Mark Inglis
Inspiring mountaineer with a story about resilience and dedication
Mark Inglis is a motivational inspiration that has regularly spoken at TEDx events globally, as well as at the 2009 Global Creative Leadership Summit in New York. Having faced the unthinkable, he uses his presentations to share his experiences and philosophies to help his audience embrace change and overcome challenges.
Mark and his climbing partner Philip Doole made national headlines when they found themselves trapped in an ice cave on New Zealand’s New Zealand’s highest peak, Mount Cook. Only 23 at the time, Mark faced the icy blizzard for 14 days and came face to face with death when they suffered frostbites and starvation.
After finally being rescued, Mark awoke in hospital to find out he had lost both of his legs below the knee to frostbite.
Determined to not let this hold him back, Mark continued his mountaineering expeditions, becoming the first – and only – double amputee to climb Mount Everest. In 2002, Mark returned to reach Mount Cook’s summit, documenting his experience in the documentary NO MEAN FEAT: THE MARK INGLIS STORY.
Mark has brought his passion and dedication outside mountaineering. He graduated with a first class honour degree in human biochemistry and worked as a research scientist. After, he progressed into winemaking at Montana Wines in New Zealand, becoming a senior winemaker that spent over ten years developing globally acclaimed wines such as Lindauer, Deutz and Sauvignon Blanc.
In 1998, Mark began working with Wayne Alexander of Britten Motorcycles to design very light carbon fibre legs. Mark won an AMP Achiever Scholarship for his work, and he would go on to use his new legs to be a competitor in disabled skiing where he won a silver medal for the 2000 Sydney Games.
Mark has been a founding trustee of Limbs4All Charitable Trust, a patron of multiple charities and author of five books. He was also recently awarded a doctorate in Natural Resources.
As a speaker, Mark Inglis has presented to hundreds of thousands of people around the world, inspiring them to embrace change and overcome life’s greatest challenges. His presentations feature his unwavering determination in the face of adversity and how every individual requires those skills to perform better in their own lives.