International Day of Disability
- Disability inclusion specialist and consultant
- Professional para-athlete in downhill sit skiing
- Keynote speaker on resilience and leadership
Ollie Thorn transforms adversity into opportunity as a disability inclusion specialist, endurance athlete, and keynote speaker who helps organisations build resilient cultures through authentic leadership and inclusive practices.
Following a life-altering motorcycle accident that ended his British Army career, Ollie rebuilt his life to become a professional para-athlete in downhill sit skiing, raised over £1 million for charity, and completed remarkable endurance challenges, including a 70.3 Ironman. As head facilitator for the Valuable 500's Generation Valuable program, he guides executive mentoring partnerships between senior leaders and disabled talent.
Ollie's firsthand experience navigating extreme change translates into practical strategies for organisations facing disruption. He demonstrates how developing psychological safety fosters high-performing teams, while his expertise in disability inclusion helps companies implement effective strategies that attract diverse talent and promote belonging. His approach combines personal resilience techniques with organisational culture development.
Audiences leave Ollie's presentations with actionable frameworks for building resilient mindsets during uncertainty, practical tools for creating psychologically safe team environments, and strategies for implementing meaningful disability inclusion initiatives that drive business performance.
Book Ollie to transform how your organisation approaches change, builds resilience, and creates truly inclusive cultures where everyone can thrive.
Ollie's showreel and videos
Topics, sessions and talks
Shaping Mindsets for Change
Ollie Thorn explores how to reframe adversity as a catalyst for growth, drawing from his own extraordinary journey of recovery after a life-changing spinal injury. Having rebuilt his life through elite sport and global leadership roles, he shares practical lessons on resilience, adaptability and purpose. With a powerful blend of raw honesty and tangible insight, Ollie offers a compelling framework for navigating uncertainty, shifting mindset, and embracing personal responsibility in the face of rapid change.
Ollie Thorn demonstrates how inclusive leadership can transform team culture, performance and wellbeing. Having led across high-pressure environments while navigating his own challenges with disability, he unpacks the psychology behind inclusive teams and why vulnerability and trust underpin high performance. His blend of lived experience and practical insight highlights the small shifts leaders can make to foster contribution from all voices. Ollie’s open style creates space for honest reflection and meaningful behaviour change.
Ollie Thorn brings an unfiltered and practical perspective to disability inclusion, rooted in both personal experience and global advisory work. From rebuilding his identity after spinal injury to launching major inclusion initiatives for leading organisations, he dismantles stigma and demystifies the conversation around disability. His engaging, clear-eyed approach makes the topic accessible, relevant and urgent. Ollie offers simple strategies that drive genuine progress, challenging teams to shift from awareness to action with empathy and accountability.
Living Courageously: The Importance of Resilience
Ollie Thorn delivers a powerful exploration of courage in the face of life-altering adversity, drawing on his journey from British Army recruit to adaptive athlete and global inclusion leader. After a near-fatal accident, he rebuilt his life through grit, teamwork and a refusal to let limits define him. With a grounded, human approach, Ollie shares lessons in resilience, determination and collaboration that inspire individuals to meet challenges head-on and lead with conviction.
Finding Purpose and Building Courage
Ollie Thorn reflects on how trauma reshaped his life, mindset and mission. At 23, a devastating injury left him confronting an uncertain future, yet it became the start of a new path. Sharing the emotional reality of recovery and rediscovery, Ollie reveals how purpose, gratitude and small daily actions can build lasting courage. His calm intensity and relatable honesty encourage audiences to step into discomfort, embrace growth and redefine what’s possible.
Why we recommend booking Ollie
Ollie Thorn combines his extraordinary journey from British Army soldier to para-athlete with practical expertise in disability inclusion to help organizations build resilient, high-performing teams through authentic leadership and inclusive practices. Book Ollie to transform how your organization approaches change and creates truly inclusive cultures where everyone can thrive.
Check Ollie's availability
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