Available to book
John Volanthen
Transform crisis management and team resilience with John Volanthen, speaker and world-renowned cave rescue expert. John works with organisations to develop exceptional teamwork and risk management skills, delivering insights backed by his George Medal and pivotal role in Thailand's 2018 cave rescue.
John Volanthen is a world-renowned British cave diver and expert in underground rescue, celebrated for his pivotal role in Thailand's 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue.
As part of the team that located and helped rescue 12 boys and their football coach trapped deep within a flooded cave, John demonstrated extraordinary skill, teamwork, and determination. His actions, alongside fellow diver Rick Stanton, earned him the George Medal and global acclaim for outstanding bravery.
John began caving at the age of 14 through the Scouts, and his passion for exploration has driven him to push the boundaries of underwater cave diving. He has set multiple records, including the longest cave penetration dive at Pozo Azul in Spain and the deepest cave dive in the UK at Wookey Hole.
An innovator by nature, John designs and constructs much of his diving equipment, including compact rebreathers and underwater mapping devices, to overcome the unique challenges of cave exploration.
Balancing his diving pursuits with his career as an IT consultant in Bristol, John also volunteers with cave rescue organisations across the UK and beyond. His expertise has been called upon in numerous high-stakes rescue and recovery operations, earning him awards such as the Scout Association’s Bronze Cross and the Royal Humane Society’s Stanhope Medal.
John is a dedicated ultramarathon runner and volunteer Scout leader outside of diving, inspiring young people through outdoor adventure. His story of perseverance, innovation, and managing risk under pressure resonates across diverse audiences, offering valuable teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience lessons.
Topics, sessions and talks
John Volanthen presents "Managing Risk — Keeping Calm in a Crisis," recounting his extraordinary experience rescuing a young soccer team from the Tham Luang caves in Thailand in 2018. Through a captivating multimedia presentation, he details the intricate rescue process, drawing on his thirty years of cave exploration and diving expertise. Attendees will learn essential strategies for maintaining calm and focus under pressure, equipping them to lead effectively in any challenging situation.
John Volanthen explores the connection between cave exploration and business success. Drawing from his experiences founding and exiting two IT companies, Volanthen shares compelling stories from underwater rescues, illustrating how skills honed in extreme conditions can foster high-performing workplaces. Attendees will learn how to stay calm under pressure, make sound decisions, and pursue goals relentlessly, even in challenging circumstances, providing both inspiration and practical insights for their own careers.
John Volanthen delves into the vital role of collaboration in achieving seemingly impossible goals, drawing on his extensive cave diving experience. He shares poignant anecdotes from the Thai cave rescue, where teamwork transcended cultural and national boundaries to save 13 trapped youths. Attendees will learn about essential themes such as trust, negotiation, leadership, and self-care, gaining insights on how these lessons can enhance business performance and foster stronger team dynamics.
Book John Volanthen to inspire your team with his extraordinary stories of perseverance and innovation. His experiences in high-pressure rescue situations reveal powerful lessons in teamwork, resilience, and leadership. Transform your organisation’s mindset and motivate your workforce to push boundaries and embrace challenges.
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frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
To book John Volanthen, email john.volanthen@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm John's availability and speaking fee. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and about your audience.
John Volanthen structures his sessions around a multimedia presentation format, using first-hand accounts from the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue alongside his thirty years of cave diving experience to illustrate transferable principles in risk management, decision-making, and team collaboration.
John Volanthen's sessions cover crisis management and decision-making under pressure, business performance through extreme-condition leadership, and teamwork and trust across cultural boundaries. He was awarded the George Medal for his role in the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand, in which he helped locate and recover 12 boys and their football coach from a flooded cave system.
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Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
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