Mark Pollock

In 2010 a fall from a second story window nearly killed him. Mark broke his back and the damage to his spinal cord left him paralysed. Now he is on a new expedition, this time to cure paralysis in our lifetime by exploring the intersection where humans and technology collide.

As a speaker, Mark is best known for his 2018 TED Talk focused on resolving the tension between acceptance and hope (go.ted.com/markandsimone) delivered jointly with his fiancée, Simone George. It gathered over 1.5 million views in its first 6 months online and has been translated into 12 languages. He has inspired millions of people in hundreds of organisations and is a Davos, World Economic Forum, InnoTown, F.ounders, EG and Wired speaker.

Co-Founder of the global running series called Run in the Dark, Mark has been selected by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader and is a former member of the Global Futures Council on Human Enhancement. He is a UBS Global Visionary, is on the Board of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (USA) and is a Wings for Life Ambassador (Europe).

In addition, Mark is the subject of the acclaimed documentaries ‘Blind Man Walking’ and ‘Unbreakable – The Mark Pollock Story’, he has been awarded honorary doctorates by The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and also from Queens University Belfast. And, he holds a diploma in Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century from Harvard University, degrees from Trinity College Dublin and The Smurfit Business School.

Speaking topics

Adversity & Challenges — Maintaining a Resilient Mindset Under Pressure

Sometimes we choose our challenges, sometimes our challenges choose us. What we decide to do about them is what counts. Deciding to be a competitor, a realist and a collaborator offers your people a chance of maintaining a resilient mindset under pressure. Mark Pollock’s keynote on adversity and challenges uses the power of active decision making to deal with challenges, regardless of where they come from, to help your people become more resilient.

Leadership & Motivation — Leading Through a Crisis and Developing Intrinsic Motivation to Move Forward

Uncertainty and change typify a crisis and it’s difficult to lead in such circumstances. By providing your people with insights into the resilience, attitude and decisions of others facing extreme circumstances you will help them to develop the intrinsic motivation to move forward. Mark Pollock’s keynote on leadership and motivation delivers deep insights for leaders to navigate through the crucible moments they face and lead others to achieve more.

Mindset & Performance – Challenging Expectations to Perform at a Higher Level

It is tough to deliver world class performance. Your people won’t do it by chance. With a high-impact catalyst you can help them act with the courage to make it happen. Mark Pollock’s keynote on mindset and performance is that catalyst – it challenges your people to examine expectations of themselves and others to perform at a higher level.

Collaboration & Teamwork — Creating and Motivating Dispersed Teams Across Disciplines and Geographies

Galvanising a disparate group of people around a common goal is not easy. Yet when it happens, when we collaborate, that is when major breakthroughs happen. Mark Pollock’s keynote on collaboration and teamwork provides your people with insight into how high-performance teams get things done when others can’t.

Human Enhancement – Exploring the Intersection Where Humans and Technology Collide During the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Exploring the intersection where humans and technology collide is essential for businesses to maintain their competitive edge. By raising the consciousness of your people to the human dimension of the 4th industrial revolution, you will empower and encourage innovation at the edge. Mark Pollock’s keynote on human enhancement provides your people with insight into the transformative intersection of technology and humankind as he explores a cure for paralysis using robotics, neuro-modulation, AI and VR/AR.

“I was honored to meet with Mark Pollock in Ireland this year, where we engaged with teachers and students at St. Patrick’s College to discuss the ways technology is changing how students learn. Mark is an extreme adventurer and athlete who has raced to the South Pole — and even more incredibly, he was the first blind man to ever do so. Mark is a brilliant example of the fact that we can always achieve more than what we think is possible.”
Satya Nadella, CEO Microsoft

“It was a privilege to have Mark address both our customers and our Management Team at Google. He delivers that rare combination of inspiration, perspective and practical insight that forces his audience to really reflect on how they rise to their personal challenges and set goals that seem unachievable. He delivers his message in a deeply personal, humorous and memorable way that lands with his audience. It was a pleasure for all of us to spend time in his company. Inspiring.” Regional Director, Northern Europe, Google

“Mark presented at our Global Sales Partners Conference in Twitter and was exceptional.  His ability to link his personal story to people's everyday life and work challenges was excellent. The session was not just about listening to an incredible story, it was a chance for everyone to really think about themselves.  There is something in this talk for everyone.”  Senior Director EMEA, Twitter

“Mark used his story to encourage us to think differently about how we decide to respond to challenges, regardless of where they come from.” Director & Associate General, Facebook

“Mark held a room of over 400 people and you could not hear a pin drop – his messages on continuously reinventing yourself and using challenges to define your future was done in an engaging, perceptive, inquisitive and humorous way.” Board Member, Bayer

“As Mark will tell you, there are two types of people, those who make it happen and those who make excuses. Thanks to his talk, I and all of us are now in the right camp of making things happen.” Vice President, Merrill Lynch (Hong Kong)

“Mark spoke to our global team during our sales development conference at LinkedIn. His experiences of remaining resilient when faced with challenges and creating collaborations that have never been done before was exactly the message that we were looking for. Mark connected with everyone in the room, despite the multiple nationalities involved and his messages filtered into many of our discussions over the remaining days at the conference.” Global Programs Manager, LinkedIn

“Mark’s contribution was a perfect fit at our leadership conference. His experiences of creating multi-national teams aligned perfectly with our international team at CDB Aviation. And, Mark’s insights into innovation, collaboration and leadership informed many of the discussions across our teams from Europe, Asia and the US for the rest of the conference and continues to do so during our day to day work.” President and Chief Commercial Officer, CDB Aviation

“Mark spoke at our Google Emerging Markets event. His message of resilience, leadership and collaboration really resonated with our dynamic, international team. And, his ability to balance the ups and downs of his life prompted us to think about how we approach our challenges.”  Director, EMEA Emerging Markets, Google

