Mike Bates delivers gripping keynotes on covert leadership, resilience and elite performance shaped by 20 years serving the UK at the highest operational level.
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Top rated!5 of 5
‘I’ve seen a lot of speakers and honestly that was truly captivating, funny and relatable…not many people can pull that off!’
Samantha Henpshall
Blueprint Operations
Mike Bates is a human intelligence specialist, former covert counter-terrorism operations leader, entrepreneur and adventurer, with two decades of operational service across His Majesty’s Royal Marines and within the Ministry of Defence. He has completed the full qualification pathway required to support the UK’s most advanced counter-terror response capabilities. Known for his relentless mindset and ability to perform under pressure, Mike also earned global recognition as the fastest solo British rower to complete The World’s Toughest Row across the Atlantic, raising £175,000 for charity. Today he brings these lessons to audiences worldwide, blending gripping stories with practical leadership and resilience frameworks leaders can apply immediately.
Mike Bates is a human intelligence specialist, covert counter-terrorism operations leader, entrepreneur and adventurer. Mike served a combined total of 20 years serving the UK both within His Majesty’s Royal Marines and the Intelligence and Security fields of the Ministry of Defence. He is the first officer in the history of the MOD to pass all required courses to serve at the very front line of the U.K.’s counter-terror response.
Mike is also well known for becoming the fastest solo British person to complete the ‘The World’s Toughest Row’, across the Atlantic in a little over 46 days. His efforts over the three-year campaign for this challenge raised a phenomenal £175,000 for charity and inspired people all over the world.
From covert missions to corporate transformation Mike Bates doesn’t tell stories — he declassifies them.
A former MOD covert operations leader and human intelligence specialist, Mike spent over two decades navigating the world’s most demanding environments, from covert counter-terrorism operations to surviving the Atlantic Ocean alone. Dubbed ‘the real James Bond’, Mike’s unique career took him from secret briefing rooms and battlefields to boardrooms, where the same skills that kept him and others alive now help leaders and teams perform under pressure and unlock their hidden potential.
But Mike’s keynotes go far beyond inspiration.
Mike translates his high-stakes experiences through captivating real-life examples into repeatable frameworks and systems that create measurable change. Each talk delivers practical, actionable takeaways wrapped in edge-of-your-seat storytelling.
Mike’s blend of espionage-grade storytelling, elite performance psychology, and authentic humanity positions him as a rare hybrid and thought leader in the speaking circuit, both thrilling and transformational in equal measure.
If your agency is seeking a speaker who can captivate, challenge, and convert audiences, from global corporations to elite teams, Mike Bates is a speaker built for intrigue, impact, and enduring partnerships.
5 of 5
‘I’ve seen a lot of speakers and honestly that was truly captivating, funny and relatable…not many people can pull that off!’
Samantha Henpshall Blueprint Operations
5 of 5
‘It’s a rare moment as a host to look out across a room of 150 people and see complete silence, with every single person fully engaged for the full hour of Mike Bakes’ talk. The inspiration and motivation that poured from that session has energised so many leaders in the room to rethink how they can not only lead their business better but life too’.
Rob Brady Coach, Iceberg Digital.
5 of 5
‘Your session was brilliant. Authentic and inspiring with practical takeaways’
Paul Devoy CEO Investors in People.
Keynote by Mike Bates:
In this keynote, Mike Bates breaks down one of his most powerful resilience strategies: constructing a personal “wall of evidence” that strengthens self-belief long before pressure hits. Drawing from years operating in the UK’s most demanding environments, Mike shows how resilience isn’t built in the moment of crisis, but in the preparation that precedes it.
Audiences learn how to gather and structure their own evidence, past wins, learned lessons, behavioural patterns and operational truths, to create a mental foundation that holds steady when stress peaks. Mike demonstrates how this internal “evidence wall” becomes a stabilising anchor during adversity and a recovery tool after the storm has passed.
This keynote gives leaders and teams a repeatable method for reinforcing confidence, maintaining clarity under fire and rebuilding momentum after setbacks. It is direct, practical and deeply compelling, perfect for any organisation seeking to elevate resilience at every level.
Keynote by Mike Bates:
In this keynote, Mike Bates brings audiences inside the type of leadership forged in environments where pressure is constant and failure carried real consequences. Drawing from years operating in the shadows for the UK, Mike reveals how authentic leadership is built not through titles or authority, but through trust, courage and consistent behaviour when it matters most.
He breaks down how leaders can earn commitment in high-stakes moments, make clear decisions under strain and create the psychological safety teams need to perform when uncertainty rises. Mike illustrates these principles through powerful real-life scenarios, showing how honesty, calm communication and disciplined action can shift outcomes even when the margin for error is razor thin.
This keynote equips leaders with a grounded, human approach to leading under pressure, focusing on character, clarity and trust as the true drivers of resilient, high-performing teams.
Keynote by Mike Bates:
In this keynote, Mike Bates explores what it truly means to push beyond the familiar and operate at the edge of personal and team potential. Drawing on experiences that range from covert operational work to rowing the Atlantic Ocean alone, he shows how stepping outside comfort zones isn’t a moment, it’s a mindset.
Mike breaks down the habits, behaviours and internal dialogue that allow individuals to challenge assumptions, confront fear and take deliberate steps into the unknown. He reveals how the same principles that supported him in high-pressure missions and extreme isolation can be applied to personal growth, team innovation and organisational ambition.
This keynote inspires audiences to rethink limitations, embrace calculated risk and build the confidence required for breakthrough performance. It’s a compelling call to expand the horizon of what is possible, one decision, one action and one mindset shift at a time.
Keynote by Mike Bates:
In this keynote, Mike Bates explores how high performance can coexist with balance, purpose and a grounded personal life. Drawing on years spent operating in extreme environments, both in covert fields and during his solo Atlantic row, Mike shows how sustainable performance is built through intentional choices, not relentless output.
He breaks down how to maintain clarity and energy when responsibilities collide, how to protect mental bandwidth and how to create routines that support long-term focus. Mike shares the systems he used to balance mission demands with family life, wellbeing and personal ambition, offering audiences a practical blueprint for thriving without crossing into burnout.
This keynote delivers a clear message: peak performance is most powerful when it is sustainable. It equips leaders and teams with the tools to pursue big goals while staying aligned, energised and anchored to what matters most.
Watch Mike Bates in action!
