Martin Richards

Martin Richards is an international kidnap and extortion negotiator with over twenty years’ experience in hostage and crisis negotiation.

He spent 30 years in the UK Metropolitan Police, reaching the rank of Chief Superintendent, where he had command responsibility over a series of high-profile major incidents. He was head of the leadership academy, and worked on secondment to the Home Office, National Police Powers and Policy Unit and concluded his service as UK Director of strategic police command firearms training.
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Earlier in his career, Martin was a leader within the firearms department, surveillance teams and public order units. He was, for 14 years, an international hostage and crisis negotiator coordinator for the Metropolitan Police and was deployed to negotiate the release of UK citizens throughout the globe including, Afghanistan, Africa, Iraq, and Israel.

He was an advisor to overseas UK ambassadors and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on international kidnap management and has received several chief officer commendations, including one case in Afghanistan resulting in the release of three hostages, for which he received recognition from the UN Sec Gen and the UK Prime Minister.

Martin regularly assessed students on the UK national hostage and crisis negotiators course and is a graduate of the FBI negotiators programme in Quantico. As a hostage negotiator, Martin was also deployed to manage numerous suicide interventions and assist persons who were in an immediate crisis.
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Following his retirement in 2011, Martin Richards joined Control Risks, a security consultancy where, for five years, he managed kidnap incidents for corporate clients and led more than 200 training programmes in over 40 countries.
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He designed and implemented a selection of new training courses, ranging from e-learning to fully immersive exercises, covering kidnap management, piracy, siege management, terrorism, hostage survival, kidnap prevention, negotiation in business, family liaison and victim communications.
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After he left Control Risks, he joined Bloomberg LP in Hong Kong employed as a regional security director for the company’s operations in Africa, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific regions. Here he developed and refined travel safety, security and crisis management protocols.
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In 2017, he returned to the UK, where he formed his own company and continues to teach crisis management and leadership to private clients. He is also retained by a security consultancy, and regularly deploys to assist clients manage kidnap/extortion and crisis incidents.

As a sought after keynote speaker, after dinner speaker and trainer, Martin Richards uses his h ostage and crisis negotiation skills to help people improve their communication skills, avoid and resolve conflict and have better conversations.

He has demonstrably proven that these skills enhance both business and private relationships. His unique training ranges from dealing with families in a crisis to helping individuals deal with everyday difficult conversations, interviews and business transactions.

Popular keynote speech topics include:
• Dealing with Stressful and Emotional Conversations
• Planning For and Dealing with Difficult People
• Navigating Through Sensitive Conversations
• How to Influence and Persuade a Change in Behaviour
• Negotiation in business

Following Martin’s keynote presentation, organisations have witnessed remarkable transformations, fostering a heightened sense of empathy and cultural awareness among their employees. This has lead to stronger relationships with clients, partners, and stake holders, amplifying their overall impact and success.

Some of his most significant achievements lie in assisting crisis teams and individuals in navigating immediate crises. Martin’s expertise has proven invaluable in attaining successful resolutions, even under the most demanding circumstances.

After Dinner Speaking Engagements – Humorous and Riveting Stories of a Hostage Negotiator
When an event calls for something more

Clients often ask about purchasing books for giveaways and delegate packs. Below you’ll find a selection of products by Martin Richards. Click the images to view on Amazon's website. For bulk orders, please speak with your Booking Agent.