Founder Anne Kershaw, MBE
Anne has been working in Antarctica for more than 30 years. Anne was an owner and operator of Adventure Network International (ANI), renowned for landing some of the first wheeled aircraft on blue-ice in Antarctica under her direction.
Adventure Network International (ANI) truly pioneered access to Antarctica. Supporting private, deep-field Antarctic tourism, scientific logistics across the continent, establishing a base at Patriot Hills in 1987 and supporting major historic ‘first’ expeditions.
In particular, ANI landed the first ever aircraft from Cape Town, South Africa to Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. Opening up an area for science which had only previously been accessible by ship. This was the foundation for the now DROMLAN air network.
Anne is one of the founding member of IAATO, and was awarded MBE by the British Government of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for her Polar services to Antarctica Aviation.
For the last three decades, she has worked with National Antarctic Programs, Private Operators, aviation specialists and multinational organizations in the preservation of the Antarctic. In 2019, Anne founded the Polar Commitment Foundation with the singular vision ‘to preserve Antarctica’ and the Foundation has become her full-time life’s commitment.