The DSO is given to officers for meritorious or distinguished service in wartime and Tootal was awarded it for his time in 2006 when he headed up 3 Para, aka the 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment. He has also taken part in the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the Gulf War of 1991 and done operational service in Northern Ireland.
Prevailing and succeeding in such difficult environments takes the highest levels of leadership, decision-making, clear and inspirational thinking, people-management and team-building – and Colonel Stuart Tootal possesses these qualities in substantial quantities. This makes him a superb motivational speaker. As you might expect, Tootal doesn’t pull any punches but neither does he glorify his time in war zones or attempt to focus attention on himself. Instead, the humble, modest colonel holds audiences spellbound and exhilarated with his tales from the battlefield.
He then ties this experience in with his current role as chief security officer and global head of security at Barclays Bank, where he set up the bank’s armed forces transition employment and resettlement (AFTER) programme. The inspirational and motivational speaker is also founder and chairman of the Parachute Regiment Afghanistan Trust charity, which has raised many millions over the years for wounded paratroopers.
