Nordic Business Forum 2026 Speaker
Nando Parrado
Nando’s story is legendary. In 1972, a plane carrying his rugby team crashed in the Andes at 18,000 feet. With no food, no heat, and no rescue in sight, he and his teammates endured for 72 days. When hope faded, Nando made a decision that changed everything: he would climb out of the mountains. Ten days later, after an almost impossible trek with teammate Roberto Canessa, they found help and saved the lives of the 16 remaining survivors.
But Nando’s journey didn’t end on the mountain. Rebuilding his life from scratch, he went on to become a successful CEO and entrepreneur. He leads MRC Ltda., a television production company behind some of Uruguay’s most popular programs for over three decades. Today, he’s known around the world not just for his survival story, but for the powerful leadership lessons he shares from it.
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Nando at Nordic Business Forum 2026
Alive: How Trust Forges Unbeatable Teams
Nando Parrado is not a typical speaker. Best known for one of the most extraordinary survival stories in history, he is also a highly successful businessman who understands the realities of leadership.
In this powerful keynote, Nando redefines what real strength means. He does not rely on dominant posturing, but demonstrates how self-discipline, resilience, and absolute trust form the bedrock of high performance. He takes the audience through a journey of extreme hardship to reveal how teams can find the will to refuse surrender and achieve the impossible.
Learning points:
- How to unlock peak performance under extreme pressure by building absolute trust within the team.
- How to forge an unbreakable bond around a shared purpose, turning individual limits into collective strength.
- How to harness resilience to navigate uncertainty and deliver results even when the path is unclear.
More from Nando Parrado
Read
In October 1972, a plane carrying a Uruguayan rugby team crashed in the Andes. Not immediately rescued, the survivors turned to cannibalism to survive, and were saved after 72 days. Survivor, and rugby team member Nando Parrado has written a beautiful story of friendship, tragedy and perseverance.
Listen
Join Fernando “Nando” Parrado, businessman, author, and internationally recognized speaker, and Hoover Senior Fellow H.R. McMaster as they discuss endurance, crisis leadership, and the remarkable will to survive.
Join Europe's Largest Business & Leadership Event Online
16-17 September 2026 | Messukeskus, Helsinki
In-person tickets are sold out, but you can still join the event remotely!