We'll definitely be inviting Charlie back next year.”
Chalke History Festival
“Charlie gave an excellent and highly entertaining talk about one of his extraordinary journeys to a packed audience at the SES Explorer Talks programme.”
Scientific Exploration Society
“The audience were enthralled from the start. It was no mean feat to fully engage a room full of experienced business-people, law lords and peers. You really left them wanting more!”
Bryanston Society
“Charlie told of his extraordinary journeys with wonderful eloquence and humour. His passion for travel and his remarkable photographs deeply engaged the audience who were on the edge of their seats.
We had a lot of thanks from the packed audience after this special event.”
Royal Geographical Society, Hong Kong
“Charlie kept us intrigued and a in awe of his fortitude with accounts of the ups and downs of completing such a task. His many anecdotes provided excellent insight into the hardships and loneliness that he faced and the supreme importance of his upbeat outlook and determination to keep going. His presentation had all the elements that our audience enjoy: thrilling anecdotes, great images, and a journey both novel and daring.”
Royal Scottish Geographical Society
“Charlie featured in a line up of first-class adventurers from across the spectrum of explorers, daredevils and pioneers. Each speaker was limited to just 20 slides. The challenge is that each slide automatically scrolls forward after just 20 seconds. Charlie rose to that challenge and entertained the sell out 1000+ audience with his daring descent of a little known tributary of the Congo River by dugout canoe, dodging crocodiles, hippos and rapids along the way.”
Hope & Homes for Children
“Charlie delivered an incredibly fascinating talk to our team as part of our "Expand Your Horizons" initiative. The session, held online, brought together team members from various countries, backgrounds, and interests. Charlie's engaging and insightful presentation drew from his wealth of experiences, offering valuable lessons on overcoming adversity. While the talk was already impressive virtually, I have no doubt that Charlie would be even more impactful in person. Thank you for an outstanding team event!”
Lima Labs, Nairobi
“It was great to have Charlie in again. As ever, we thoroughly enjoyed the presentation, and there were lots of people overheard talking about it afterwards.”
Comply365, Bristol
“That was so great - thank you so so much! Amazing story, so interesting and inspiring. Everyone really enjoyed it!”
Busuu, London
A timed 400-second talk at a London charity event in which speakers have only 20 seconds per slide.