Marie Gleeson's biography
International Women's Day
- One of the first female officers in the Irish Navy
- Keynote speaker on leadership and resilience in high pressure environments
- Leadership Consultant and Coach at NavMar Leadership
Marie Gleeson is an inspirational figure in the realm of leadership, known for her remarkable ability to blend her extensive military experience with her insightful perspectives on resilience and decision-making.
With over two decades of service in the Irish Navy, Marie’s journey from a young cadet in 1998 to the Commanding Officer of LE AOIFE, a prestigious position within the naval hierarchy, is a testament to her unwavering commitment and leadership capabilities. Her experiences navigating the tumultuous waters of the Atlantic Ocean, where she faced high-stakes challenges such as international drug interdictions and the tragic loss of a colleague at sea, have equipped her with a unique understanding of leadership under pressure.
Throughout her career, Marie has consistently shattered barriers as one of the first female officers in the Irish Navy, making her an authoritative voice on leadership in male-dominated industries. In her keynotes, Marie eloquently conveys the lessons learned from her military career, focusing on the importance of decision-making in high-pressure situations, the value of resilience in high performance arenas, and the necessity of support systems when facing adversity. Her authenticity and engaging delivery make her a sought-after speaker for audiences seeking inspiration and practical leadership insights.
Marie's work as a Leadership Consultant and Coach at NavMar Leadership also highlights her dedication to fostering leadership skills in others, focusing on the power of teamwork, diversity, and inclusion in businesses. She works with leaders and teams across the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors delivering transformational results.
Invited to speak at prestigious events like the Pendulum Summit, Marie is a compelling keynote speaker who resonates with diverse audiences. Her talks, often laced with humour and passion, are not just about leadership; they are about overcoming adversity, breaking through barriers, and leading with authenticity and integrity. For anyone seeking a keynote speaker who embodies resilience and holds a deep understanding of the professional and personal challenges military and corporate environments bring, Marie stands out as an exceptional choice.
Marie's showreel and videos
Topics, sessions and talks
Building High-Performing Teams In A Changing World
In this session, Marie Gleeson discusses key insights from operating in high-tempo, high-risk environments where lives were on the line. She emphasises that high performance is built on systems, commitment, clarity and anchored in trust. To really operate at levels of excellence, teams have to be agile, especially when operating in a world where crisis is the new norm. Marie homes in on the concept of “Team” to ensure that attendees walk away with key insights to enhance their overall success.
The leadership Journey To The Captain’s Chair
To lead effectively, you have to know who you are. It sounds easy, however, developing the self-awareness needed to deliver for your team requires a depth of emotional intelligence that doesn’t always come easy. Marie Gleeson shares the key lessons she learned from leading at the highest level and how she learned the most from when she got it wrong. Authentic is not just a theory of leadership – it is the critical success factor when you get it right.
Overcoming Challenges And Surviving The Storm
Marie Gleeson faced and overcame many challenges and barriers as one of the first women in the Irish navy. Her resilience was built through tough training, deployments in the middle of the Atlantic and in the heat of the Chadian desert. But the worst storm she faced was the one that was not forecast. She had all the skills to survive at sea in a life raft – but when life put her in a place of “sink or swim”, – she had to dig deep to survive. Her insights on resilience resonate with attendees long after this session finishes.
Commanding With Compassion
Military Leadership Training in the 1990s did not feature classes on feelings or emotions. Mindfulness and Wellbeing were not part of the syllabus. An Officer was always to be in control of their ship and of themselves. Standards were high; life was tough. When you operate in high-risk environments with life and limb on the line, you carry the load on the inside. Marie delivers key insights for attendees on how you can set high standards, make tough decisions, and still lead with compassion.
Why we recommend booking Marie
Drawing from her groundbreaking career as one of the first female officers in the Irish Navy, Marie Gleeson delivers powerful insights that translate military leadership principles into business success strategies, helping organisations develop resilience and take decisive action during uncertainty. Book Marie today to transform how your team navigates challenges and develops the next generation of confident, inclusive leaders who perform under pressure.
Check Marie's availability
Trusted by Royal College of Midwives Northern Ireland, Irish Principals’ Network (IPPN), Microsoft Business Operations, Trigon Hotel Group, Institute of Directors
Raw, personal and deeply honest, Marie is an exceptional storyteller. She connected with the audience in that rare way of making everyone in the room feel like she was speaking to them directly, taking them on her journey through the highs and lows of leadership and life. Her story is a rollercoaster of emotions that reflects the true nature of leadership in all its forms, and will leave you feeling moved, inspired and uplifted.
Jennifer Welsh
Chief Executive, Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Marie delivered a very powerful speech to our Executive Institute members. Our membership community is mainly made up of Senior Executives from Ireland’s leading companies. Their feedback for Marie’s session was excellent, giving the content a 9.8 out of 10 feedback score. We look forward to working with Marie in the future and are very confident recommending her as a speaker.
David Malone
Marketing & Communications Director, Executive Institute
When it came to finding the right person to address Irish primary school leaders on the conference theme ‘Leading with Purpose’, there was unanimous agreement that Marie Gleeson would fit the bill. Marie listened to our brief very carefully and delivered a compelling and personal input on resilience, trust, empathy, mental toughness and the need to sustain yourself through your leadership journey. It’s rare that our audience responds with a standing ovation. Her message clearly resonated strongly with the 950+ principals present. Marie deserved every second of the applause and the accolades that followed.
CEO, Irish Principals' Network (IPPN), Irish Principals’ Network (IPPN)
