Cathy O’Dowd Keynote Speaker

  • Mountaineer and expedition leader
  • First woman to climb Everest from both the North and South sides
  • Expert on team dynamics, leadership and motivation

Cathy O’Dowd's Biography

Cathy O’Dowd is the first woman in the world to climb Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, from both its north and south sides. Her first ascent of Everest happened in the midst of the chaotic events that form of the basis of the ‘true story’ behind the Hollywood movie Everest. Cathy, who grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, has climbed ever since leaving school. She was completing her Masters degree in Journalism, while working as university lecturer, when she saw a newspaper advert for a place on the 1st South African Everest Expedition. Six months later she was the first South African to summit Everest. Three years later she became the first woman in the world to climb the mountain from both sides. Finally she made one last expedition to Everest to try a new route on the Kangshung face.

The years she spent in the Himalaya were for her a degree ‘in living’. The insights she discovered about herself, and about individuals and teams under intense stress in the face of overwhelming challenge, are ones she has been sharing with her corporate audiences ever since. Her stories touch on themes of importance to anyone trying to run successful projects and get the best out of people. Cathy’s most challenging Himalayan epic was as part of team forging a new route on an 8000 metre peak. Although Cathy herself did not reach the summit, two of her teammates did, doing the first ascent of Nanga Parbat via the Mazeno ridge, and winning the prestigious Piolet d’Or for their achievement. She has turned this experience into a fascinating interactive case-study of successful project execution of truly innovative goals.

Read More

Videos of Cathy O’Dowd

Think Like An Explorer - going where no one has gone before
Think Like An Explorer - going where no one has gone before
Teamwork & leadership from the slopes of Everest
Teamwork & leadership from the slopes of Everest
Alcanza las Alturas con Cathy O'Dowd: hasta la cima del Everest - y más allá
Alcanza las Alturas con Cathy O'Dowd: hasta la cima del Everest - y más allá

Books by Cathy O’Dowd

Just for the love of it

Check Cathy O’Dowd's speaking fees and availability

    Sending your message…

    Please wait, this can take a moment

    Message sent…

    Close

    Please provide your details and we’ll get in touch as soon as possible.

    We can only respond to requests for professional speaking engagements. We are unable to respond to requests for autographs, shoutouts and personalized messages.

    View our related Speakers

    tariq fancy
    Tariq Fancy Speaker
    Exclusive
    Tariq Fancy
    Former Global CIO for Sustainable Investing at BlackRock
    Mark Pattison Speaker
    Exclusive
    Mark Pattison
    Former NFL player, successful entrepreneur and mountaineer
    Robyn Kanner speaker
    Robyn Kanner Speaker
    Exclusive
    Robyn Kanner
    Senior Creative Director of the Biden/Harris Presidential Campaign
    Mark Carleton-Smith header image
    Mark Carleton-Smith Speaker
    Exclusive
    Mark Carleton-Smith
    Head of the British Army
    Andrew Sheng
    Andrew Sheng Speaker
    Exclusive
    Andrew Sheng
    Expert on Banking & Finance in Asia
    Jeff Benedict Speaker
    Exclusive
    Jeff Benedict
    Best-Selling Author & Special Features Writer, Sports Illustrated
    Ann Romney Speaker
    Exclusive
    Ann Romney
    Best-selling Author & Former First Lady of Massachusetts
    Oliver Bullough Speaker
    Exclusive
    Oliver Bullough
    Investigative journalist and critically acclaimed author of 'Butler to the World' and 'Moneyland"
    Sope Agbelusi Speaker
    Exclusive
    Sope Agbelusi
    Executive coach and expert on cultural change, inclusivity and people-centred cultures
    David Wengrow headshot
    David Wengrow Speaker
    Exclusive
    David Wengrow
    British Archaeologist and Author of New York Times Bestseller, The Dawn of Everything