John Peters is a former RAF Pilot POW and Motivational Business Speaker.
He joined the RAF in 1980 as a university cadet and graduated from Manchester University in 1983.
In 1987 he became a staff pilot at the Air Navigation School RAF Finningley.
During 1988 he converted to Tornado GR1s and wad posted to XV Squadron RAF Laarbruch in Germany. The Squadron was subsequently involved in the Gulf War.
John Peters came to the world’s attention in January 1991, when his bruised and battered face flashed onto television screens around the world.
On the first day of the Gulf War, a British Tornado bomber crewed by John and John Nichol was shot down over Iraqi territory, and the pair were captured.
After four days of mental and physical torture, they were forcibly shown on Iraqi television.
It was Peters’ disfigured image that became a potent symbol of Saddam Hussein’s ruthless aggression.
“What a guy! Amazing feedback from so many delegates. I have seen many after dinner speakers in the last 30+ years, and John’s speech topped the lot.”
Original Recycling Association
John Peters – Motivational Speaker:
John’s powerful and moving story focuses on how he coped with both the brutal physical and mental pressure inflicted on him by his captors.
His dramatic and sometimes harrowing experiences reach deep into our innermost minds, showing us how we can overcome even our worst fears.
He inspires audiences with his personal account of his experiences during Operation Desert Storm.
His war was not all as he expected. It became a seven-week ordeal of torture and interrogation testing Peters to the absolute limit and bringing him near to death.
Following another tour on 31 Squadron at RAF Brüggen, he returned to England in 1993 to become an instructor pilot at the Tri-national Tornado Training Establishment.
He later completed a masters degree in business administration at Leicester University and was promoted to Squadron Leader.
Furthermore, John is a Licensed Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), an executive coach and an MBTI practitioner.
John’s speeches have been described as enthralling, inspiring and incredibly motivating, which is often reflected in the number of standing ovations he receives.
Keynote speaking topics include:
- Leadership
- Dealing with uncertainty
- High Performance
- Change
- Motivational / Inspirational
- Resilience
- Organisational Learning
- Trust and Failure
