"Words on the Wire: Inside a Hostage Negotiator's Life-or-Death Deals"

"Words on the Wire: Inside a Hostage Negotiator's Life-or-Death Deals"
With Martin Richards

Details:

Step into the intense and unpredictable world of a real-life hostage negotiator. This compelling presentation takes you behind the scenes, from specialist training to international deployments, revealing what truly happens when lives are on the line.

Through gripping real-world cases, the speaker recounts suicide interventions, rescues from barricaded offenders, and high-stakes overseas kidnappings. Far removed from Hollywood myths, this talk exposes the reality of negotiation: the pressure, creativity, and split-second decisions required when every word matters.

More than a collection of dramatic stories, this session offers powerful insights into negotiation skills that translate directly into everyday life and the business world, communication, influence, emotional intelligence, and decision-making under pressure.

Discover how pirates and kidnappers select their targets, the harsh realities faced by hostages in captivity, and the complex world of ransom negotiations. Drawing on debrief excerpts and UK headline cases, the speaker reveals how negotiations unfold.

Insightful, thought-provoking, and unforgettable, this talk will leave you inspired, entertained, and with a new appreciation for those who negotiate in life-or-death situations.

Martin has over twenty-five years’ experience as a hostage and crisis negotiator and crisis manager.
He is a crisis management professional, who specialises in working with public sector and corporate business
clients on crisis preparation, post event management, training, exercises, crisis plan preparation and assisting
clients manage live crisis situations, including kidnap. He has spent time in senior leadership roles both in the public and private sector.

Martin spent 30 years in the UK Metropolitan Police with command responsibility over a series of high-profile major
incidents. He achieved the rank of Chief Superintendent and retired after thirty years of exemplary service. He was
head of all management and leadership development for supervisors and worked on secondment to the Home
Office, National Police Powers and Policy Unit and concluded as UK Director of strategic police command firearms
training.

Throughout his police career he was an international hostage and crisis negotiator, being responsible for the 24/7
deployment of negotiators and formulating negotiation strategies, incidents including, suicide interventions, armed
sieges, protesters and gang related kidnaps. He was also deployed to negotiate the release of UK citizens
throughout the globe including into the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Martin was an advisor to overseas UK Ambassadors and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on international
kidnap management. For his work in international hostage negotiation, he received several Chief Officer
commendations and praise from the UK Prime Minister and Head of the UN.

In 2011, Martin joined a risk consultancy, Control Risks, as an Associate Director, where for five years he led more
than 200 kidnap related training programmes in over 40 countries and spent periods of time attached to the kidnap
response unit, helping clients manage kidnap for ransom and extortion incidents across the globe.

On leaving Control Risks, he joined Bloomberg LP in Hong Kong as a Regional Security Director for the company’s
operations in Africa, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. Here he developed and refined travel safety,
security and crisis management arrangements that contributed to improved business resilience and continuity. This
proved successful in managing public demonstrations, major floods, extreme weather and terrorism related
incidents.

On returning to the UK in 2017, Martin created two crisis management companies, where he created products that
bring the world of hostage and crisis negotiations into the world of business. Martin has worked for five of the
largest kidnap response consultancies, Control risks, Garda World, Crisis 24, Convex, and Ambrey. He is currently
employed as a kidnap and extortion response consultant, specialising in piracy and marine hijacks and terrorist
attacks. He has managed over 150 cases and debriefed over 100 hostages.

Venue:
Big Penny
1 Priestley Way,
London
E17 6AL


Event Running Time:
(We recommend arriving at 6:30pm if you're eating, and 7pm if drinks only)
Doors from 7pm
Introduction: 7:25pm
Lecture: 7:30pm
Q&A: 8:10pm
Finish: 8:30pm

FAQs:

What is Pints of Knowledge?

Pints of Knowledge is a series of public talks where experts, researchers, and big thinkers share fascinating ideas all in the relaxed setting of a pub. We bring brilliant minds and curious audiences together over a pint, covering topics from science and politics to history, art, and beyond.

What happens at Pints of Knowledge?

At each Pints of Knowledge event, you’ll hear engaging talks (approx. 40 minutes) from expert speakers on fascinating topics — followed by an audience Q&A (approx. 20 minutes). The vibe is informal and social, set in a pub where you can grab a drink, meet interesting people, and enjoy big ideas in a relaxed setting.

What if I don't drink alcohol?

No problem at all! Pints of Knowledge is all about the ideas and the community, not the drinks. You’re welcome to enjoy a soft drink, coffee, or whatever you prefer. The focus is on creating a relaxed, social atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable.

Can I attend without a ticket?

Tickets must be purchased online prior to the event. With our limited capacity at each venue we can't let people in without a ticket. There is occasionally the option to purchase a ticket on the door for our sold-out events, but we cannot guarantee this. 

Is there food available?

Yes, there is usually the option to purchase food at our events - please see each venue's menu on their website. If you plan on eating at the venue, we recommend arriving as early as possible so the kitchen can get your order out before the talk starts. In the unlikely event the kitchen isn't open, there will typically be an option to order in food from elsewhere or bring your own food. 

Can I get my ticket refunded?

We issue full ticket refunds if you have requested 7 days before the event. Any requests after will be at the discretion of the event organiser.

Can I get my ticket exchanged?

We issue full ticket exchanges if you have requested 48 hours before the event. Any requests after will be at the discretion of the event organiser.

Is the event pet/baby friendly?

Yes, we allow pets and babies to attend but reserve the right to request their removal if they are disruptive.

Is the venue accessible?

All of our venues are accessible, besides the following: The Old Queen's Head, The Landor, The Alma, and The Morpeth Arms.