“I am an ordinary person who has been through some extraordinary events.”
ROYAL
MARINES
​Jon grew up among Royal Marines – his father served for 25 years, and Jon began Royal Marines Young Officer Training in 2002, aged 19.
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The Commando Training Centre Royal Marines, Lympstone is regarded as one of the finest leadership training establishments in the world. The training is tough; it engenders values and standards that set the graduates up for success for the rest of their lives, both in the military and civilian worlds.
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In the following years, Jon became a Troop Commander of 30 men, and Second-in-Command of a company of 100 men, and specialised as a Mountain Leader. The ML course is considered to be the toughest in the British military, giving its graduates the skills, robustness and confidence to lead by example in the most demanding of situations.
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In 2010, when Jon was on his second operational tour in Afghanistan, in command of 40 Commando’s Reconnaissance Troop, he stepped on an IED and lost both legs (above-knee) and his right arm (above-elbow).
TRIPLE
AMPUTEE
After this life-changing event, Jon refused to give up. His road to recovery has seen him take on incredible challenges and prove that a strong will and sharp mind can overcome almost anything.
In April 2012, Jon and his Royal Marines colleague, Colour Sergeant Lee Waters, completed the Devizes to Westminster Kayak Race, the world’s longest (125-mile) non-stop canoeing challenge. After 28 hours of non-stop paddling and walking, they were awarded the Gluckstein Trophy for exceptional courage and fortitude.
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Jon went on to complete the race again in 2019. Soon afterwards, he took up Marathon and Ocean Racing, showing an instant aptitude for competition, winning European and world titles and setting lofty goals of the Paralympics.
Kayaker
LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT
With the military training and the mental insights gained through his rehabilitation process and sporting prowess, Jon has gone on to develop a leadership consultancy, which specialises in Leadership and Resilience.
Determined to pursue academic excellence to support his consultancy business, Jon completed a Psychology degree at Exeter University in 2020, and holds an Academy of Executive Coaching Certificate (AECC) Diploma in Coaching, a Diploma in Generative Coaching, and a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Level 5 qualification in Coaching and Mentoring. This experience has led him to write a self-improvement book, ‘Who Leaders Lead’, as well as working on an autobiography about how he learned to grow and thrive against the odds.
Jon White is a real person and a real hero. He has an incredible attitude for life and is a true inspiration to all of us! How he has dealt with such a setback in his life and channelled this misfortune into such a positive, is truly incredible. He has a story that must be heard. I know no-one that can inspire and galvanise a group of people to better and higher things than Jon. He gives you the belief that anything is possible with the right frame of mind!
John Carter CEO
Travis Perkins Group PLC
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BUILDER
Within six months of losing his limbs, Jon and his wife decided to buy a plot of land in Devon and build a cutting-edge accessible home. Building a family home offered a different set of challenges, testing Jon’s ability to lead in a domain where he had no knowledge or expertise.
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With a lot of hard work and determination, the house was completed just over two years later, featuring on Channel 4’s Grand Designs as an ambitious and inspirational build.
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