Sue Stockdale
EXECUTIVE COACH, FACILITATOR & SPEAKER
Sue has spent more than 25 years working internationally as an executive coach and leadership specialist with senior leaders across business, sport and the not-for-profit sector. At the same time, Sue is an explorer, author and award-winning podcaster who helps people see exploration as a mindset that can be applied to everyday life and leadership.
Experience
In 1996, Sue became the first British woman to reach the Magnetic North Pole. Since then, she has travelled to more than 80 countries and taken part in expeditions across Greenland, Antarctica, Patagonia and other remote environments. These expeditions have given Sue firsthand experience of making decisions when the consequences of failure are real, the conditions are hostile, and there is no defined route.
For more than two decades, Sue's ability to connect the lessons of exploration with contemporary leadership has made her a sought-after keynote speaker at conferences and company events worldwide. She has worked with senior leaders and teams at organisations including JP Morgan, Barclays, Dropbox, UBS, KPMG, PwC, the BBC, Amazon and Shell, and has presented on leadership topics at Cambridge Judge Business School and Oxford's Saïd Business School.
Sue has also been an enrichment lecturer on expedition and luxury cruise ships, speaking to guests around the world. An engaging and experienced presenter, her talks combine exploration, geography, science and human stories to enrich guests' understanding of the destinations they visit - exploring why people venture beyond the familiar, how they overcome setbacks, and what modern explorers can teach us about thriving in times of change.
Sue is the author of nine books, including EXPLORE: A Life of Adventure, and hosts the award-winning, Access to Inspiration, podcast, featuring conversations with explorers, scientists, innovators and changemakers from around the world.
Specialities
Executive Coaching
Leadership Development
Motivational Speaking
Facilitation
Testimonials
“Sue’s coaching helped me to transition from a hands-on Manager to a Senior Executive. She supported me in finding my own answers to different challenges I was facing, building my professional confidence, widening my perspective and teaching me how to create positive ripple effects. Having coaching sessions with Sue was a turning point in my career, I highly recommend her.”
Shoko Doherty, CEO, Celtic English Academy
“Working with Sue has materially improved my ability to empower, develop and challenge my team, my time management and my ‘personal brand’ – in short, to become a better leader”.
Operations Director, Flogas UK
“Your coaching was inspirational, supportive and challenging – helping me to remove the fog from some areas where I could not see a solution“.
Sheila Begbie, Director of Domestic Rugby, Scottish Rugby
“Sue is a phenomenal executive coach and inspirational female. She is a very unique individual and I am privileged to know her. Super insightful, not afraid to challenge by asking tough questions.”
Michelle Palmer, Director, The Difference Engine
“Sue’s keynote on resilience at the Female Product Lead IWD event was truly inspiring. The way she connected her experiences as a polar explorer with practical leadership insights resonated deeply with our audience, and it sparked many thoughtful conversations throughout the evening”.
Aruoriwo Catherine Damisa, Event Director, Female Product Lead community
An unforgettable speaker. Sue inspired our audience with powerful stories, useful insights, and practical takeaways. She struck the perfect balance between motivation and relevance— highly recommended
Gurpreet Kalra, Head of Learning and Talent Development UK and Ireland, Tata Consultancy Services
Education, Qualifications, Professional Memberships
MSc Quality Management and Improvement, Nottingham Trent University
MBA Entrepreneurship and Business Venturing, University of Stirling
Level 7 Diploma in Coaching and Mentoring, Institute of Leadership and Management
Postgraduate Certificate, Coaching Supervision, University of Chester
Accredited Master Executive Coach, Association for Coaching
Accredited Master Coaching Supervisor, Association for Coaching
Certified Birkman Consultants, Birkman
NLP Master Practitioner, UK College of Personal Development
Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Step 1 Assessor, OPP
Primary Colours Leadership 360, Edgecumbe
Somatic Intelligence Level 1, The Beyond Partnership
Strengthscope Practitioner, Strengthscope®
Fundamentals for Engendering Balance in Leadership, EB
SuccessFinder Certified Professional, SuccessFinder
Fellow of the Association for Coaching
Member of The Explorers Club
Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society