Are you looking for someone to help motivate and encourage your team? I have 20 years of executive level experience in Fortune 50 companies. Using mountaineering as a metaphor, I will help get your teams excited about the challenges ahead.
Vanessa O’Brien addressing attendees at SHU’s Discovery Museum and Planetarium on October 28, 2022.
It was imperative that we start the year off right – with a new management team focused on the customer. Vanessa’s presentation demonstrated how different people can come together to make the impossible happen, as long as they stay focused on the goal and avoid behavioural traits that undermine team dynamics. As we seek to reach our own summit (or marketing vision), focusing on what one can control vs what one cannot was a poignant message for the team, especially in light of rapidly changing internal and external environments.
– Tyrrell Schmidt, Chief Marketing Officer, TD Bank, US
April 5, 2022
Thank you so much for presenting at our virtual fiscal year meeting to our 1,500+ colleagues from around the world. Your presentation was very motivational and contained great examples of how a crisis, just like an expedition, does not happen in normal times. However, through leadership, truthfulness and decision making, an organization can ensure success rather than failure.
Konica Minolta
April 1, 2022
“Participants from over 20 countries came to the Naval and Military Club to share their ideas about the most important issues facing our time including ideas about the environment, business, politics and technology. As the keynote speaker over dinner, Vanessa inspired all of us to take one more step. Starting with the tenets of a leader as described by Dr. Kissinger… “to help people reach from where they are to where they have never been” to where they never thought possible to go.”
— Hosted by HE Ambassador Otto F. von Feigenblatt, Andean Parliament Special Envoy for Education and Arif Anis MBE, Minister Counsellor, Permanent Cooperation Mission of the House of Feigenblatt.
The World in Crisis Summit
October 19, 2024
Links: Invitation | Press 1 | Press 2 | Video
“Vanessa was able to show our audience of top producing agricultural CEO’s and multi-generational farmers how they shared similar traits to explorers. These traits include courage, endurance, resilience and dedication. Because explorers and farmers both have grit, they are able to persevere, despite failure and setbacks… especially bad weather!”
— Margy Eckelkamp, Brand Leader, Top Producer & The Scoop
“Vanessa’s talk demonstrated the determination and resilience required to achieve greatness, even in the face of setbacks. Through her insightful discourse, she emphasized the importance of perspective, gradual progress, and small victories in the demanding pursuit of becoming an exceptional explorer. Her genuine authenticity, humble nature, and highly insightful visuals captivated our audience, allowing them to grasp the thrill and risks of these extreme environments.”
— Rosalind Benjamin, CEO and Guest Attendee
“Rosie Stancer’s questions for Vanessa O’Brien showcased the courage, resilience, and endurance that it took for her to become a world class explorer. Vanessa’s authenticity, humility, and down-to-earth commentary, together with stunning visuals, captivated our audience, allowing them to experience both the excitement and danger of these extreme environments. An extraordinary fireside chat!”
— Catherine Brumwell, Membership and Club Events Secretary, The Cavalry & Guards Club
“It was imperative that we start the year off right – with a new management team focused on the customer. Vanessa’s presentation demonstrated how different people can come together to make the impossible happen, as long as they stay focused on the goal and avoid behavioural traits that undermine team dynamics. As we seek to reach our own summit (or marketing vision), focusing on what one can control vs what one cannot was a poignant message for the team, especially in light of rapidly changing internal and external environments.”
— Tyrrell Schmidt, Chief Marketing Officer, TD Bank, US
April 5, 2022
“Thank you so much for presenting at our virtual fiscal year meeting to our 1,500+ colleagues from around the world. Your presentation was very motivational and contained great examples of how a crisis, just like an expedition, does not happen in normal times. However, through leadership, truthfulness and decision making, an organization can ensure success rather than failure.”
— Silke Ehmann-Cotichini, Team Manager Brand Positioning, International Marketing Division
Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe GmbH
April 1, 2022
Links: Website
“Women in Sport: A conversation with Vanessa O’Brien” took place at the United Nations HQ. Vanessa shared her fascinating story of courage, tenacity and leadership and left the audience with a tool kit for success. We were also reminded that mountaineers and explorers have a responsibility towards the planet to become activists for The Climate Agenda.”
