Book IWD Speaker: Sarah Furness

Former RAF Wing Commander & combat pilot helping leaders build resilience & high performance under pressure.

Sarah Furness is a former Royal Air Force combat helicopter pilot, leadership expert, and author, with over 20 years of experience leading teams in some of the most complex and high risk environments imaginable. Drawing on her frontline military career, she translates lessons from aviation, combat operations, and human performance into practical leadership strategies for modern organizations.

During her service in the Royal Air Force, Sarah flew and commanded Chinook helicopter operations across the Middle East, the Balkans, and Northern Ireland. She led diverse teams in high pressure situations where decision making, trust, accountability, and resilience were critical to mission success. Her operational leadership experience now underpins her work with global organizations seeking to strengthen leadership capability and team performance.

Sarah is the author of High Performance Human, a book that explores how individuals and teams can perform at their best in demanding environments while maintaining wellbeing, resilience, and purpose. Her work is highly relevant to today’s leaders navigating constant change, uncertainty, and increasing performance demands.

She is a sought after keynote speaker and leadership consultant, working with businesses, public sector organizations, and leadership teams to develop human centered leadership, psychological safety, and sustainable high performance cultures. Her insights bridge military precision with real world business challenges, making her message both powerful and practical.

Sarah has delivered keynotes and leadership programs for a wide range of organizations and events, including global conferences, leadership forums, and corporate audiences across multiple industries. She is also a regular contributor to discussions on leadership, resilience, and human performance.

In addition to her speaking and advisory work, Sarah supports leaders and organizations in building cultures where people can thrive, perform, and lead with confidence, even in the most challenging circumstances.

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