020 8914 8966
020 8914 8966
Ken Hames is the master practitioner in the field of learning and development. He has the unique ability to inspire others to seek personal transformation and high achievement.
Diana, Princess of Wales
Ken Hames is a real life action man who leads from the front. He has 29 years military experience under his belt. Ken Hames rose to the rank of Major in the SAS, commanding Britain’s Anti-Terrorist Unit.
Military:
Ken Hames is one of the very few British officers to have worn the red beret of the Parachute Brigade, the green beret of the Royal Marines and the sand beret of the Special Air Service (SAS) . Interestingly, he was one of the last British soldiers to guard Nazi war criminal, Rudolph Hesse. This was when he was in the infamous stronghold of Spandau in Berlin. Ken Hames was also there as one of the last British Officers behind the Iron Curtain at the fall of the Berlin Wall. His operational experience is vast. He completed no less than eight tours of Northern Ireland at the height of the troubles. Ken was at the liberation of Port Stanley in the Falklands. He also served in the SAS during the first Gulf War. This was after commanding Britain’s anti-terrorist team for a year.
More recently, Ken gained an MBE in 2017 and a Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration, from Bristol University. This was for his work in developing outstanding leaders and also high performing teams in diverse business environments.
Television:
After leaving an impressive military career he brought a unique slant on the many documentaries that he has written and presented for TV. His ground breaking BBC TV Series, Beyond Boundaries Ken leading an expedition of disabled people (one was blind), across Nicaragua. This was from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. He did this in a record breaking, 300 km trek starting in the Mosquito Coast. It ended one month later as a world first. The series showed the team going through jungles in over 40 degrees of heat. They dealt with a dangerous route. It was overrun with drug-running bandits and they had to climb the most difficult live volcano in Central America.
His previous series, Desert Darlings took couples across the Namib Desert, placing their sometimes fragile relationships under the extreme pressures of an expedition. His first series for Channel 4, was the popular, Jungle Janes, where Ken’s challenge was to turn a group of British women, none of whom had any expedition experience, into a cohesive team fit enough to take on the gruelling jungles of Borneo. It was enjoyed by millions who found this journey an inspiration.
His first television programme was a series, called The Trek in 1994. With the help of Diana, Princess of Wales, Ken was able to take twelve disadvantaged youngsters to the heart of Africa. This was on a 500-mile trek over desert and also mountainous terrain. The process transformed their lives and Ken still monitors their progress.
These documentaries have proved Ken’s extraordinary ability to inspire and also motivate even the most unlikely candidates. His unique skills enable him to take any rabble of individuals and finish with a winning, cohesive team. He does this by using sound leadership and thorough training are just some of the tools that he uses. Ken is passionate about empowering people to change their lives for the better.
Alongside creating, setting up and also presenting these projects, Ken presented the highly praised series, Greatest SAS Missions for Five. He also did CBBCs Bring it On, Hero Factor for the Discovery Channel and Battle Stripes. To add to this he did Future Fighting Machines for the US, Channel 4’s Shattered and ITV’s Celebrity Fit Club. Ken was also involved from the earliest of stages in the design and development of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.
Health and Wellbeing
Ken has a special interest in the wellbeing of veterans. In 2008 he did a special programme for BBC called Ex-Forces and Homeless. It was said on any given night in London there were over a thousand homeless veterans. The programme followed Ken as he took to the streets to understand why so many former soldiers were homeless. This made him realise he too suffered similar post-traumatic disorders. Ken continues to work tirelessly on numerous projects that support military veterans and organisations that work with the less able bodied
Other interests:
Ken Hames is an accomplished Mountain Guide and skier and represented Great Britain in cross-country skiing. He has played rugby for the Combined Services and is an expert in the great outdoors in all survival disciplines. Ken is also an expert diver and climber and a keen amateur opera singer.
Ken Hames second inspirational series of Beyond Boundaries followed. This time it was eleven people as they attempted to make history. They walked across Africa from Victoria Falls to the Atlantic Ocean. This was a staggering 2,000 kilometres through crocodile infested swamps of Zambia and Botswana to the burning sands of the Namibian desert.
Ken Hames led a team of disabled people through terrain that would have the able-bodied on their knees. Surviving a raft capsize on the savage rapids of Victoria Falls, through dangerous savannah (lion and big game territory) and across the boiling ancient deserts of Kalahari and Namib.
Ken led and also motivated this extra ordinary team as they experienced a life changing journey. Courage, triumph of spirit and a deeply personal emotional and physical trek into uncharted terrain made this a gripping and completely unique adventure series.
Talks:
Ken is a superb motivational speaker drawing on his experience in the military and also his time in the SAS. His talks cover topics such as Leadership, Team building, Motivation, Wellbeing and also Mental Health.
