Polar Explorer, First Person to walk the North and South Poles, Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Robert Swan, is one of the world’s preeminent polar explorers and environmental leaders.

By the age of 33, Robert became the first person to walk to both the North and South Poles. His 900 mile journey to the South Pole, ‘In the Footsteps of Scott’, stands as the longest unassisted walk ever made on earth. During his expeditions, Swan experienced firsthand the effects of global warming at both Poles.

In 1992, Robert Swan was the Keynote Speaker at the first ‘World Summit for Sustainable Development’ held in Rio de Janeiro. There he addressed world leaders and was charged with undertaking a 10 year global and local environmental mission which would involve industry, business and young people. Ten years later in 2002, he reported back to world leaders at the second World Summit held in Johannesburg. He had successfully completed all of his promised missions, including numerous international, youth-driven clean-up projects in Antarctica and Africa. 

Since 2003, he has led annual expeditions to Antarctica with students and business executives to focus on leadership training, environmental clean-up and education initiatives. The ‘Inspire Antarctic Expedition’ teams helped design and build the world’s first renewable energy Education Station in Antarctica, called the E-Base.

His contribution to education and the environment has been recognised on an international scale, seen through his appointment as United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Youth and Special Envoy to the Director General of UNESCO. He was awarded the high distinction of OBE, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, as well as the Polar Medal by Her Majesty.