Suzanne Williams QPM

Suzanne Williams QPM is an experienced hostage negotiator who has worked on some of the most high profile and dangerous hostage situations across the world.

She has advised Government Ministers as part of the Cabinet Office Briefings (COBR) on negotiation strategies and suitable kidnap, highjacking and siege responses. Many of which cases evolved in the media spotlight whilst others were resolved covertly. However, each demanded careful and innovative negotiation plans, the use of intermediaries and good communication to all stake holders, including the perpetrators.

Suzanne Williams began her career in the police specialising in kidnappings, sieges, domestic barricades, suicide prevention and bank robberies.

During her time as a Scotland Yard detective, she became the first woman to head the Kidnap and Hostage Negotiation Units, becoming the most senior ranking officer in charge of both the Kidnap and Hostage Negotiation Units.

At the highest level, Suzanne Williams has been an active contributor to the UK Government’s crisis response in cases of the kidnap and abduction of UK citizens overseas. And specifically for this work, she received the Queen’s Police Medal (QPM) in recognition of her commitment to the fields of kidnap, negotiation, and saving of life.

Suzanne also spent time as part of the Royal Protection senior management team working from Buckingham Palace. Her role included security preparation for annual major royal events, crisis management for spontaneous incidents and detailed plan writing for the UK government in response to serious crimes against members of the Royal Household.

Whilst seconded to the FBI Suzanne became an accredited Hostage Negotiator in the USA, and has contributed to the successful resolution of hundreds of kidnaps and hostage situations on land and the high seas. This has included working on sea hijackings with modern pirates, as well as being deployed in war zones at crucial points to negotiate in very delicate high-risk situations.

Suzanne is a visiting lecturer at Harvard University, USA, where she works with the international humanitarian sector. She also teaches at Saïd Business School, Oxford University, where she shares hostage negotiation tools and tactics with the participants on the Oxford Programme on Negotiation.

This unique approach to business negotiations and good communication has been well received within the programme. During these sessions, Sue uses her extensive hostage negotiation experience to teach influence without authority and how to formulate negotiation strategies suitable for successful business transactions.

Suzanne Williams’ philosophy is that negotiation should be collaborative, ethical, and win-win. Here are a handful of her top tips on how to negotiate with anyone — even if they are holding a gun!

1. Never lie — unless there's a bomb
Trust is like an egg - once broken, it can't be unbroken. The only exception Sue once made... buying herself time to evacuate from a suicide bomber. If your counterpart catches even a whiff of dishonesty, expect the deal to be dead.

2. The negotiator should never be the decision maker
Notice how car sales people always need to "check with their manager"? When you separate the negotiator from the decision maker, the dynamic shifts from adversarial to collaborative. You're suddenly working together to convince that mysterious third party.

3. Know your red line — but keep it secret
If you're asking for a pay rise, pick a number that makes you laugh out loud (especially if you're a woman negotiating with a man). Why? We're terrible at valuing ourselves. Your uncomfortable number might actually be closer to your true worth.

4. Never negotiate by surprise
Being ambushed into a negotiation? That's a power play. Politely decline and reschedule. Those "end of quarter" deadlines? They’re just classic pressure tactics. Take back control by choosing when to negotiate.

5. Research is your superpower
The secret to world class negotiation isn't clever tactics - it's research. Understanding motivations, identifying real decision makers, mapping stake holders - this is where negotiations are won or lost.

And for a bonus tip: negotiations are all about relationship building. Susan Williams spends most of her time just chatting, getting to know the other person and understanding their perspective. When you find yourself really liking a salesperson - remember, they know if they get you to like them, you're more likely to part with your money!