John Nichol
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Former RAF Tornadoes Fighter Pilot and Gulf War POW
During 15 years service in the Royal Air Force Flt. Lt. John Nichol flew Tornadoes in both Air Defence and Ground Attack roles. On active duty during the first Gulf War in 1991 he was shot down on the first low-level, daylight raid of the conflict.
Captured and tortured, he was paraded on television provoking worldwide condemnation and leaving one of the enduring images of that war. He returned to active duty and was involved in policing the exclusion zone as part of the UN force maintaining the fragile peace in Bosnia. He has served around the world from the Nevada Desert to the Middle East and Norway to the Falkland Islands.
As a best-selling author, John Nichol has written 14 books including the Sunday Times best-seller Tornado Down which describes his ordeal as a prisoner-of-war. He has also written for all of the UK national newspapers including The Times, The Mail on Sunday and The Guardian and is a widely quoted commentator on military affairs.
John devised and presented two series of Survivors, interviewing newsmakers who have been through life changing experiences. John is a patron of the British Ex-service Wheelchair Sports Association. He is also a very poor golfer.
John Nichol is a regular public speaker, compere and conference facilitator at conferences, management seminars, company training courses and business dinner events. His presentation, tailored to the occasion, is electrifying, humorous and inspirational.
John’s account of what happened during the Gulf War takes his audience from the highly organised training, planning and teamwork of an RAF fast-jet squadron to the isolation of being shot down and held in solitary confinement.
His experiences qualify him to speak with unquestionable authority on not only surviving change and adversity but also turning it to your advantage. Indeed his physical survival is due to his immense reserves of personal strength, resilience, flexibility and the capacity to withstand upheaval and uncertainty.
Describing himself as 'an ordinary guy who just happened to find himself in extraordinary circumstances', John's message is one of optimism, inspiration and personal motivation.
▪ Surviving challenges, change and adversity.
▪ Belief in yourself and trust in those around you.
▪ Leadership & Teamwork in times of change.
▪ Planning and preparation –The keys to success.
His personal triumph lies in having discovered his potential to cope with extremes and achieve goals way beyond his perceived horizons. And John leaves his audience in no doubt - that potential exists in all of us.
Thanks so much for your brilliant presentation - the feed back has been extremely positive. The delivery was inspiring and it is very rare that such a session is followed by so many questions. Pitched at the correct level, it has made my teams think about of their out look on life. Well done and hope to work with you again
Thank you so much for doing such a great job for us today. We have had lots of positive feedback about your inspiring and really engaging talk. It made our day. Many thanks.
You captivated the audience from the first minute with your speech which was delivered in an inspirational yet humorous way. I have received numerous positive comments from delegates who attended, who felt humbled by your experiences and unassuming manner. Your presentation was the highlight of our team building and briefing day. Thank you John, it was a pleasure and an honour to meet you.
Please accept my sincere appreciation for the role you played at our Sales Awards; what a fantastic awards compère you made too – excellent! And your speech was very inspiring and thought provoking indeed - you certainly ticked all our boxes. Without exception, feedback from the team was positive You delivered exactly what we asked for and more. And I certainly wouldn't have any hesitation in recommending you to anyone.
Your story was as compelling and gripping as I had hoped. I welcomed your open and down to earth style, before and during the evening. I liked the time you spent on the evening making certain that the event would be as successful as possible. You obviously subscribe to one of my favourites motto's; fortune favours the prepared mind! The time you spent with us all before and after the event, and your very honest and approachable style was great. Many of my team commented on how much they enjoyed just chatting with you about your experience. The fact you weren't in a hurry to rush off, in fact quite the opposite, was truly appreciated.
John is a fantastic speaker. His ability to tell a story is not one shared by many speakers. He is engaging, inspirational and funny all in one. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed his speech and I could not recommend him highly enough
Our colleagues were unanimous in their view that your speech was humbling, astute and left us feeling that we can use our experiences, whether positive or negative, as an opportunity to grow and learn
Thank you for a truly fascinating and enthralling presentation on crisis management and facing adversity – it was one of the best speeches I have had the privilege to listen to. Undoubtedly the highlight of the conference
Clients often ask about purchasing books for giveaways and delegate packs. Below you’ll find a selection of products by John Nichol. Click the images to view on Amazon's website. For bulk orders, please speak with your Booking Agent.
How to book John Nichol for your event
To book John Nichol, please submit an online enquiry to booking.agent@nmp.co.uk or contact one of our booking agents on +44 (0)20 3822 0003.
Former Royal Air Force fast jet pilot
Former RAF Tornadoes Fighter Pilot and Gulf War POW
Former Royal Marine, parachutist and member of the SAS
Former Red Arrows and RAF fast jet fighter pilot
Former British Army Intelligence Officer and Bomb Disposal Specialist
RAF Tornado pilot and prisoner of war during the 1990s Gulf War
