Naked at the Knife-Edge

“A fresh and original take on the incredible and absurd challenge of climbing Everest. Vivian takes us on the inner journey that accompanies the outer journey, offering a new perspective on discovering one’s own ‘meaning of life, ’ told in an easy, page-turning style.”–PHILIPPE SCHAUS, Chief Executive Officer, Moet Hennessy (a division of LVMH group) “As Vivian surmounts Mount Everest with captivating detail, he shows what it means to be a complex human being, full of inner demons, childlike wonder, grit, and doubt. He reminds us how the personal and professional are completely entwined. He models a modern leadership style fueled by vulnerability, humility, intuition, and compassion.”–SEAN MACDONALD, Global Chief Digital Officer, McCann Worldgroup “The hardest challenge for leaders is stripping away the distracting inner noise of our own foolishness. Vivian’s episode is a lesson for us all. It speaks to how to go up and down the mountains of our lives safely–setting pride to the side and leaning forward on curiosity and trust. Even more, it creates space to think about why we climb in the first place, and how we can climb together.”–MARC ALLEN, Chief Strategy Officer, SVP Strategy and Corporate Development, Boeing Co. “Vivian raises critical insights needed for today’s leaders to succeed in an ever-changing environment. Through life and death situations, he illustrates the importance of being decisive while trusting your intuition. A great read.”–LISANDRO CHANLATTE, Head of Investments, Citi Global Wealth-Latin America “One of Vivian’s greatest talents as a coach is helping you understand your true core as a leader–confronting your vulnerabilities, celebrating your strengths, and emerging stronger. Vivian’s story of summiting the highest mountain offers profound lessons for all of us in our constant quest to simply be the best we can be.”–MICHELE PELUSO, Chief Customer Officer, CVC Health

Vivian James Rigney is President and CEO of Inside Us LLC, an executive coaching consultancy, operating throughout five continents. He has helped implement leadership development initiatives for some of the world’s leading companies and their executive teams.

The quest for personal success can often be a lonely journey. As an executive coach, he is known for building strong rapport with people and asking tough and incisive questions, with an uncanny ability to help them reveal and become their best version of themselves.

A graduate of cole Nationale Des Ponts et Chaussees in Paris, he is a renowned speaker and expert on mindset and behavior, whose talks and presentations have inspired audiences globally. A native of Ireland, he has lived in the U.K., Germany, South Africa, France, Finland and currently lives in New York City.