Mandy Hickson

mandy hickson

Former RAF Fighter Pilot and
Expert in Strategic Leadership

Mandy Hickson is a pioneering keynote speaker and one of the UK’s first female fast-jet pilots, renowned for her incredible journey in the Royal Air Force (RAF) as the second woman to fly the Tornado GR4 on the front line. With over 30 years of aviation experience, Mandy has completed numerous high-stakes missions, including patrolling the ‘No Fly’ zone over Iraq, and has operated in some of the world’s most hostile environments. Her story is not just one of breaking barriers but of resilience, leadership, and exceptional decision-making under pressure.

What Mandy Provides:

  • Leadership Under Pressure: Mandy shares her insights from the cockpit, highlighting the importance of leading from the front, staying calm under pressure, and making calculated decisions.
  • Teamwork and Resilience: Drawing on her experiences of working with elite teams in high-stress environments, Mandy demonstrates the critical role of teamwork and resilience in achieving success.
  • Overcoming Challenges: Mandy’s personal journey, including overcoming gender barriers in a male-dominated field, offers valuable lessons on perseverance and breaking through limitations.
  • Human Factors and Risk Management: As a trained Human Factors facilitator, Mandy brings a unique perspective on the interactions among people, decision-making processes, and risk management that can be applied in business and leadership contexts.

Audience Takeaways:

  • Practical strategies for managing high-pressure situations.
  • Insights into fostering effective teamwork and communication.
  • Techniques to overcome personal and professional challenges.
  • A powerful example of resilience and adaptability.

Mandy is also an inspirational advocate for women in STEM and aviation, serving as an Aviation Ambassador for the Department for Transport and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Her engaging presentations, laced with humour and passion, resonate deeply with diverse audiences, making her a highly sought-after speaker for corporate events, leadership summits, and motivational talks worldwide

Top 15 Motivational Speakers 2024

Pendulum 2025 Speakers