About OLLie
Endurance Athlete | Keynote Speaker | Disability Inclusion Specialist | Advisor
A natural storyteller, instilled with a positive energy, Ollie shares practical lessons of how to build a resilient mindset, embrace change and manage fear. All made tangible through practical examples and shared insights Ollie’s injury may have marked a major turning point in his life but it has also made him the person he is today.
Ollie has a passion for Disability Inclusion; working globally to create a more inclusive world in both the charity and business sectors. These experiences range from facilitating a world leading disability leadership development programme to advising and working alongside internal teams to develop and deliver disability strategies.
A glimpse into his story...
A matter of months after starting training to become an Officer in the British Army, Ollie was on weekend leave when he was involved in an accident. A car pulled out in front of him while riding his motorbike. Miraculously he survived.
Breaking over 40 bones, and sustaining a spinal cord injury, he spent the following month in a coma, followed by 4 further months on bed rest in isolation due to the extent of his injuries. With life spiralling out of control, dealing with both the physical and mental trauma of what was happening, he was at the start of a demanding rehabilitation regime staring into the unknown.
Not knowing what future would hold, Ollie remembers seeing a video of someone sit-skiing while on bedrest. It immediately changed his perspective. A year later he sneaked out of hospital looking to chase his dream and find the sense of freedom he craved. Sat in a sit ski at the top of the indoor ski run in Hemel Hempstead he found it, swiftly followed by a falling down the run. Unperturbed, it was the start of a new journey which saw Ollie start downhill adaptive sit ski racing around the world. Racing showed Ollie new possibilities and how adventure, challenge and excitement was still possible. Racing became the tool Ollie used to find his identity.
Recognising that this experience was unusual and many didn’t have the support or opportunity to change their perspectives it started a new focus… to use his experiences to make a better world (he knows how cringeworthy this sounds).
Initially, he transitioned from professional sport to the charity sector where he worked with others who had sustained injuries. Thereafter, a move into the corporate world where he has worked in global roles to support people from underrepresented backgrounds and created high performing inclusive cultures. Ollie is passionate about people, what makes them tick and how we can increase company performance.
Alongside his advisory and speaking work, Ollie has kept up his passion for adventure and challenge. Aiming to undertake one challenge every year that feels impossible. By breaking it down to daily actions, making the seemingly impossible, possible. This has included numerous endurance events from handcycling London to Paris, completing a 70.3 IronMan and a further world event currently on the horizon.
Ollie was forced to embrace change, tackle a challenge and develop resilience. However, Ollie has shown you don’t have to experience the extremes to develop these skills. In his work Ollie works with teams to focus, adapt and achieve meaningful change.