Former hostage negotiator, Derek Gaunt is a truly exhilarating speaker. From the moment he steps onto the stage, audiences are captivated by his authentic stories straight from the front line of negotiating. He credits his success to "empathetic listening", connecting with people to communicate productively. Derek now uses this skill to aid business owners in their ventures, teaching programs on the power of communication. From de-escalating emotional situations to promoting behavioural change, his unbelievable anecdotes are invaluable to corporate audiences.
Following five years of education, Derek graduated from the Columbia Southern University with a degree in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration. Prior to this, however, he had already established himself as a formidable negotiator. For 25 years, from 1988 to 2014, Derek worked crisis and hostage negotiation, starting as an instructor and finishing as a team commander. From there, he spent three years as a Crisis Negotiations Team Coordinator in the Special Investigations Unit.
Following Derek's work as a Deputy at Alexandria Sheriff's Office, he spent six years as an instructor at ATA. In this role, he advised on the best practices of hostage and barricade management. Since 2010, Derek has been a Senior Executive at The Black Swan Group. Specialising in business consultation, the group helps corporate clients with negotiation training, improving their skills in communication and persuasion.
As a negotiator, trainer and coach, Derek advises clients on how to improve interpersonal communications, therefore accelerating deal-making. Through tactical empathy, he has honed a style of negotiating that is humanistic and compassionate. From seminars to workshops, as well as in-house training, he works with clients of all kinds. Similarly to the content in his novel, Ego, Authority, Failure, he helps managers to connect with their employees. Derek's keynote speeches are invaluable. For corporate and public audiences alike, his stories are captivating, straight from the front line of negotiations. Previous clients have enjoyed increased performance, more positive workplace culture and better interpersonal relations, thanks to Derek's advice.
How to hire Derek Gaunt
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Derek Gaunt for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
