The Pioneer Programme is a handpicked group of extraordinary individuals who embody the spirit and values of Shackleton. These Pioneers boldly live out the call to "Live Courageously" across the planet's most remote and extreme corners.
Whilst they have each undertaken significant expeditions, our Pioneers are here to inspire courage and resilience throughout every aspect of their lives, whether it is out in the extremes or closer to home.
MEET THE PIONEERS
LEVISON WOOD
ADVENTURER
Levison Wood is a renowned explorer, writer, and photographer, known for his eleven best-selling books and critically acclaimed documentaries aired globally. He has journeyed through over 100 countries, with notable expeditions including walking the length of the Nile and the Himalayas, traversing Central America, and circumnavigating the Arabian Peninsula. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the Explorers Club, Levison is also an Honorary Doctor at Staffordshire University and serves as an ambassador for Unicef and other charities. When not exploring, he resides in London.
LOUIS RUDD MBE
DIRECTOR OF SHACKLETON EXPEDITIONS
Louis Rudd MBE is a British record-breaking polar adventurer, expedition leader, former Royal Marine Commando and SAS soldier, with 34 years of service. He is the first - and only - person to have traversed Antarctica twice using human power alone, has reached the South Pole four times from different coastal start points and summited Antarctica’s highest mountain. He is a member of the Explorers Club, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, an Ambassador for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Director of Expeditions for Shackleton, a Published Author and accomplished Public Speaker.
MARTIN HARTLEY
POLAR PHOTOGRAPHER AND ADVENTURER
Over the past 20 years, Martin Hartley has shown pioneering spirit and courage in extreme environments, photographing desert journeys in Oman, Yemen, the Empty Quarter, and the Himalayas in winter. His work spans the North and South Poles, collaborating with scientists and anthropologists to capture the beauty and fragility of Earth’s toughest landscapes—deserts, mountains, jungles, oceans, and polar ice caps. TIME magazine honored his bravery with a Hero of the Environment nomination for documenting the rapidly changing Arctic sea ice, including NASA’s IceBridge project. His place among the world’s top 40 nature photographers and his National Geographic work, like retracing the Frankincense Trail, reflect his commitment to exploring the planet’s most unforgiving environments.