— Zarina Varukatty-Gafoor, Women’s International Forum
— Andrea Mlynarova, UN Delegation Women’s Club
Women’s International Forum
September 12, 2019
Links: Social Media | Press
“Thank you for such an inspiring presentation. I have received many comments already — how motivating your story and accomplishments are for folks to hear. I thought it was very effective and powerful how you dovetailed our strategic imperatives to high camps and used misaligned behaviors as proverbial avalanches to be aware of.”
— Nicholas G. Quil, Chief Executive Officer
Chicago
February 11, 2019
Links: Website
“The girl on stage quite suddenly metamorphoses into a formidably able planner, climber and leader. In both cases, lecture hall and iced mountain crag, it is her wit and tough ability to conjure up and deal with the moment that wins hearts. Vanessa is just as forceful and effective during Q&A as her ability to take decisive decisions on those bleak iced rocks. Her terrifying and pioneering achievements are made all the more extraordinary by contrast with her years of a business life, which we can so easily relate to.”
— Sir Humphry Wakefield, FRGS
“Vanessa has twice given members of the Scientific Exploration Society a compelling account of her extraordinary journey to the summit of K2. She has educated, enthralled and entertained her audiences on both occasions. She is a true modern day explorer who inspires others to take action.”
— Neil Laughton, Chairman of the Scientific Exploration Society
“Vanessa simply stole the show at the Conference that attracted more than 100 top CEOs from the leading corporate organisations from Pakistan. She spoke about her unforgettable experience as the first British or American woman to conquer K2. She shared how leadership is often a risky, lonely role, but how successful CEOs, like Expedition Leaders, succeed by recognizing and surviving the dangers that challenge them as they take themselves and their teams to higher levels. Vanessa’s examples tested under the most brutal conditions on the most difficult summits, was an eye-opener and her talk remained the most discussed keynote of this high-profile event.”
— Arif Anis Malik, Presenter, Author and Attendee
“Vanessa O’Brien has been a guest lecturer and a presenter for us at the Boston College’s MBA program at the Carroll School of Management on two occasions. Her orientation and experience as both an adventurer and business leader make her an exceptional speaker on topics at the intersection of leadership, strategy, and execution. Vanessa effectively wove together the elements of leadership, teamwork, motivation, and had incredible commitment to tell the story of each of these expeditions.”
— Scott F. McDermott, Director of Boston College MBA Consulting Service
“It was a pleasure interviewing Vanessa O’Brien at The Explorers Club as part of my “Exploring Legends” series. She follows in a line of other great guests including Sen. John Glenn, Jim Whittaker, Buzz Aldrin and James Cameron. Vanessa really had to think on her feet as this series is just one-on-one Q&A between myself and the guest (no visual props) in front of some of the world’s more hard-core adventurers. She was dynamic, and both funny and dead serious when discussing her challenges at the Poles and on the Seven Summits. The audience clearly was engaged as she graciously answered several more questions afterward, publicly and privately. I highly recommend her as a speaker at any kind of event.”
— Jim Clash, The Explorers Club Director and “Exploring Legends” Moderator
“Vanessa O’Brien’s mountaineering achievements are astonishing. The combination of her down-to-earth commentary and stunning visuals captivated our audience, allowing them to experience both the excitement and danger of these rarefied peaks. An extraordinary presentation!”
— Chair, The Union Club of Boston
Lahore Gymkhana Club
December 14, 2017
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Pakistan Embassy, D.C.
October 10, 2017
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Nepali Student Association
April 9, 2017
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Pakistani Student Association
February 18, 2017
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Boston College Club
September 20, 2016
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November 8, 2012
New York University
April 16, 2016
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The Cavalry & Guards Club
Royal Geographical Society
The Scientific Exploration Society
CEO Club Pakistan’s 16th CEO Summit
Boston College Carroll School of Management
The Explorers Club
Union Club of Boston
