April 2021
Thomas Bubendorfer from Monte Carlo, Monaco, famed mountaineer and public speaker, will present the Plenary Lecture titled ‘How to live well and thrive on performance’ at ECR 2021.
When only 16, Thomas became the youngest ever climber in history to 'free solo' the most difficult – and deadly – rock faces of his time. At age 20, he single-handedly revolutionised extreme mountaineering by solo climbing the highest and hardest mountain faces in the Alps – without a rope. And he did so at unprecedented, breath-taking speed. Many of his solo-climbing feats remain unparalleled to this day.
While mountaineering remains the most visible and influential activity in his life, Thomas, now 58, has always been more than a climber. From an early age, he sought to find a counterbalance to his intense physical activity – training up to 400 hours per year, climbing 100 days per year – by training his mind. He speaks four languages and has written seven books, his most recent having become a bestseller in China. The subjects he studies range from chaos theory to neurobiology, brain science to evolution theory, and from philosophy to history.
An international keynote speaker since 1985, Thomas has aired and shared his views on performance, self-responsibility, goal setting, quality, crisis, and teamwork. His doctrine around intelligent performance – how to burn bright without burning out! – has drawn A-list business audiences from across many of the world's leading companies.
Co-founder of the Intelligent Peak Performer® principle, he provides crucial guidance for chronically over-stressed business executives on how to fulfil their potential and avoid burn-out by intelligently and methodically taking care of their bodies.
Thomas is presently working on his first book in English and a 90-minute biopic documenting his life to date. The high point of this documentary will be Thomas' upcoming attempt to complete the first ascent – climbing solo – of the as-yet-unconquered 10,000 ft. east face of Alaska's Mount McKinley, a peak which towers 20,310 feet high and is the third most isolated on Earth. The cinematic release is planned for early 2022.
Thomas is the father of three children and has lived in Monte Carlo since 1985.
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