Keynote speaker
Keynote speaker
After graduating from Cambridge University, Sarah followed her dream to become an RAF helicopter pilot and squadron leader. She led on operational combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was the first female helicopter to fly and lead US Special Forces missions. She commanded and taught at the world reknowned Defence Academy in the UK.
During her experiences both at home and at war, she learned two things: performance and resilience under pressure is not instinctive, but humans have an amazing ability to perform, thrive and lead under fire, when they know how. Sarah now has one mission: to share the secret to outstanding performance, resilience and leadership under fire.
Sarah is based in Henley on Thames, England. She has a young son Arthur, who she adores and who keeps her on her A game.
Date

Join your brand-side marketers and event professional peers for interactive learning, collaboration, connection and creative thinking. Engage with senior speakers from influential brands to explore the future of experience design, emerging trends and to critically assess outdated practices. Participate in candid discussions on common challenges and leave with innovative ideas for creating impactful experiences. Hear from a magical experience designer and a former RAF combat helicopter pilot and squadron leader. Leave inspired and rejuvenated.
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: Module 7: Building the Value and Impact of the Convention Industry, 7 credits
* CSEP Approved

The events industry is an exciting, dynamic and challenging place to operate. You need to move fast but also have an eye for detail. You need to work under budget pressure, but without losing the quality of output. You need to be competitive but also work together. If this sounds familiar this is for you. Sarah will share how to thrive under fire, with strategies from the frontline that translate directly in your day job and will help you to provide the very best service to your clients by working smarter not harder, multiply output through collaboration not duplication, bounce back from setbacks better and stronger. And she’ll show how you how to make all this look easy.
Learning outcomes:
Identify and focus on high impact tasks to increase productivity
Empower your teams to work autonomously as well as collaboratively
Accelerate learning and increase team trust and cohesion

In times of extreme stress, leadership is critical. You may have already seen former combat helicopter pilot Sarah Furness and police officer turned resiliency advocate Rob Hosking, speak at the show. Now it’s time for them to come together to share lessons in leading a way through the fear, building resiliency for you and your teams. This no-holds barred open discussion with frontline veterans’ answers questions that will help you grow.
Learning outcomes:
Distinguish between positive and negative stress
Explore perspectives that allow you to lead through challenging situations
Demonstrate resilience and adaptability as a leader