Holly Budge

Holly’s expertise is forged in the world’s most extreme environments. She is a world-class adventurer, an Everest summiteer, and the first woman to skydive Everest. Crucially, she leveraged this pioneering spirit to become a multi-award-winning social entrepreneur and conservationist. After being shocked by the daily poaching crisis of African elephants, she earned a Master's in Sustainable Design and founded the global NGO, How Many Elephants. Her experience is not theoretical; it includes racing 1,000km across Mongolia on wild horses and patrolling with female anti-poaching units on the front line in Africa. This unique trajectory showcases a masterclass in calculated risk, resilience, and purpose-driven leadership.

Today, Holly channels her advocacy and unique skillset into a global movement as the creator of World Female Ranger Week and a UN Women UK Delegate. Her conservation work, which has been praised by Sir David Attenborough and reached over 500 million people, has raised over £650,000, supporting female rangers across 30+ countries.

Sought after by the world’s leading organizations, she has delivered powerful keynote talks to executives and teams at companies including J.P. Morgan, Shell, British Airways, McKinsey, and The North Face. As an author and travel writer, her work has been featured in major global media outlets, including Forbes, National Geographic, Travel & Leisure, and Marie Claire. Recognized globally as the WISE100 'Top 100 Women in Social Enterprise', her accolades include the Gold Stevie® Award for 'Thought Leader of the Year in Non-Profit' and recognition on The Diversity Power List 25/26 as a profound champion of diversity.

On the main stage, Holly delivers deeply personal, high-action keynotes that blend gripping, often nail-biting stories with highly actionable takeaways. She provides leaders and teams with the mindset shifts and strategic tools needed to embrace uncertainty, move from risk-averse to risk-ready, and supercharge their ambition. She doesn't just talk about having an Everest to climb; she provides the blueprint for getting it done.