During his time as Chief of Defence he successfully concluded combat operations in Afghanistan. He was the prime military architect of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, helping to secure the 2% GDP financial settlement for UK Defence. He was also instrumental in the strategic recalibration of UK military commitment to meet the multiple demands of ideologically inspired terrorism, a more assertive Russia and a far less stable global context. In August 2016 General Houghton became the 160th Constable of the Tower of London, but he remains closely involved in Security and Defence issues.

Petra Malm is an elite soldier and trainer - trained instructor in military training. 17 years in the Swedish Armed Forces and the last ten as operator in the special force. She had to break new ground early in both the air force and the hunter's union before she, as the first woman, ever managed the selection tests to be a operator in the special crew. She has brought the experience from operational activities, both nationally and internationally, together with the requirements that the service meant - both physically and mentally, with her to the new civilian life, as a lecturer, trainer and coach.

Tim caught the world’s attention with his address to his troops on the eve of the Iraqi invasion in 2003. His speech was an inspiration to world leaders and infantrymen alike and provided a suspicious and confused public with some explanation for the controversial war and marked him out as thinker as well as a leader of men. Since his retirement from the army in 2004, Tim has written his bestselling memoir Rules of Engagement and built a successful career in the media as a talking head and television presenter.

A three-star general, General Sir Graeme Lamb is the former Director of the United Kingdom’s Special Forces (UKSF). His operational experience is truly global having been deployed, or in direct support of those deployments, to virtually all the UK’s major conflicts since 1973. A no-nonsense and engaging speaker with the ability to bring to life complex issues, involve those who listen and visualize the outcomes. His views on leaders and leadership are fresh and insightful, humble, and inclusive. While his reflections on people, purpose, and pay re-prioritize our thinking. Graeme discusses leadership and the value of "looking at problems differently". Using his vast military experience, his understanding of history and human nature, he inspires audiences to reconsider their assessments of situations, the way they perceive information and even challenging their sub-conscious or reflexive take on what they know or believe.

Chris Gibson brings with him over 34 years military and leadership experience. He has held leadership roles and key appointments throughout his career, serving on specialist military operations all over the world. Named International Innovator of the Year 2017-2018 by Ideas UK, Chris is currently serving as a special advisor to the Ministry of Justice as a Leadership and Cultural Advisor and speaks with various groups on applying his first-hand military practice and innovation into business leadership to formulate wining strategies.

Andy McNab DCM MM joined the army in 1976, served in B squadron 22 SAS for nine years and commanded the legendary Bravo Two Zero patrol in the Gulf War. He was the British Army’s most highly decorated serving soldier when he finally left the SAS in February 1993. He is the author of Bravo Two Zero, the bestselling war memoir of all time, and ten bestselling novels. Trained as a specialist in counter terrorism, prime target elimination, demolitions, weapons and tactics, covert surveillance and information gathering in hostile environments, and VIP protection, McNab has worked on cooperative operations with police forces, prison services, anti-drug forces and western backed guerrilla movements as well as on conventional special operations.

Josh is a unique man. He has won the rugby world cup, graduated from Sandhurst, serving as an officer in the Royal Artillery and took on the challenge to climb Everest. This is man with drive, focus who understands how to achieve success. University educated Josh has a rare insight into a combination of elite performance environments. Not only does he know about winning and losing from his immensely successful period as a professional rugby player, but he has the knowledge from the military and climbing that if you don’t work as a team, don’t prepare, don’t listen, don’t adapt to changes going on around you, death is a reality.

Ash Alexander-Cooper OBE is a former Specialist Military Unit Colonel in the British Armed Forces and a former Partner at McChrystal Group - an elite advisory services firm that builds agile teams and enables clients to adapt to their complex operating environments. Ash was a Partner in McChrystal Group's London, England office, where he focused on expanding the firm’s offerings and developing relationships with European clients. With a focus on leader development, talent management, and team-building solutions, Ash draws upon lessons learned from over 22 years of experience leading and managing diverse multinational military, civilian government and other elite teams.

Born and raised in Carlisle and adopted at an early age, Rusty lived with different relatives and attended many different schools up until the age of fifteen when he had to fend for himself. At the age of seventeen, he joined the 49 Field Regiment Royal Artillery and remained there for approximately four years. While there, he was made captain of the regimental football team and represented the Royal Artillery and British Army football team at top amateur level. He completed several of Northern Ireland as a patrol commander and was heavily involved in adventure training, completing the Italian Alps walk, French Pyrenees walk, and the Great Divide trail walk in Canada in successive years. Rusty volunteered to serve with 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, completed the grueling selection process, and at Lympstone received the coveted Green Beret. Within fifteen months of being in 29 Commando training wing. He applied to join the SAS and in 1977, completed the SAS selection course receiving the coveted beige beret and winged dagger in six months, assigned to B squadron.

As the highest-ranking Asian American in the history of the U.S. Navy, Ambassador Harry B. Harris Jr. oversaw all military operations for more than half of the world’s geography as Commander, U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM). Widely regarded for his leadership, Amb. Harris was selected to serve by two presidential administrations – first to lead in one of the military’s most challenging roles at a critical time when the U.S. confronted the rise of new world powers and nuclear threats, and later as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea.

General Stanley McChrystal is a four-star general, the former commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan and the former leader of Joint Special Operations Command, which oversees the most sensitive counter-terrorism units. He is widely praised for revolutionizing warfare by fusing intelligence and operations and is credited with the capture of Saddam Hussein and the location and killing al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called McChrystal “one of America’s greatest warriors.” McChrystal addresses leadership, teambuilding, and geopolitics.

A trailblazer in female leadership, Lieutenant General (ret) Nadja West is the 44th Army Surgeon General and the former Commanding General of US Army Medical Command. She is the first African American woman 3-star General in the Army’s history, the first African American Army Surgeon General, and currently the highest-ranking woman to ever graduate from West Point. West shares her story of grit, perseverance, strength, and breaking boundaries, even when faced with adversity. Taking audiences on her journey to becoming the Army’s first African American woman 3-star General, she motivates them to overcome challenges with self-belief, bravery, and balance. With more than 20 years of experience in executive leadership, crisis management, and disaster response – including crafting the DOD medical response to the Ebola crisis – West speaks expertly on leadership tactics to effectively lead teams through times of uncertainty and crisis.