Robert Swan

Robert Swan is a polar explorer, environmental leader and the first man ever to walk to both the North and South poles. He is an exceptionally gifted communicator and is regarded as one of the world’s top motivational speakers.

His contribution to education and the environment have been recognized through his appointment as UN Goodwill Ambassador for Youth, a Visiting Professorship of the School of Environment at Leeds University and in 1994 he became Special Envoy to the Director General of UNESCO. He was awarded the OBE in 1995.

In 2003 and 2004 Robert and his company 2041 delivered the first ever corporate Antarctic Expeditions on Teamwork and Leadership through positive participation and real missions.

Nicky Wootton

Nicky joined 2041 after successfully running her own communications company for three years. Prior to that Nicky worked for seven years with Management Consultants, Cap Gemini where her knowledge of running large scale workshops is now utilized on Robert Swan’s ‘Leadership on the Edge’ program, the annual corporate lead expedition to Antarctica. Nicky is a committed and passionate member of 2041 who works closely with Robert and the team to ensure the company’s mission is on course for success.

Marjan Shirzad

Marjan is part of the small advanced team supporting Robert Swan in March 2008 when he lives solely on renewable energy for two weeks at the 2041 E-Base. Focusing on the web, satellite and digital communications from the E-Base and the ensuing IAE expedition, her role is to ensure that Rob and the team can beam back the critical message of environmental preservation and sustainability to a global audience using 21st century technology.

Raised in Tehran, Paris and New York, Marjan earned her BA degree in Asian Studies-Middle East Concentration at the University of Virginia and her MA in Visual Anthropology at Goldsmiths College-University of London.

Marjan enjoys cross-cultural photography and filmmaking, and has filmed expeditions in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and isolated valleys of Northern Pakistan. She embraces the challenge of communicating discovery from remote locations across the globe.

Kyle O’Donoghue

Kyle is a documentary film maker living in Cape Town South Africa. He shoots and directs social and environmental documentaries mostly in Africa. In 2007 he was fortunate to be part of the Inspire Antarctic Expedition for the third time as the expedition film maker. Kyle is inspired by simple story telling that has an impact outside of its entertainment value and making films that challenge people to think differently. In 2004 he was a member of an expedition which kayaked the last unpaddled major tributary of the Amazon, the Rio Maranon. His 2007 film entitled “Brass Boys” about music and football as an alternative to gangsterism in Cape Town was selected for the Amsterdam International Film Festival as well as the Tokyo Children’s International Film Festival. Kyle is really looking forward to IAE 2008, especially being a part of the E-base Goes Live Team as well as meeting new people. When Kyle is not running around with a camera he enjoys hiking and rock climbing in the mountains around Cape Town.

John Luck

John Luck is a photojournalist based in Washington DC. John’s images and writings have been published through United Press International, the Washington Post, the Washington Times, Backpacker Magazine, Traverse Magazine, Outside Magazine, and a number of other major market publications; he also licenses his images to corporate and not-for-profit clients around the world. John’s most recent assignment took him to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, where he chronicled the efforts of residents and volunteers to rebuilt their homes and towns, two years after the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.

John is a longtime member of a wilderness search-and-rescue team (Shenandoah Mountain Rescue Group), and is currently a state-licensed Emergency Medical Technician, serving with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Services. This is his fourth Antarctic expedition.

Mark Nicol

Mark attended Aston University where he gained a BSc (Hons) degree in Marketing. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and has a diploma in Direct and Interactive Marketing from the Institute of Direct Marketing.

After several strategic marketing positions within multinational FMCG food companies and an advertising agency, Mark joined npower in August 2006 to undertake his current role. Primarily responsible for npower’s strategic approach to the growing residential green tariff and microgeneration markets he has driven the development and expansion of npower’s residential green portfolio, including their export tariff and ROC agency for electricity generating microgeneration customers and npower solar.

Mark is also heavily involved with Government and industry to develop a regulatory framework to support the long-term growth of microgeneration. He sits on various microgeneration policy groups and represents npower in the UKBCSE sustainable communities working group, linking with house builders and DCLG to understand how new build zero-carbon home targets can be achieved by 2016.

As a Director of Stourport Sports Club Ltd and junior cricket coach Mark is a huge supporter of youth sport development. A keen sportsman himself, his weekends are regularly spent charging around the cricket fields and hockey pitches of Worcestershire and the Midlands.

Russell Oliver

Russell is 26, a father to Elliot and Benjamin, his two young boys, and a partner to his beloved Kirsty.

Since 2003 he has worked at npower’s Thornaby call centre, providing help and advice to some of npower’s six million residential customers.

Before joining npower Russell tried his hand at many different jobs from tending bar to renovating houses.

Russell says: “When I’m not at work I spend most of my time building fences and other diy projects. Since earning the chance to go on this amazing expedition I haven’t been able to sleep! It might be excitement or the worry of spending five weeks with Pete Forest.”

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