Hernán Leal

Who Is Hernán Leal?

Hernán Leal is a renowned Chilean entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and mountaineer who has summited Mount Everest twice. His life story inspired the animated short film *The Boy and the Mountain*, nominated for an Oscar and awarded over 100 international accolades. Known for his adventurous spirit and positive outlook, Leal has built a career that spans both business and mountaineering, inspiring thousands worldwide with his resilience and passion. He is the founder and president of FastCo, a multinational Chilean company with a presence in four Latin American countries. A graduate of Harvard Business School, Hernán has also overcome a respiratory disability, completing the *Seven Summits* challenge—scaling the highest peak on each continent.

What is his Background?

Born in Osorno, a city far from Chile’s capital, Hernán Leal built his career from the ground up, overcoming geographical and personal obstacles. He holds a degree in Business Administration from the Catholic University of Valparaíso and began his career as an executive for multinational companies like Hoechst in Chile and Hussman in South America. In 2001, he founded FastCo, which now operates in Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Mexico and employs around 2,000 people.

Ten years ago, Leal discovered his passion for mountaineering and embarked on the *Seven Summits* challenge in 2012. After five years of training and climbing, Hernán reached iconic peaks such as Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, Everest, and Mount Vinson in Antarctica, completing the challenge in 2018 and becoming the seventh Chilean to achieve it. His book, *The Mountains We Carry Inside* (2018), is a guide to his three-step methodology for achieving meaningful goals. Currently, Leal leads the *Dream Route Expedition*, a project supported by Chile’s Ministry of Education, which brings his “Dream Big” message to remote communities across Chile.