Bruce Poon Tip is NOT the CEO of G Adventures. With the belief that customer-facing employees are the most important people at G Adventures, he gave the CEO title up a long time ago to his Chief Experience Officers, people who are known as “Tour Guides” and “Customer Service Reps” at other travel companies. Over the years, G Adventures has won numerous awards and distinctive honours for its unique and singular vision, management approach, and company culture.
Following a transformational backpacking trip to Asia, Bruce started G Adventures at the age of twenty-two by maxing out his credit cards and possessing a burning desire to create a sustainable travel experience like nothing the world had ever seen, for those who didn’t want to see the world from the back of a tour bus. Over the next 28 years with Bruce at the helm and a business concept rooted in social innovation, G Adventures redefined social enterprise and has grown into a globally renowned brand, which also happens to be the largest adventure travel company in the world. G Adventures employs 2,200 people worldwide, offers more than 700 small group experiences, safaris and expeditions on all seven continents, in over 100 countries, serving 200,000 travellers a year.
Bruce is a world-renowned business leader who believes in the importance of good karma, happiness and freedom and using change as a catalyst for innovation. Citing Jack Welch, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Michael Jordan, Roald Amundsen and Steve Jobs as some of the inspirational influences on his unique business leadership style, Bruce believes in a culture of freedom, happiness and community in the workplace.
Sharing his experiences and philosophy is something that Bruce does on a regular basis. In addition to addressing the United Nations, speaking on behalf of UNESCO and being the keynote speaker at many leading entrepreneurial, business, brand and travel conferences, Bruce enjoys speaking at business schools and mentoring and inspiring young entrepreneurs to start their own businesses and achieve greatness.
A global leader in sustainability and social entrepreneurship, Bruce has spoken multiple times at the request of the United Nations and World Bank, has presented at the headquarters of Apple and Google, and delivered keynote speeches at TED events and leading entrepreneurship conferences around the world.
In 2018 Bruce was inducted into the British Travel & Hospitality Hall of Fame, and in 2012, he was inducted into the Social Venture Network Hall of Fame, joining celebrated entrepreneurs such as Richard Branson (Virgin Airlines), Anita Roddick (The Body Shop), and Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield (Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream). He also was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, recognizing significant contributions to society.
