Interested in booking Holly Budge for your next event?
Please contact Diana Stoney at Behind The Mic.

Keynote 1:

The Risk Ready Mindset

Turning uncertainty into your competitive edge

    • How to turn fear into forward motion when the pressure is on

    • Why comfort kills innovation and how to stay bold in uncertainty

    • A practical framework for taking smart, calculated risks

    • The psychology of resilience and high-stakes decision-making

    • How to cultivate a culture where bold thinking thrives

    • Leadership & strategy teams navigating disruption or change

    • Organisations looking to energise culture and spark innovation

    • Sales, performance, and growth-focused teams

    • Main-stage conferences seeking an inspiring & practical keynote

    • Risk-Taking

    • Leadership

    • Resilience

    • Growth Mindset

    • Decision-Making

In times of rapid change, one skill separates the bold from the burnt-out: the ability to take smart risks. The leaders and teams who win are those who act decisively under pressure and turn fear into focus.

In this fast-paced keynote, Holly challenges the comfort culture that is holding many businesses back. Drawing on her own experiences, from summiting the north side of Everest, becoming the first woman to skydive Everest, to patrolling on the frontline with anti-

poaching units in Africa, she unpacks what it really takes to make bold, calculated decisions when the stakes are high.

This talk isn’t about recklessness. It’s about redefining risk as a catalyst for innovation, growth, and personal leadership. Holly equips audiences with the tools to embrace uncertainty, build resilience, and take purposeful action, even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.

“AN INVALUABLE SPEAKER TO IGNITE CHANGE”

Paul Squirrell, Director of Mission Network

Keynote 2:

Leading Under Pressure

Redefining Leadership in a World That Won’t Slow Down

The rules of leadership are being rewritten. Leaders who thrive are not those with all the answers, but those brave enough to act when the path ahead is unclear.

In this thought-provoking keynote, Holly exposes what leadership really looks like when the stakes are high, drawing on her experiences of leading teams on high-altitude expeditions to ambushing poachers on the frontline of conservation.

Holly explores how courage, empathy, and calculated risk-taking can unite teams, fuel innovation, and build trust in the face of uncertainty.

This talk challenges leaders to think differently - to shift from control to connection, hierarchy to humanity, and comfort to growth - equipping them to lead with clarity and conviction in a rapidly changing world.

    • How to lead when there’s no playbook

    • Turning high pressure into high performance

    • Why courage, empathy & inclusion are the ultimate leadership edge

    • How to create a culture that thrives through uncertainty & change

    • Senior leaders, executives, and emerging leaders

    • Organisations navigating transformation or high-stakes growth

    • HR, DEI & ESG professionals shaping leadership cultures

    • Leadership

    • Courage

    • Inclusion

    • Resilience

    • Purpose

“HOLLY IS A BOLD SPEAKER”

THE NORTH FACE

Keynote 3:

The Elephant in the Boardroom

The Conservation Risk Equation

Sustainability has become one of the most overused words in business, yet one of the least understood. Too often, it’s treated as a line item, a CSR box to tick, or a report to file. But what if we saw it for what it truly is: a leadership opportunity, a risk management strategy, and a growth driver?

In this powerful keynote, Holly challenges organisations to rethink conservation and climate responsibility as essential components of business resilience. Drawing from over a decade of front-line work protecting African elephants and supporting women-led conservation initiatives globally, she translates lived experiences into actionable insights for the boardroom.

Through compelling stories - ranging from working in conflict zones to participating in high-level policy conversations - Holly reveals how businesses that prioritize biodiversity and community impact aren’t just doing good; they’re future-proofing themselves. This isn’t about charity; it’s about foresight, innovation, and purpose-led decision-making that benefits people, planet, and profit alike. Audiences leave equipped with a new perspective on environmental risk - not as a problem to fix, but as an opportunity to lead differently and build enduring value.

    • How environmental risk directly shapes business resilience & reputation

    • Why conservation & climate action are strategic investments

    • How to integrate purpose & profit for long-term sustainability

    • Practical examples of innovation driving measurable impact

    • Boards, investors & senior leaders setting ESG strategy

    • Corporates seeking to integrate sustainability with business

    • Conferences focused on innovation & the future of business

    • ESG / CSR

    • Sustainability

    • Climate Action

    • Leadership

    • Innovation

“THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING ELEPHANTS”

SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

Interested in booking Holly Budge for your next event?
Please contact Diana Stoney at Behind The Mic.