Member Article

Former SAS soldier and prisoner of war takes centre stage at Sale Sharks event

Former SAS soldier, Colin MacLachlan, took centre stage at a special event hosted by Premiership Rugby side Sale Sharks to discuss his time as a member of Mountain Troop 22 SAS.

Colin, who stars in Channel 4’s SAS Who Dares Win, was greeted by applause from the audience and joked that it wasn’t his most ‘explosive’ entrance, making reference to when he was taken hostage in Basra.

Organised by Sale Sharks in association with Bentley, the event took place at the Rolls Royce showroom in Wilmslow, with more than 70 guests in attendance.

The former soldier spoke about his experiences in the SAS and highlighted how they could be adapted to achieve success in a business environment, offering a number of tips to help build resilience within the workplace.

With the event taking place during Mental Health Awareness Week, Colin also talked about the importance of encouraging businesses to nurture employees and look after their wellbeing.

He said: “I wouldn’t be here, talking to you lovely lot, without the team that I served with for many years. We were each other’s rocks, and that encouragement and reliance on your colleagues made us a very strong unit.

“The dynamic where you are encouraged to continue no matter what, is something that will drive every business forward – whatever industry you work in.”

Starting out in the Royal Scots in 1989, Colin now tours the country as a key note speaker, covering topics including resilience, motivation and performance.

Speaking of his own challenges, Colin said: “The experiences I take away from my time in the SAS offer an insight, I believe, into how businesses can be run at their most optimum. Focusing on teamwork, values and passion, means that even when things go wrong, there is a deep-routed integrity that keeps you all going.”

Commenting on the success of the event, Mark Cueto, Sale Sharks’ Commercial Director said: “As a Business Club, we always try to diversify our offering for our members, and I think this was an excellent way to get people engaged – the event went brilliantly.

“These networking events bring together a wide selection of businesses, and Colin offered a unique insight on how everyone can get the most out of their organisations.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emily Craig .