“Resilient thinking is something pertinent to everyone and Mark's insights aligned perfectly with our wellness approach. Mark has had a long lasting impact on our people throughout Asia and we look forward to engaging with him again.”  Principal, Group Health, Safety and Environment, BHP Billiton

“Thank you for your inspiring words at our Sogeti Labs Thinkubator event. The group represented some of the best thought leaders at Sogeti, and therefore demanded challenging contributions from all of our speakers. Your input was thought provoking and stimulating, and it set up the following 3 days perfectly.”  Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility, Sogeti

“It was a privilege to have Mark address both our customers and our Management Team at Google. He delivers that rare combination of inspiration, perspective and practical insight that forces his audience to really reflect on how they rise to their personal challenges and set goals that seem unachievable. He delivers his message in a deeply personal, humorous and memorable way that lands with his audience. It was a pleasure for all of us to spend time in his company. Inspiring.” Regional Director, Northern Europe, Google

“Mark presented at our Global Sales Partners Conference in Twitter and was exceptional.  His ability to link his personal story to people's everyday life and work challenges was excellent. The session was not just about listening to an incredible story, it was a chance for everyone to really think about themselves.  There is something in this talk for everyone.” Senior Director EMEA, Twitter

“The rule of seven is one of the oldest concepts in marketing, the rule states that you must hear something seven times before you act. Mark is a rule breaker in so many ways, but most importantly his message to be a competitor or spectator, realist or optimist, collaborator or soloist was a onetime hit with our team at LinkedIn. I have heard Mark speak many times and each time I come away with a renewed sense of purpose and willingness to act. Mark’s drive to build radical collaboration hubs is one of the most important efforts in his drive to find a cure for paralysis however it’s also the biggest lesson he has for those he interacts with.” Head of Solutions SMB, EMEA & Growth Markets, LinkedIn

“Mark’s fascinating contribution was a perfect fit at our global conference to celebrate 30 years in business. His experiences of making decisions in difficult circumstances aligned with the challenges faced by our Brunswick people and our clients.  Mark’s insights into resilience, innovation and leadership prompted action across our international team at Brunswick.  He is truly an inspiration and a fantastic example of what we can all achieve through sheer hard work, determination and imagination.” Chairman – Brunswick Group

“Wow – on behalf of the entire Microsoft CDS team, my sincerest thank you for joining us at our START event in Seattle on our special Culture Day. Your story is inspirational and motivational, and you brought everyone in the room to their feet. The response our global team had to your message was incredible, and we can all only hope to be as positive, persistent and proactive as you are with every challenge we may face.” Corporate Vice President, Consumer Channels Group (CCG) – Microsoft Corp

“I was honoured to meet with Mark Pollock in Ireland this year, where we engaged with teachers and students at St. Patrick’s College to discuss the ways technology is changing how students learn.  Mark is an extreme adventurer and athlete who has raced to the South Pole — and even more incredibly, he was the first blind man to ever do so.  Mark is a brilliant example of the fact that we can always achieve more than what we think is possible.” CEO Microsoft

“Mark provided a powerful perspective to the assembled media at Davos. Mark doesn’t just talk about the transformative intersection of technology and humankind – he lives it. As he explores a cure for paralysis, he helped people understand the human dimension of the fourth industrial revolution at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting.” Head of Public Engagement & Foundations, World Economic Forum.

“Mark opened our global launch meeting in Rome.  His motivational speech on “Mindset” really captivated and helped to motivate the entire launch team!    Mark's inspirational story about mindset and perseverance linked directly to the launch plans and his three themes (e.g. competitor vs. spectator, realist vs. optimist, and collaborator vs. soloist) made the talk very relevant to our journey ahead with the product launch.” Global Brand Leader, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD)

“Mark was a speaker at National Geographic's Extreme Explorers dinner in Davos in January 2016. His personal story and insights were incredibly powerful, and clearly had a profound impact on everyone in the room. He embodies the spirit, resilience and determination that are the hallmarks of what it means to be an explorer.” Editor in Chief, National Geographic Magazine.

“Mark brought a hugely authentic and moving story to our conference. He challenged us all to think about the mind-sets we bring to work and life, and to change those for the better.” Global HR Manager Crude & SEE, Shell UK.

“Mark’s presentation and participation was a key component to the success of our biggest Channel Partner conference to date. His incredible story linked perfectly with the conference theme and was a huge inspiration for our participants. Mark’s insights ‘Made it easy’ to set our partners up for success. I would not hesitate for a moment to recommend Mark to any conference organiser.”  Group Manager Western Europe, EOC Ops Microsoft.

“In the weeks following Mark’s talk I have seen managers’ at LinkedIn reference Mark's approach to solving complex problems. His talk was inspirational and can be applied in our daily business lives.” Director, Northern Europe & Growth Markets, LinkedIn

“Mark has presented to our EY tax department and to the finalists of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme. By using his experiences as a backdrop, he presented the decisions that we all face in times of uncertainty and change. And, as the story unfolded, both audiences were prompted to examine their decision making when challenges appear. The relevance to entrepreneurs and corporate employees alike was excellent.” Head of Tax and EY Entrepreneur of the Year Programme, EY Ireland

“Mark joined us at our National Conference to share his insights into individual decision making in tough circumstances, and the importance of collaborative working. Using his own field of endeavour to bring the session to life, he prompted us to focus on the decisions we make when we face challenges, rather than the challenges themselves. It is this kind of thinking that led us to invite Mark to speak at our conference, where he delivered a very powerful speech that left a lasting impression.” UK Managing Director, Pfizer

Mark's 2018 TED Talk – go.ted.com/markandsimone