The Greatest Adventurer: From the Wilds of Africa to a Billion Dollar Travel Empire (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781637635087)

Geoffrey Kent's life began much as he lives it today--amid adventure in an exotic setting. He was born in 1942 while his parents, Colonel John Kent and Valerie Kent, were on safari in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). He grew up on the family farm in the Aberdare Highlands of Kenya, where his childhood unfolded amid the splendor and drama of untamed Africa. He attended the then-new Duke of York School in Nairobi, which later produced many of Kenya's business and scientific leaders.

At age sixteen, Kent undertook a solitary exploration of the African continent that helped define the course of his life. During this two-month trek, he became the first person to travel by motorbike more than 5,000 miles between Nairobi, Kenya, and Cape Town, South Africa.

After attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Kent served in Bahrain, Aden, Oman, Yemen, Cyprus, Libya, and Malta. Following his final posting as aide-de-camp to General John Frost, CB, DSO, MC--of A Bridge Too Far fame--his military career ended prematurely due to hearing damage sustained during years in heavy tanks.

While serving in the British Army, Kent and his parents founded Abercrombie & Kent in Kenya. He later returned to Kenya to lead the company full-time. By 1967, his parents had retired, and Kent began transforming A&K into the internationally renowned luxury travel company it is today.

With the skill of a seasoned businessman and the curiosity of an explorer, Kent built a company that enables travelers to discover the world in distinctive style. Through A&K, even the most remote destinations become accessible--yet remain authentic, secure, and immersive.

A&K provides comprehensive service, from initial consultation to the journey home. The company owns and operates its own lodges, camps, and ships, including the four A&K Sanctuary vessels on the Nile; Pure Amazon in Peru; and A&K Sanctuary camps and lodges throughout Africa. A modern approach to travel ensures exclusive access and experiences tailored to clients' individual interests and aspirations.

Kent's concept of a "luxury cocoon" from which to explore the world attracts more than 250,000 guests annually. Among the many notable travelers who have journeyed with A&K are Robert De Niro, Kim Basinger, Henry Kissinger, Ted Turner, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric, Sting, Hugh Jackman, Ben Stiller, Elle Macpherson, Jerry Seinfeld, Cameron Diaz, Chris Rock, Warren Buffett, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, and former first ladies Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush.

A deep commitment to wildlife conservation has shaped both Kent's career and personal life. In 1982, he founded Friends of Conservation, of which HM King Charles III serves as patron. The award-winning international organization works to preserve endangered ecosystems by partnering with local communities to develop practical, sustainable solutions.

As the company expanded globally, Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy was established as a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting ecosystems and wildlife in collaboration with local communities. Its efforts have been recognized with the World Travel & Tourism Council's Tourism for Tomorrow Award, the Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Award for leadership in social responsibility, and Travel + Leisure's Global Vision Award for Leadership in Philanthropic Travel.

Kent serves as honorary consul of the Republic of Kenya in Monaco. In 2020, he was honored by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco as a goodwill ambassador. He supports the Oceanographic Museum and Institute and was invited by HSH Prince Albert II to join his Roundtable on Philanthropy.

Kent continues to travel extensively in search of emerging destinations, having logged more than 18 million miles across 169 countries. In addition, he became an accomplished polo player, serving for more than twenty years as captain of the A&K team in the United States. He won the U.S. Open twice, as well as the U.S. Gold Cup, the Cartier International, and the Open Championship World Cup. In 1979, Rolex appointed him as one of its ambassadors, alongside Sir Jackie Stewart, Arnold Palmer, and Jean-Claude Killy. He also served as captain and patron of the Windsor Park polo team, playing alongside HM King Charles III. Kent is a founder of Windsor in Vero Beach, one of Florida's most exclusive residential communities, designed by New Urbanist architects and town planners Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk.

Kent was a founding member of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the world's largest private-sector organization dedicated to travel and tourism and served as its chairman for six years. In 2021, he received the Global Icon Award and became an honorary member of WTTC. He was inducted into the U.K. Travel Hall of Fame for creating "experiential travel" and received Travel Weekly's Lifetime Achievement Award. He also serves on the United Nations Leadership Council of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, headed by Professor Jeffrey Sachs.

Today, Abercrombie & Kent maintains an international network of more than 3,000 staff members across more than 65 offices in 40 countries.

The reigning cowboy of narrative nonfiction, with a writing career spanning nineteen years, Ben Mezrich has authored twenty-eight books--major international and New York Times bestsellers--with more than 11 million copies sold. The genre he has created--cinematic and unique true stories of young geniuses battling their way through the gray area between right and wrong and succeeding at all costs--includes the wildly successful Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions, which spent sixty-three weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. It was adapted into the hit motion picture 21.

The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, a Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal spent eighteen weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and appeared on bestseller lists in more than a dozen countries. It was adapted into the critically acclaimed film The Social Network, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning three, including Best Adapted Screenplay. The film also won Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Original Score. Mezrich and Aaron Sorkin shared the prestigious USC Scripter Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Mezrich is the only nonfiction author to have two adaptations open at number one at the box office.

Mezrich's book The Antisocial Network was an international bestseller and was adapted into the theatrical release Dumb Money, starring Pete Davidson, Seth Rogen, and America Ferrera. Mezrich also served as a writer and consulting producer for season 5 of the television series Billions. Most recently, his book Checkmate, centered on the explosive world of professional chess, was acquired by A24, with Nathan Fielder set to direct and Emma Stone to produce. His newest book, The Last Orbit, is slated for release in 2027 and is currently being adapted into a major motion picture by TriStar.