Commander, Queen’s Commendation Recipient, Former Lieutenant-Colonel & Co-Founder of New Century Consulting
Tim Collins’ Biography:
Colonel Tim Collins OBE is one of the most distinguished military leaders of his generation, globally renowned for his powerful, ethical approach to leadership under pressure. He is best known for the stirring eve-of-battle speech he delivered in 2003 to the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment on the Kuwait-Iraq border. The address, famous for the phrase, “If you are ferocious in battle, remember to be magnanimous in victory,” became a defining moment of moral and disciplined warfare, with a copy reportedly displayed in the Oval Office of the White House, recognising its profound impact on world leaders.
His military journey began in 1981 when he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Signals after graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Just a year later, in 1982, he transferred to the Royal Irish Rangers, demonstrating an early aptitude for infantry command. His career progression was steady and earned, with service across numerous high-stakes areas including the Falkland Islands, Northern Ireland, and Cyprus. His leadership capacity was formally recognised in 1999 when he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel.
The pinnacle of his career began in 2001 when he was appointed Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment. During this command, he was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in 2002. For his exceptional service in Iraq, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003. Since leaving the Army in 2004, Colonel Collins seamlessly transitioned his strategic acumen to the corporate sphere. In 2005, he co-founded New Century Consulting and published his acclaimed memoir, Rules of Engagement: A Life in Conflict. The following year, 2006, he became the Chairman of Pinpoint Corporate Services. His continued influence was recently acknowledged in 2025 when he received the prestigious Global Leadership Excellence Award for contributions to corporate strategic resilience.
Colonel Collins is one of the most highly sought-after keynote speakers globally due to his unique ability to translate battlefield ethics and high-stakes decision-making into immediately actionable strategies for the business world. He draws on his extensive operational history to teach audiences how to foster unshakeable team loyalty, navigate profound complexity (VUCA environments), manage crises, and maintain integrity when external pressure is overwhelming. His authentic delivery and powerful stories inspire leaders across all sectors to achieve peak performance and lead with genuine moral courage.
Why Hire Tim Collins?
Colonel Tim Collins is the authority on leadership in extreme conditions. His OBE-recognised command translates battlefield strategy into corporate resilience, instantly. Learn to forge absolute team loyalty and maintain integrity while executing high-stakes decisions under immense pressure (VUCA). Hire him to equip your executives with the moral courage needed for peak, ethical performance and decisive crisis management.
Tim Collins’ Career Highlights:
Below showcases Tim Collins’ career in the military:
- 2025: Received the Global Leadership Excellence Award for contributions to corporate strategic resilience.
- 2006: Became Chairman of Pinpoint Corporate Services.
- 2005: Co-founded and became CEO of New Century Consulting.
- 2005: Published the acclaimed memoir, Rules of Engagement: A Life in Conflict.
- 2004: Retired from the British Army.
- 2003: Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for service in Iraq.
- 2003: Delivered famous eve-of-battle speech (copy later hung in the Oval Office).
- 2002: Awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service.
- 2001: Appointed Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment.
- 1999: Promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel.
- 1982: Transferred to the Royal Irish Rangers.
- 1981: Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Signals.
Videos
Tim Collins’ Official Keynote Speaking Videos & Showreel:
Testimonials
“Colonel Tim Collins OBE was the keynote speaker for our CIMA West Midlands prestige event ‘Inspirational Leadership for board members and aspiring leaders’, Tim was inspirational and provided great insight into his philosophy with some entertaining examples of where they have worked well and not so well in various military conflicts. Tim had the audience engaged throughout the speech for over an hour and provided some thought-provoking answers through the following Q&A session. It was also very pleasing to have a keynote speaker who was available for one to one discussions with our attendees in our after networking session, this provided a real personal touch and ensured our event was a great success.” – CIMA Global
“Very well received by the audience – comments were that they found it very refreshing and inspirational.” – Thales
“Our senior management has been cascading the messages down and I have heard several of them give direct quotes from Colonel Collins’ presentation.” – Camelot Business
“Tim was the most popular part of the day. His speech really struck a chord and provided an incredible amount of perspective.” – Deloitte
“Tim gave a very entertaining after-dinner speech which he pitched perfectly to our young people who were receiving awards for their completed apprenticeships. The adventures he recounted were put in perspective for the audience, providing real-life lessons with great humour. Highly recommended.” – TTE Training Ltd
“Inspiring, funny and above all practical about what gets people committed.” – Shell
“In short he was fantastic; if we were a little younger some of us might be interested in joining the Royal Irish.” – Liam, Senior Business Development Executive EMEA, Walkers Global
Speaking Topics
Tim Collins’ Official Keynote Topics:
- Leadership Under Fire: Principles for Success
- The Ethics of Command and Integrity
- Building High-Performance Teams and Loyalty
- Strategy and Planning in a VUCA World
- Performance Under Pressure: Lessons from the Battlefield
- Risk Management and Decision Making
How Much Does Tim Collins Cost to Hire?
How Much Does it Cost to Hire Tim Collins?
The cost of hiring Tim Collins varies depending on your event format, location and requirements. For an accurate, tailored quote, contact a London Keynote Speakers Agency booking agent for expert guidance.