Colin began his military career joining the Army in 1989, where he served in the Royal Scots for 9 years. The SAS soon became of interest to Colin, passing selection into 22 SAS first time aged just 23. From that point on Colin was at the forefront of some of the most perilous SAS missions of recent times. He was faced with his most daring mission, nicknamed Operation Certain Death, back in 2000. Wading through the swamps of Sierra Leone on the hunt for the West Side Boys, Colin was aiming to rescue British soldiers who were being held hostage by the guerilla gang. Alongside his fellow SAS soldiers, Colin was able to rescue the hostages and neutralise the West Side Boys.
Proving himself to be a brave and committed soldier, Colin was trusted with more critical missions. Also in 2000, Colin was the first sniper on the scene when a hijacked plane landed at Stanstead Airport. Prominently remembered as the longest hostage siege on UK soil, Colin found himself amongst a four-day long stand-off. Unfortunately, Colin has not always been on the successful side of missions. Deployed to Basra on a rescue mission, Colin soon found himself to be the one that needed rescuing after he was taken hostage. Held alive for use in propaganda, he was fortunate to survive long enough to be rescued by British troops just after a mock execution was performed on him.
After this experience, Colin exchanged his role in the SAS to join Delta Force and Seal Team 6. He also worked to provide security for several high-profile clients such as A-level celebrities and the Saudi Royal Family. He is now best known for featuring in the Channel 4 programme SAS: Who Dares Wins, alongside the likes of Ant Middleton, Ollie Ollerton, Jason Fox, and Jay Morton, and Channel 5’s Secrets of the SAS. Colin is also well educated, receiving an M.Litt in Terrorism from St. Andrews University and a First Class MA in History from Edinburgh University. He also dedicates his time to a number of charitable organisations such as the Lee Rigby Foundation, NSPCC and Pilgrim Bandits. He also founded Who Dares Cares, a charity with a passion to support veterans who are coping with stress.
With such a diverse and exciting career, Colin has built a plethora of inspiring tales and adopted invaluable life lessons along the way. In his public speaking addresses, he is able to deliver authoritatively on subjects such as negotiation, change management, risk, peak performance, leadership, teamwork, motivation and mental resilience. Truly thought-provoking, Colin is the perfect choice to deliver keynotes across the country.