Edward Whitley OBE is a financier, philanthropist, author and conservationist whose work has helped protect some of the planet’s rarest species. He’s raised over £24 million for more than 220 conservation projects in 80+ countries, encountering everything from golden-headed tamarins to monkey-eating eagles.

He’s also written on subjects ranging from Gerald Durrell and Nick Leeson, to Indira Gandhi, Sir John Betjeman, and even Jane Austen vs George Eliot—all while running his own investment firm for over two decades.

In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore endangered wildlife, financial scandals, 19th-century literature, and a closing note from Sir David Attenborough. Informative, surprising, and inspiring—listen now.

Related links:

The Whitley Fund for Nature

Gerald Durrell’s Army

The Graduates

Rogue Trader

Jane Austen and George Eliot The Lady and The Radical

Erling Kagge is a man of firsts: In 1990, together with Børge Ousland, he was the first to reach the North Pole unsupported. In 1992/3 he was the first man to walk solo to the South Pole. In 1994 he summitted Everest making him the first man on the planet to have completed the journey to the North Pole, the South Pole and to have climbed Everest – in other words, to complete the 3 Poles Challenge on foot, all unsupported. He has crossed oceans and he even crossed New York City through its tunnel system. A true explorer, he’s also a writer, philosopher, entrepreneur, lawyer, publisher and art collector. This episode is full of adventure, history, philosophy and wisdom. A true rock star of life, this conversation is one not to miss.

Related links

Erling Kagge’s books

Lucy Cooke is a zoologist, an explorer, a passionate conservationist and a champion of animal species that are often misunderstood. She has shared her knowledge through books, blogs and television shows that have appeared on many channels from National Geographic through to the BBC, ITV and Radio 4, along with writing in all the major newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic. I have read her work and she manages to turn detailed research into easy to understand and highly entertaining information, debunking some long-held beliefs of the masters of this space including Darwin himself. Listen today for a fun and fact-filled conversation about some of the most surprising recent discoveries in the animal kingdom and the impressive, hilarious and passionate person behind, collating and presenting that research. Lucy Cooke is a force for good. Not to be missed!

Related Links

Lucy’s Webisite

Lucy’s TED TALK on sloths

Follow Lucy on Instagram