Suzanne Williams QPM

Suzanne Williams QPM is an internationally renowned hostage negotiator, crisis expert and keynote speaker whose career has centred on communication when the consequences could scarcely be higher. A former senior Scotland Yard detective, Sue became the first woman to lead both the Kidnap Unit and Hostage Crisis Negotiation Unit at New Scotland Yard, contributing to the successful resolution of hundreds of hostage and kidnap situations around the world. Today, she translates decades of experience negotiating in war zones, at sea with modern pirates and during sensitive international crises into compelling lessons for corporate audiences.

Sue developed her expertise during a distinguished 32 year career with the Metropolitan Police Service, building extensive experience in policing, crisis response and high stakes communication. From 1998, she formed part of the Royalty Protection senior management team at Buckingham Palace, where her responsibilities included security preparation for major royal events, crisis management for spontaneous incidents and detailed government planning in response to serious crimes involving members of the Royal Household. In 2001, Sue was appointed Head of the Kidnap Unit and Senior Investigator at New Scotland Yard, placing her at the centre of some of the most complex investigations handled by the Metropolitan Police. Her specialist development also took her internationally, and following a secondment to the FBI, she became an FBI accredited Hostage Negotiator in the United States, complementing the hostage negotiation qualification she had gained through New Scotland Yard.

In 2003, Sue was appointed Head of the Hostage Crisis Negotiation Unit at New Scotland Yard, becoming the most senior ranking officer responsible for the unit and remaining in the position until 2008. Her operational work has included kidnappings, hostage situations, maritime hijackings involving modern pirates and deployments into war zones at crucial stages of delicate negotiations. At government level, Sue has advised senior ministers through Cabinet Office Briefings, COBR, contributing to the UK Government’s crisis response to the kidnapping and abduction of British citizens overseas. In recognition of her exceptional commitment to kidnap response, negotiation and saving lives, Sue was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Police Medal, QPM. Since leaving the Metropolitan Police, she has worked as an independent specialist kidnap response consultant and crisis and hostage manager, advising governments, international organisations, NGOs, companies and high profile families. She is also an Associate Fellow at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, teaching on the Oxford Programme on Negotiation, and a Visiting Lecturer at Harvard University, sharing her expertise with international audiences.

As a keynote speaker, Sue provides audiences with a rare insight into what effective communication looks like when trust, judgement and decision making can determine whether somebody lives or dies. Her speaking covers negotiation, crisis management, persuasive communication, influence without authority, decision making under pressure, trust, ethics, cross cultural negotiation and the growing challenge of cyber extortion. Her sessions combine remarkable stories with practical techniques audiences can use immediately, helping leaders understand human behaviour, listen more effectively and communicate with purpose. For organisations seeking an authoritative speaker on negotiation, crisis leadership and high stakes decision making, Sue offers expertise developed in situations where communication has genuinely meant the difference between success and failure.