Guy Levene OBE is a former British Army officer, entrepreneur, conservationist and renewable energy innovator whose extraordinary career offers powerful lessons in resilience, leadership and adaptability. Over more than three decades in the British Army, Guy operated across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, leading soldiers and multinational teams in complex environments. His work with the Eastern Africa Standby Force saw him support preparations for operations in Somalia, while his contribution to military development and international cooperation in East Africa led to him being appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2012.
After leaving regular military service, Guy chose an unconventional next chapter. Remaining in Ethiopia, he established Bale Mountain Lodge, an award-winning eco-lodge in the remote Bale Mountains National Park. Building a hospitality business in an isolated environment demanded entrepreneurship, persistence and creative problem-solving, while Guy also supported conservation, scientific research and local communities. His wider work in Africa has included advising businesses, supporting humanitarian and logistics operations and establishing a locust eradication programme during an emerging crisis.
Guy’s understanding of resilience has also been tested personally. Having navigated the Covid-19 pandemic, conflict in Ethiopia and seven weeks being held hostage by an armed group, he has experienced uncertainty at a level few corporate speakers can match. His career has since extended into renewable energy, including serving as CEO of Spiralis Energy and developing tidal energy solutions. These experiences give Guy an unusual ability to connect lessons from military leadership, entrepreneurship, conservation and engineering with challenges faced by modern organisations.
As a motivational speaker, Guy combines remarkable first-hand stories with humour, warmth and practical insight. He explores what happens when plans fail, why trust can transform team performance, how leaders make decisions with incomplete information and why challenging accepted thinking can create opportunities. From building an eco-lodge in the Ethiopian wilderness to preparing multinational teams for operations in Somalia, his stories demonstrate his guiding philosophy, ‘Every worthwhile thing I’ve ever done began with somebody telling me it couldn’t be done.’ Hire Guy for an engaging perspective on resilience, leadership, adaptability, teamwork and performing under pressure.
