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Meet Jaime Alemán; The Man Who Visited Every Country, Both Poles AND SPACE!!

‘They‘ say you should never meet your heros. Well, let me tell you, ‘they‘ have never met the legend Jaime Alemán (you can check out his profile here). A man who’s record-breaking achievements speak for themselves, but the man himself? An even bigger legend, if that’s even possible.

Jaime breaks every stereotype imaginable when you think about hyper successful, aristrotic, wealthy, corporate diplomats/businessmen/lawyers. Like me, you’d expect a serious guy. Semi-retired. In a suit and tie. Discuss their portfolio and their bad knees. Not Jaime.

Humble, fun-loving, energy for days. And with irish blood running through his veins ensuring he tells a story, and can handle his booze, like only a man of Irish heritage can! So let me tell you guys about the man I now consider a good friend, Jaime Alemán.

Strap in, in the era when the term ‘legend’ is banded around loosely, this man is legitimately a legend.

Meeting Jaime

It’s not often I’m star struck. But when I was asked to speak at the Most Travel People Summit in Ethiopia in November last year, I was hesitant. A new baby, my businesses, a crazy schedule. It didn’t quite work for me. But one name sprung out of the line-up. Jaime Alemán.

I had heard about Jaime last year, in May 2025, when he became the first person to achieve the ‘Grand Slam of Travel’ aka every country, both poles AND VISIT SPACE! Truly epic. The first person ever to do so, a ‘first’ that can never be broken.

It was one of the reason I agreed to come and speak in Ethiopia too. But I didn’t know who he was, and what he achieved prior to becoming an explorer and adventurer.

I approached Jaime to tell him how in awe of his achievements I was, and I was astounded to hear about his Irish background. A born and bred Panamanian. Where his surname Alemán, is Spanish, but the Healy side of the family, his mother’s family, comes straight from Ireland. We discussed the home country at length.

Here, rather than brag about his achievements, Jaime proceeded to talk proudly of his mum and her roots. Almost reluctant to talk about what he had just done (he’d been to space just months ago!), I pressed him about it. Where again, rather than discuss the achievement, he went on to tell me a beautiful story about how, sadly, his mother had recently passed. So, where most people would tell you about the curvature of the earth, or the shoulders you rubbed with on Blue Origin, Jaime told me a story about how going to space reconnected him with his recently passed mum. A light from heaven directly to him. It brought tears to both of us. And I was struck by how authentic this guy was. It’s rare to feel like that.

We continued to seek each other out during the conference for more chats and laughs. And I thought that was that. But he took my whatsapp number, and gave me his. And invited me to Panama to visit him. I hoped to see him again, one day at leat.

As I spoke to other people at the conference, people who talking about Jaime in reverence. Initially I thought because he had been to space, the same thought process I had. Alas, not that. He was big news. So then I discovered who Jaime Alemán was.

Who was Jaime Alemán?!

Jaime Alemán is one of Panama’s most prominent public figures. A lawyer, banker, diplomat (and now the coolest of all, explorer).

He co-founded one of Panama’s biggest law firms Alemán, Cordero, Galindo & Lee. He also founded a bank, Banistmo, (ultimately sold to HSBC for $1.77 billion), he served as Minister of Government and Justice, and later as Panama’s ambassador to the United States. His wife also served as a Panamanian ambassador. Not to mention, his brother ran for President of Panama. If you’re fortunate enough to meet Jaime, you’d never guess any of this. You’re more likely to end up in some dive bar in Ethiopia or Russia, drinking a $2 beer, with him asking you about YOUR life than hearing about this stuff. It’s crazy.

Traveling together to the coldest place on earth; Oymyakon

I recently organised a bucket-list trip to the coldest inhabited place on earth. Oymyakon. In Siberia. In the winter. Part genius, part masochist.

It promised to be uncomfortable. Weird sleeping arrangements, with many to a room. Toilets frozen solid. If we were lucky enough to even have toilets. 4 WHOLE DAYS driving there and back from the nearest functioning Siberian winter airport. It was not for the faint hearted. I know a few people who love a REAL adventure (I’m not talking G Adventures trips to Costa Rica here) so we had 14 of us. Then, out of seemingly nowhere, I get a whatsapp saying something along the lines of “Wtf Johnny, I didn’t .know you were doing this, I’m in. How do I come?!“. It was from Jaime. But it was late at night in Thailand, so I thought I better warn him what this trip is going to be like. I’ll do it in the morning.

By the time I had woken up, he had signed up for the last spot and sorted his flights. Low maintenance doesn’t even begin to describe it.

And so we had our trip. I was lucky to find myself in Jaime’s car. And the 4 days in the car felt less than 4 hours. I learned so much, laughed so much, and drank so much bloody vodka I can’t even look at the stuff again until my next trip to Russia. (come climb Elbrus, Europe’s highest mountain, in Russia, with me in August!).

Knowing what I know now about who Jaime is, to find himself bunked up with bartenders from New York, or irish bloggers living in Thailand, I was worried it might be out of his comfort zone. How wrong I was. Jaime was in the thick of everything! It was during one of these evenings, he told me about how he came to visit every country in the world…

Inspiration; Changing his life

Jaime had recently turned 65. He was in one of his legal offices in Panama City when one of his business partners said to him. “You’re 65 Jaime, if you live to 85, 20 years from now, 52 weekends a year, that’s about a thousand weekends left to be free“. That day, Jaime said “A thousand weekends?! No. A thousand entire WEEKS, absolutely“.

And with that epiphany, he quit full time work that day. He made a decision to live his life to the max while he still could. So he went on an absolute mission. For the next few years, visiting every country on earth from Somalia to Syria. And then in 2024, to both the North and South Pole.

The story continued with the opportunity to go to space with Blue Origin, where he paid a deposit to go. Someone dropped out. As always, fortune favors the fearless. The same day he got that call, he made the payment, a rather large number, I’m sure you can imagine, and began training to go to space.Fast forward to May 2025 and Jaime became the first person to reach both poles, every country and now, SPACE. Just insane. Truly legendary.

What I learned from Jaime

I could write a book on what I learned from our week in Siberia. Family, investments, adventure. So much. And I’m so grateful for it all. Jaime carries the energy of a father figure, but with the mischievous nature of an older brother. For me, the most important thing I learned from Jaime was that it’s never too late to live a whole new chapter.

Jaime lived the most amazing corporate life. One that most corporate people could only dream about, culminating in one of the largest law firms in Panama and a 10 figure banking exit. He did the same in the diplomatic world. It doesn’t get much more prestigious than dinner with the Obamas as an Ambassador to the US in Washington.

And then, in the click of a finger, he became an explorer. An adventurer. When most would be enjoying the spoils of their labour. Cocktails in Bora Bora. Or villas in Mexico. Jaime found himself in Mogadishu, Baghdad and Tripoli. To have the hunger, and energy to reinvent yourself after such success in the more traditional walks of life is a true inspiration. One I feel like my mum did too, with her Parkinson’s diagnoses all those years ago. Perhaps that’s why I feel such a draw to Jaime. Living life like that in your 70s is almost unheard of. But here they are. And it’s a true inspiration.

Final thoughts on Jaime Aleman

Well, Jaime, if you ever read this. You beat me to it! Every country, both poles, and SPACE! Maybe I can be the second one. Let’s see!

In the meantime, I just want to say thanks. You finished your crazy goal, but still you signed up for a group trip with me to one of the most remote places on earth; All this, when you could be speaking at events with dignitaries and living it up in Presidential suites. There’s yet another a lesson in there for me, too. So cheers, and here’s to the next one mate.