Mandy Hickson’s passion for aviation ignited early in her life, leading her to join the RAF in 1994. Despite facing initial setbacks, including failing the RAF flying aptitude test twice, her unwavering determination saw her selected as a test case by the RAF.

This perseverance culminated in her becoming the only female aircrew member during her time, completing 45 missions over Iraq and undertaking three duty tours. Her role as the Squadron’s Combat Survival and Rescue Officer further underscored her leadership and expertise in high-stakes environments.

Since leaving the RAF – first as a pilot in 2011 and then as a reservist in 2019 – Mandy has served as a governor on the board of trustees at the Victory Services Club and as a sporting ambassador for Hampshire County Council.

Mandy Hickson | An Officer, Not a Gentleman

In 2020, Mandy published her first book An Officer, Not a Gentleman, an engaging, entertaining and shocking story that follows Mandy’s incredible journey in becoming one of the UK’s first female fast-jet pilots.

Mandy Hickson | Corporate Speaker

Mandy has a remarkable insight into decision-making under pressure, the importance of human nature in advanced systems, and how to take calculated risks. She can apply her RAF experience to all industries, demonstrating an impressive understanding of humans. Her keynote speeches are professional, personal and inspiring, characterised by her ability to weave personal anecdotes with actionable insights. Her speaking topics include:

– Building and empowering effective teams

– Calculated risks

– Inspired goal setting and maintaining focus

– Decision-making under extreme pressure

– Nurturing a culture of self-confidence and aspiration

– Overcoming adversity

– Peak Performance

– Teamwork

– Calculated Risks

– Women in Business

– Decision Making

Mandy Hickson | Leadership Speaker

Challenging times require an exceptional corporate response. So how do you motivate and inspire your staff to demonstrate outstanding leadership and teamwork under pressure, to stride confidently towards purposeful goals and maintain focus despite significant risks?

Tailored to be relevant to your organisation, Mandy’s main themes include:

– The building and empowerment of effective teams

– Inspired goal setting and ultimate focus

– Decision-making under extreme pressure

– Maintaining momentum despite losing top talent

– Nurturing a culture of self-confidence and aspiration

Mandy Hickson | Women in Business

Mandy draws on her own remarkable story to support and inspire women. It is a story which started with dreaming about being a fast jet pilot at the age of 13 and culminated in her leading an entirely male dominated Front Line Tornado Squadron on operations.

Without a doubt most women face some really tough challenges in their working lives and Mandy deals with these kinds of issues in her talks to women:

– Maintaining that essential work/life balance in a demanding environment

– Overcoming innate risk avoidance tendencies

– A wavering of confidence and self-belief

– Amazingly, still having to break through the glass ceiling

Mandy uses her own professional experience at the top of her game to inspire women in any industry, particularly in male-dominated environments, such as the RAF.

Mandy Hickson – Talks for Schools

Mandy recognises the challenges that head teachers face. Increasing administrative pressure and the speed of change are two factors that impact schools’ ability to achieve their main aims: nurturing pupils’ hopes and aspirations and inspiring them.

A Chat with leadership speaker Mandy Hickson

As part of our ‘Chat with…’ podcast series at Great British Speakers, our director Jane Farnham sat down with Mandy to talk about how her experiences of working within an elite team of fast jet operators, and how her lessons learned can be used across any environment. Find out more HERE.

Clients include Arqiva, Atomic Energy Agency, Bae Systems, Balfour Beatty, BG Group Plc, Pfizer, RBS, RGS Foundation, Scotiabank, Standard Chartered, Surbiton High School, Taylor Wimpey and the Women’s Institute.

Mandy Hickson is one of our amazing team of Leadership and Teamwork speakers, many who are female speakers.

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book former pilot and motivational speaker Mandy Hickson for your corporate event.

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