Stephen McGown

Stephen McGown is a distinguished South African motivational keynote speaker, moderator and author. In 2011 he was abducted from Timbuktu, Mali, and spent nearly six years as an Al Qaeda hostage - today he holds the record as the longest-held surviving captive. His memoir, Six Years with Al Qaeda, became a bestseller and won the 2021 SA Book Award for Adult Non-Fiction. McGown now delivers keynote addresses to corporate leadership teams, conferences and forums globally, translating his experience into insights on resilience, mindset and courage under pressure. Companies book him for his authenticity, gravitas, transformative impact and "the most unbelievable story".