Paul Niel

Paul Niel is an Austrian investor, adventurer, explorer, and public speaker. He has organized and participated in more than 15 expeditions across all continents.

Not to be confused with Paul Kneale, Paul Neal, Paul Neile, or Paul Neill.
Paul Niel
Paul Niel at Mount Everest, 2013
Born
Austria
NationalityAustrian
Alma materUniversity of Vienna
Occupation(s)Investor, adventurer, explorer, public speaker
Years active2002–present
Websitewww.paulniel.com

In 2013, Niel summitted Mount Everest and Lhotse, the world's fourth highest peak, within 24 hours. He also completed the project of climbing the seven summits, the highest mountain on every continent.[1]

Early life and education

Niel graduated in statistics from the University of Vienna. In 2002, Niel moved to London and started working at JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs. In 2013, he founded Lhotse Consult, a boutique investment consultancy focusing on technology and alternative investments.

Niel was selected for the Graduate Studies Program at Singularity University in 2014, where he co-founded Peared, an augmented reality project.[2] He received the Austrian Foerderpreis by the Austrian Statistical Society in 2002.[3]

Exploration

Seven Summits

Between 2005 and 2012, Niel climbed Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa), Elbrus (Europe), Carstensz Pyramid (Oceania), Aconcagua (South America) and Mount Vinson (Antarctica).[1]

In 2013, Niel successfully reached the summit of both Mount Everest (8850m) and Lhotse (8510m) the world's highest and fourth highest mountain within 24 hours.[1] The same year he also summited Denali in North America and completed the Seven Summits Project, to ascend the highest peak on every continent.[4]

Eastern Tibet

In 2015 Niel co-led an international expedition which successfully claimed the first ascent of Dechok Phodrang, a 5632m high peak in the Gangga Massif in Eastern Tibet.[5] He co-produced Tibetan Dreams,[6] a documentary highlighting the climb, which has been selected for screening that Mountainfilm Fest Graz 2016, Kathmandu International Film Festival and three other film festival.[7][8]

Education Explorers

In 2015, Niel initiated the charity project Education Explorers which addressed the problem of girl access to schooling in India and was undertaken together with Indian charity Educate Girls.[9] Niel and a group of fellow explorers from Hong Kong and Chile traversed India in a Motor Rickshaw and raised more than HKD 500,000 in funds.[9][10] The documentary, produced by Niel together with Tom Boarder, received the Award of Excellence by the Hollywood Independent International Documentary Festival in 2018.[11]

Round the Island Expedition

In 2017, Niel together with his wife successfully completed the first coasteering expedition around Hong Kong Island. The project raised awareness for plastic pollution and the couple mapped 163 trash pollution spots along Hong Kong Islands coast. In addition water samples taken along the expedition were analysed by The Open University of Hong Kong.[12]

The couple released the documentary The Loop, featuring the adventure and the issue of coastal pollution.[13] It was screened at Mountainfilm Graz in November 2019.[14]

Chapman Andrews Centennial Expedition

Niel was a member of the 2018 Chapman Andrews Centennial Expedition to search for fossils in the Gobi desert using latest drone and imaging technology.[15] The expedition has been awarded the 2019 Citation of Merit award by The Explorers Club.

Project Avenger

In November 2021 Niel led an international team of experts to successfully identify and uncover a US Navy TBF Avenger airplane that crash-landed during Operation Gratitude on 16 January 1945. The expedition combined elements of community archeology together with LIDAR and 3D scanning technology.[16][17][18]

Miscellaneous

Niel currently serves as the Head of Expeditions for the Explorers Club Hong Kong Chapter.[19] He has traveled to 97 countries and has organized more than 15 expeditions. He also participated in the Clipper Round the World Ocean Race 2013-14 for Team Switzerland.

In 2019, Paul Niel and his wife Esther set two new Guinness World Records for visiting the most UNESCO world heritage sites in 12 and in 24 hours.[20]

In 2021, Niel hiked with his wife and 6-year-old daughter Zaya to Everest Base Camp. She became the youngest girl ever to do so.[21]

Speaking

Niel is a frequent speaker on motivational and technology topics[22] and worked with the Royal Geographic Society and Asia Society.[23] He has spoken at conferences and corporate events in Europe and Asia.[24][25] He has also spoken at two TEDx events and frequently contributes to the Royal Geographic Society School Outreach Program.[26]

Niel is also a contributor to the South China Morning Post, Action Asia Magazine and other publications.[27][28][29]

References
  1. Carney, John (11 February 2019). "Hong Kong-based mountaineer scales Everest and Lhotse peaks within 24 hours". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  2. "Singularity University's GSP Class of 2014 Blasts Off to the Future". Singularity Hub. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  3. Gesellschaft, Oesterreichische Statistische. "Oesterreichische Statistische Gesellschaft". www.osg.or.at (in German). Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  4. "Niel bezwang die Seven Summits". www.nachrichten.at (in German). 27 June 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  5. Griffin, Lindsay. "Dechok Phodrang, Austrian-Spanish Classic & Dechok Direct". publications.americanalpineclub.org. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  6. "Tibetan Dreams (2017)". Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  7. "Tibetan Dreams - Mountainfilm Graz". www.mountainfilm.com. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  8. "Paul Niel – Tibetan Dreams". Speakers Connect. 2 November 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  9. Jacqueline, Rachel (31 December 2014). "Hong Kong rickshaw adventurers hit road to support girls' education in India". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  10. "A tuk tuk road trip across India in aid of charity Educate Girls". South China Morning Post. 11 April 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  11. "May 2018 Winners". Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards.
  12. Chan, Tessa (8 May 2017). "Hong Kong couple to create coastal pollution map the hard way". South China Morning Post.
  13. Documentary follows couple’s six-day Hong Kong trash tour
  14. The Loop - Mountainfilm Graz 2019
  15. "Hong Kong explorers retrace footsteps of 1920s dinosaur hunter". South China Morning Post. 14 July 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  16. Lo, Zabrina. "How a US Warplane Shot Down in World War II Is Being Unearthed by Hong Kong Experts and Volunteers". Tatler Asia. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  17. "Hong Kong's 'most violent day': team to dig for shot WWII plane". South China Morning Post. 2021-11-06. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  18. "Uncovering a lost WW2 plane". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  19. "Explorers Club HK | Paul Niel". Explorers Club HK. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  20. Hong Kong couple’s 13 Unesco sites in a day a world record
  21. Cleaver, Jake (June 6, 2022). "Zaya the Explorer". www.theportugalnews.com. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  22. "Paul Niel". Premium Speakers. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  23. "On the Roof of the World: Climbing Everest and Lhotse". Asia Society. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  24. "Paul Niel: Insights on Exponential Organisations". 23 June 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  25. "Paul Niel - Generation T". Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  26. "Paul Niel - TEDx HongKong". tedxhongkong.org. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  27. "Climbers drawn to uncharted China mountain range". South China Morning Post. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  28. "In Lawrence of Arabia's footsteps: the thrill of Jordan's Wadi Rum". South China Morning Post. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  29. "Heights of ambition | ActionAsia". Retrieved 14 February 2019.
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