University of Cambridge
Legendary explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes is the speaker for the first Enterprise Tuesday talk of Lent Term, which takes place at the Department of Engineering this afternoon (18 January).

Sir Ranulph, who was named the “world’s greatest living explorer” by the Guinness Book of Records, will discuss what it takes to make dreams into reality.

Sir Ranulph was awarded the Sultan of Oman’s Bravery Medal in 1970, the Explorers Club of New York Medal in 1983, the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s Livingstone Gold Medal in 1983, the Royal Geographical Society’s Founder’s Medal in 1984, and both he and his late wife received the Polar Medal in 1987. In 1993 he was awarded an OBE for “human endeavour and charitable services”.

He has led 22 major expeditions to remote parts of the world including both Poles. In 2003, only 3½ months after suffering a massive heart attack and double bypass operation, he ran seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. In 2004 he came second in the International North Pole Marathon and, in 2005, he raised £2m through his ascent to within 300 metres of the Everest summit ridge for the British Heart Foundation’s new research MRI scanner. In March 2007, he climbed the North Face of the Eiger and raised £1.8m for Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Delivering Choice Programme. Also in 2007 he won ITV’s Greatest Britons 2007 Sport Award, and in May 2008 he climbed Everest (Nepal-side) to within 400m from the summit. In May 2009 he successfully summitted Everest, raising nearly £3 m for Marie Curie Cancer Care. To date he has raised over £14 million for UK charities.

He is the author of 18 books including The Feather Men (a UK No.1 bestseller), Beyond the Limits, Captain Scott (the best-selling biography of 2003), and his latest autobiography, Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know (2007). His new book came out last year – Mad Dogs and Englishmen – tracing his extraordinary family through the twists and turns of history.

Enterprise Tuesday is a series of lectures and networking sessions on entrepreneurial themes, managed and delivered by Cambridge Judge Business School’s Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (CfEL), which runs from October to February each year. It is currently free to attend and open to the wider community.

This evening’s lecture begins at 6pm and takes place in Lecture Theatre 0 at the Department of Engineering.

Copies of Sir Ranulph’s book, Beyond the Limits: the lessons learned from a lifetime’s adventures, will be available at the event at a cost of £20.