Ocean Rower, Adventurer, Ex-Gurkha Officer and Entrepreneur

In June 2003 Mike Noel-Smith and Rob Abernethy were 2000 miles into their record breaking journey to row across the Indian Ocean when bad weather and injury forced them to abandon. In heavy tropical storms Mike suffered serious head injuries and for 4 days the pair had to wait for a dramatic rescue from an Australian warship. The row and the subsequent rescue caused international media interest, and although their journey was halted the pair has not ruled out another attempt. Indeed, more people have stepped onto the surface of the moon than have rowed across this most inhospitable ocean.

Their ethos in life is to ‘prepare well and follow your dream’. They have already shown business audiences that the power of teamwork combined with sound leadership and a determination to win despite crisis and hostile environments will always pull you through. Not least of all they demonstrate that powerful self determination linked to a positive attitude can make the difference when it matters. 

Key points from their talk include:

• Project Management
• Crisis Management
• Communication
• Team and Individual Motivation
•  Focus linked to goal setting 

Having had no previous experience of Ocean Rowing before 2002, Rob Abernethy ripped up the script and was on his way to entering the record books by rowing unsupported across the Indian Ocean with his colleague Mike Noel-Smith, until midway through their voyage, a rogue wave the size of an office block left Mike suffering from severe concussion and lapsing in and out of consciousness. After much heartache and soul searching a leading neurosurgeon in the UK decided that immediate medical attention be sought and the pair were rescued by the Australian Navy, in severe weather conditions and darkness in the deepest and most distant point from land of the Indian Ocean .

Until the accident occurred his strength of character, positive thinking and never say die attitude had overcome tropical monsoons, gale force winds and a broken water maker and the potential life threatening experiences that were then forced upon him were dealt with equal poise. Branded a hero by Sir Richard Branson his superbly illustrated presentation brings out the best in teams and shows business audiences the dynamics of strong leadership, decision-making and motivation at the highest levels. With this unique and inspirational story, he helps ordinary people do extraordinary things – hold on!

Rob, 31, was classically educated at Millfield School , Durham University and The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, before being commissioned into The Royal Gurkha Rifles. It was upon entering into the Gurkhas that Rob became aware that he had a taste for the wild side of life and was fortunate to be leading a three-man fact finding expedition into uncharted areas of Western Nepal and the Himalayas within days of arriving at the regiment. This thirst for adventure continued throughout Rob’s military career and he balanced his regimental duty, with expeditions into the jungles of Brunei , the plains of South America whilst at the sam e becoming a professional rugby player both for Hong Kong , Richmond and London Irish RFC’s. Rob spent the majority of his Army service in the Far East, both defending/patrolling the Hong Kong/Sino border and as part of the Anti Smuggling Task Force, before returning to the United Kingdom to put himself through the arduous airborne selection course to become an Airborne Mortar Officer in 5 Airborne Brigade (Rapid Reaction Corps). He was forced to leave the Armed Forces due to a potentially crippling knee injury which left him on crutches for 18months and was never supposed to lead an active life again – how they were wrong!
 
He left the Army in 1999 as a Captain and decided that it was time to utilise his thirst for adventure and his entrepreneurial brain and duly completed an MBA at Warwick Business School , gaining a distinction before joining Challenger World, Europe ’s leading outdoor teambuilding and management training company. In this role, he was responsible for the Business and Strategy Development of the company coupled with the professional running of all of the events run by Challenger World. It was during this time that he met his friend and colleague Mike Noel-Smith and very soon their combined thirst for adventure produced the idea to row across the Indian Ocean , and within 8 months of the idea – they were doing it and were forty five days into their adventure when a cruel twist of fate ended their dream. Due to their backgrounds, the plan had been to complete the row and set up a new motivational, teambuilding and leadership development consultancy drawing parallels from their unique experiences in their 21 ft rowing boat in seas of 40ft and winds in excess of 45mph! In fact, the experiences that occurred which led to them having to call time on their epic row, namely; teamwork, motivation, positive thinking, self belief and strategy reformulation under life threatening pressures has enabled them to draw upon many more lessons and parallels that can add significant value to modern businesses. 

Rob’s maxim is that of Winston Churchill; “Never give in, Never give in, Never give in!”