Internationally acclaimed mountaineer, writer and broadcaster and the first Briton to climb Everest without supplementary oxygen. Climbing with a small American-Canadian team on a pioneering new route up the gigantic Kangshung Face, Stephen reached the summit alone after his three team mates were forced to retreat.
Stephen is one of the most well-known and respected mountaineers of his generation. He has dedicated his life to mountaineering and has a reputation for pioneering new routes up little-known mountains all over the world.
He is best known for his audacious expedition to Everest in 1988. Not only did his team pioneer a new route up the biggest face of the world’s highest mountain, but they also chose to make their attempt without using supplementary oxygen. Facing the ever-present threat of avalanches and altitude sickness, the story of their expedition is one of tremendous courage and exemplary team work. When his team mates were forced to turn back due to exhaustion, all agreed that Stephen should carry on to the summit. When he reached the top he became the first Briton and one of only a handful of people in the world to climb Everest without supplementary oxygen, a feat which has been described as one of the supreme athletic tests known to man. Reaching the summit late in the day, Stephen did not have enough daylight hours left to descend safely on the same day and bravely decided to bivouac in the open at 8,600 metres, a feat at the very limits of human survival.
Everest was a thrilling highlight in a career which has taken Stephen right through the Himalaya, from Afghanistan to Tibet, making first ascents of many previously unknown mountains. His adventures have also taken him to the Rockies, the Andes, the Antarctic island South Georgia, East Africa, South Africa and of course the European Alps, where he has climbed and skied for over forty years.
Today Stephen is an internationally renowned speaker, writer and broadcaster, and he continues to lead expeditions all over the world. The stories of his adventures have enthralled his audiences at corporate events, theatres, schools and university clubs all over the world. His presentations are gripping, fast paced narratives focusing on the group dynamics, motivation and strategic planning required to plan and carry out a successful expedition. He is extremely adept at applying his experiences from mountaineering to a business framework and is a highly sought after speaker.
'Stephen attended our Global Corporate Division's weekend conference and his story of how he climbed Everest was an object lesson in what can be achieved through sheer determination, and a real inspiration. His presentation will be remembered for a long time and serves as a constant reminder to us that effective teamwork needs to be at the centre of any successful organisation.'
Michael Walter
Global Head of Corporate – Herbert Smith LLP
Icebergs in South Georgia Photo: Stephen Venables 2008
Stephen has appeared in television documentaries for BBC, ITV and National Geographic, presented for Radio 4 and appeared in the IMAX movie Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure.
He has published twelve books. His first book, Painted Mountains, won the 1986 Boardman Tasker Prize for mountain literature. Subsequent books have won the Grand Prize at the Banff International Mountain Festival and the King Albert Award. His ninth book, published in 2006, is the Sunday Times Bestseller Ollie – the touching story of his elder son who had autism and who died from a brain tumour.
In 2007 he published his long awaited autobiography Higher than the Eagle Soars - A Path to Everest which tells the story of all his early adventures and his new book First Ascent tells the exciting history of world mountaineering using first-hand accounts and archival photographs to re-create these gripping real-life adventures.
Stephen has written for all the London broadsheet newspapers, covering exploration and adventure, as well as more diverse subjects such as transport, gardening, music and sculpture.
‘A short note to thank you for the engrossing presentation you gave to our European Leadership forum. The use of your expedition experiences to show the essence of teamwork gave us a wholly new perspective which was most illuminating. And of course those stunning slides …. I normally receive a couple of polite notes from my people after such events, but this time I was congratulated on my choice many times over – terribly gratifying.’
Tony Fitzpatrick
Director – Ove Arup & Partners
Stephen is currently on tour with his lecture 'In the Steps of Shackleton'. Read more about Stephen's lecture tour here.
If you are interested in booking Stephen for your event or school, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss your requirements with you.
Dave’s talk was excellent and extremely well received.
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