Hannah McKeand is a British polar explorer and an internationally acclaimed sustainability and motivational speaker. Best known for setting a world record for the fastest solo, unsupported journey to the South Pole, Hannah brings a unique blend of resilience, strategic thinking, and raw endurance to her public speaking. Her talks, which span topics such as high performance, overcoming adversity, and effective teamwork, are both compelling and deeply relatable. Organisations seek Hannah’s insight not just because of her record-breaking feats, but because of the clarity and relevance with which she applies those experiences to business environments.
Hannah’s path to polar exploration was far from ordinary. Born in Bristol, her professional life began as a statistician for the Automobile Association. After three years, she made a bold leap into the arts, spending nearly a decade in theatre, including roles as Marketing Manager and Head of Touring for the Watermill Theatre and the Shakespeare company Propeller. In 2004, she skied to the South Pole for the first time, a turning point that led her to leave her career in theatre behind. The following year, she sailed around the world in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, confirming her drive to live a life of bold adventure.
In 2006, Hannah completed her record-breaking solo journey to the South Pole in just under 40 days, becoming the fastest woman ever to do so. Since then, she has skied to the South Pole more times than any other person – six expeditions in total – and has taken on multiple leadership roles in extreme environments. These include Director of Operations at Blizzard Expeditions, founder of Polar Expeditions Training, and a key figure in the Emperor Penguin Programme. Her contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including two Guinness World Records and awards recognising her achievements in exploration and writing.
Hannah is consistently hired as a speaker because she embodies the values that teams and leaders strive for: resilience, adaptability, and a calm approach to challenge. Her experiences in some of the world’s harshest conditions give her a distinctive authority on subjects like risk management, team dynamics, and pushing beyond perceived limits. She inspires audiences not just to dream big, but to equip themselves with the mindset and tools needed to succeed.
