2026 Chieftain

It was a real honour to be invited back to be Chieftain at the Gordonstoun Highland Games for the second time. As a former parent at the school I have always enjoyed this event, but to be able to go back as someone who can inspire young people to be the best version of themselves is a massive privilege.

There is so much I love about the games – the pipe band, the stalls, the opportunity to catch up with people I haven’t seen for a while, but the one thing that stands out every year is the firm belief that on the athletics field, and in the competitions, it doesn’t matter which uniform you wear, or where you come from, we all have the same chance to shine, we just have to dig deep and find it within ourselves to do so

It’s never about winning or losing, it’s about the effort we put in to trying.

I will be back next year and will always say yes to being Chieftain when asked, because it’s so important to be able to show these eager young minds that it’s always about the people you surround yourself with along the way that defines whether or not you will achieve what you are looking for.

Chieftain Emma Henderson at Gordonstoun HIghland Games

Emma Henderson MBE Chieftain Gordonstoun Highland Games

Emma Henderson MBE is a former airline Captain, author and founder of Project Wingman – a national charity that mobilised 6,500 grounded aircrew to support NHS frontline staff during the pandemic, earning her an MBE in 2021, and now an award winning global keynote and TedX speaker.

One of fewer than 500 female airline captains in the world, Emma built a 30-year career in aviation, flying passengers safely around Europe and training the next generation of pilots, but she is always quick to say that aviation is not just about aircraft – it is about people. Calm under pressure. Teamwork. Responsibility. Looking after one another when it matters most.

Emma has just returned from climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, raising funds for charity and pushing herself physically and mentally in the same way she has encouraged countless others to do throughout her career. The climb symbolised something she believes deeply: that resilience is built step by step, and that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things when they commit to the journey.

As a Gordonstoun parent, Emma has seen the power of Kurt Hahn’s educational philosophy in action, something she also embraces, and she credits the school’s emphasis on challenge, service and character with shaping confident, resilient young people who understand that achievement and responsibility go hand in hand. Whether standing in the flight deck of an aircraft, addressing audiences around the world, or climbing above the clouds on Africa’s highest peak, those values remain her compass.

Emma lives in Moray, close to the sea she loves, and continues to champion young people to dream boldly, work hard, support one another, and embrace the adventure of growth.