Neil is the mission’s team safety manager, in charge of all ground operations from weather communications to search and rescue. 

He fulfilled a boyhood ambition when he became a Royal Marine Commando at the age of 19. He then passed selection into the Special Forces, serving for 11 years and rising to the rank of Captain. He is currently Chairman and founding director of Office Projects, a successful commercial interiors company.

Neil organises adventurous expeditions all over the world. He has made 12 first ascents of previously unclimbed mountains, climbed the highest peak above the Arctic Circle and scaled the Seven Summits, including Mount Everest. He has also skied to the North Pole, sailed in Antarctica, paramotored the Amazon jungle, jet-skied around the UK, canoed the English Channel and completed the Awesome 8 Extreme Golf Challenge! 

In 2005 The Royal Geographical Society conferred upon him the Ness Award for “Leadership of expeditions and encouraging others to recognise their potential.”