My name is Schiena, Tony Schiena.
A spy turned adventurer has been dubbed the “real-life James Bond” thanks to his thirst for adrenaline-filled activities combined with a dapper appearance when he returns to civilization.
Tony Schiena, born in South Africa and splitting his time between the United States and Europe, currently runs Mosaic, considered one of the world’s leading intelligence and security consulting firms.
Over the past three decades, he has established himself as one of the leaders in the crisis management sector and is now using the skills learned through undercover missions to complete a range of personal challenges.
Most recently, Tony completed Everest and one of the toughest foot races on the planet, the Marathon Des Sables, which is equivalent to running six marathons in six days.
South African-born Tony Schiena currently heads Mosaic, considered one of the world’s leading intelligence and security advisory firms.
Over the past three decades, it has established itself as one of the leaders in the crisis management sector.
Speaking to DailyMail.com, Tony says his experience as a spy helped him on the adventurous side as he is used to operating in a spectrum of extreme environments.
He explained: ‘From the very beginning of my career I was immersed in a murky and clandestine environment of smoke and mirrors.
‘Everything was accelerated by the possibility of civil war and I suddenly found myself involved in situations whose gravity and possible consequences I did not fully understand.
‘When you climb large mountains or venture into a desert, you are exposed to a changing and potentially dangerous environment.
‘In high-altitude mountaineering you are exposed to extreme weather changes, possible avalanches, falls into deep crevasses, etc.
‘In the desert you face sandstorms that can completely take you off course, where you can very easily become isolated and run out of water.’
Tony said his thirst for travel began as a child and that whenever he was in an airport with his family, he was “desperate to stay as long as possible.”
He recalled: ‘I was mesmerised by the people and planes coming and going.
Most recently, Tony completed the toughest foot race on the planet, the Sands Marathon, which is equivalent to running six marathons in six days.
During his Everest expedition, Tony suffered severe food poisoning but managed to reach the summit.
In Antarctica, Tony climbed Mount Vinson, the highest point on the continent at 16,050 feet.
“I’m from a small town outside of Johannesburg, so wanting to “get out” was a priority.”
After fulfilling his dream of traveling the world, Tony is eager to share his knowledge with others.
He says one of the highlights he’s visited so far has been Antarctica, where he climbed Mount Vinson, the highest point on the continent at 16,050 feet.
Referring to the otherworldly landscape, the adventurer said: ‘Flying to Union Glacier and landing on the ice was incredible.
“Then when you get off the plane, you realize that where we’re going, there’s no living thing, not even an insect. Just pure white ice and light 24/7.”
In addition to Antarctica, Tony believes that everyone should see “a war zone, a conflict area or an impoverished country at least once in their life to understand how lucky we are.”
Her approach to travel is also about mixing ruggedness with a dose of luxury so that you can appreciate things when they are good.
He reflects: “I’ve always prided myself on being able to sleep under a tree one day and in a palace the next, on being able to fly on a private jet and then fly back on a low-cost airline. It’s important to mix things up.”
When asked what his three must-have travel items are, Tony says his number one item is a “power source.”
Her approach to travel is to mix ruggedness with luxury so that she can appreciate it when things are going well.
‘I agree that some people may have an innate ability for intelligence or tactical operations, but that is not the case for everyone.’
Looking ahead, Tony’s next challenge is to learn to fly and he will be “in good hands” with legendary Italian climber and pilot, Simone Moro.
The globetrotter explains: ‘Depending on the purpose of my trip, I would pack differently, of course.
‘In general, outside of work or extreme adventure, I think power is very important, a power bank, whether it’s solar powered or not.’
Her second favorite travel item is a “small pocket knife,” which she says can “be valuable for many reasons, especially if you keep it as discreetly as possible on your person (in a potentially dangerous environment or in case you need to peel an apple).”
Finally, the former agent assures that having “some local currency or dollars can be very helpful,” especially if you travel somewhere off the tourist map.
For those who want to follow in Tony’s footsteps as a secret agent, he offers some advice: ‘I agree that some people may have an innate ability for intelligence or tactical operations, but that’s not the case for everyone – for many it’s hours and hours of laborious surveillance and waiting, not at all like James Bond.
‘I was studying to become a maritime lawyer. Did I see myself writing bills of lading in an office all day? No, so this was definitely the path I needed to take. It’s not for everyone, but it’s definitely for some.
‘But as they say, “be careful what you wish for,” I’ve been living on airplanes and traveling around the planet for many years, often averaging 40 international flights a year, but I still value the ability to wake up in a different country or continent without any hassle.’
Looking ahead, Tony will add another string to his bow by learning to fly and will be “in good hands” with “legendary Italian climber and pilot, Simone Moro.”