Our Team - Crisis, Reputation and Leadership

Our Team - Crisis, Reputation and Leadership

---

Crisis, Reputation and Leadership

Emergency Management and Leadership

Project Support

Jeremy Larken, DSO

• MD of OCTO since start-up in 1991; tutored over 2000 executives & senior managers
• Authority on practical leadership under pressure, corporate crisis management and board level arrangements
• Contributor to journals and academic texts on crisis management and leadership issues in addition to board-level business
• Previous 33-year naval career headed UK's military activities beyond NATO boundaries and was Deputy Head of the Ministry of Defence's crisis management organisation
• Six major sea-going commands including submarine operations (Cold War), the Falkland Islands campaign and commander of the UK/NL Amphibious Task Force

Helen Shannon

• OCTO Business Director since 1998; tutored over 800 managers and executives
• International advisor to the Government of Ireland in the development of the Framework for Major Emergency Management
• Specialist in mapping/anticipating corporate crisis impact/fallout
• Benchmarking site emergency management capability.  Conducts parallel work in the corporate sector, benchmarking crisis and emergency management arrangements, and practical forward-control practice in major hazard industries
• Early career experience includes Plant Manager at a Chemicals and Polymers site, Corporate Management Systems Manager and Operations Business Manager holding responsibility for emergency and crisis management
• Regulator in safety and emergency management to the Offshore Safety Division of the Health & Safety Executive in the post Lord Cullen regime

Jonathon Reeve, CB

• Extensive experience in national emergency arrangements for the UK nuclear weapons and nuclear power-plant programmes and from extensive exposure to emergency command throughout career in the Royal Navy
• Principal tutor delivering high-level modules and practical development to the Cabinet Office Top Management Programme (TMP) and other seminars of senior government officials and business executives
• Previous career in the Royal Navy as Navy Board executive Member for Logistics and Deputy Chief Executive of the Warship Support Agency
• Directed naval logistics in support of operations in Iraq
• Principal in the Royal Navy’s nuclear accident organisation 1998-2004 and from 2001 leading and reforming it
• Ran the three biggest multi-agency nuclear accident exercises ever conducted in the UK up to 2003 responsible directly to Ministers

Elaine Birch-Ruffell OBE

• Director and Fellow, Institute of Statecraft, Oxford; national security, foreign affairs and leadership specialist
• Experienced national security and leadership professional 
• Previous 30-year career within the UK Government undertook major transformation projects in both the Cabinet Office (implementing the findings of the Butler Report) and the Foreign Office (developing a multi-level leadership & talent management framework)
• Enhanced cross-boundary/cross-border collaboration on transnational threats with the public, private & third-sectors and pioneered a new strategic foresight capability to underpin the UK National Security Strategy
• Works with governments across Europe, North and Latin America advising on Parliamentary oversight, organisational & leadership development, building strategic assessment capabilities and developing cutting edge 'collaborative platforms' that revolutionise how knowledge is gathered & shared globally
• Coached several Boards of Directors and been the personal mentor to at least three CEOs

Julian Thompson CB OBE

• Chairman of Idarat Maritime Limited and a consultant with Exploration Logistics Group plc
• Authority on maritime counter-terrorism; advising government and corporations
• Eminent military historian and commentator on current defence issues
• Advised the Insurance Brokers Alexander & Alexander (later Aon) and their clients on crisis management and terrorism.  He is a Visiting Professor at the Department of War Studies, King’s College London
• Previous career in the Royal Marines commanded on operations at every level, including the Falklands War - where he commanded the first phase of the land operations and the majority of key land engagements
• Responsibilities in last appointment in the rank of Major General included commanding and training the Special Forces tasked with providing the UK’s response to maritime terrorism

Jack Fallow

• Experienced senior director and company Chairman who is particularly interested in matters of corporate ethics, governance and sustainability
• Led a buy-out from British Gas to form GasForce Ltd, an employee owned company
• Co-developer and originator of The Organisation Effectiveness Model, the Firm Foundations Programme and The Sustainability Excellence Model - each of which is designed as a support to coaches and for self-managed learning
• Originator of 'Attractive Leadership' theory, which links leadership values to organisational role
• Trained in IRIS (Initial Recruitment Interview System) - a system for assessing and predicting capacity to handle complexity; also Career Path Appreciation - an approach for helping individuals assess their own future potential
• Board member of the Global Organisation Design Society (based in Toronto), an advisor to the Brunel Business School

Charles Anson, CVO

• Adviser and coach in reputation strategy and management in crisis
• Formerly director of corporate communications group for Diageo and Hilton Group plc; Downing Street Press Officer for two Prime Ministers and Press Secretary to the HM The Queen (1990-97)
• Previous 21-year career in the British Diplomatic Service included a spell as Deputy Head of the FCO department coordinating counter-terrorism policy, Tehran Embassy during the Iranian Revolution, two periods in Washington and Head of Communications for the European Broadcasting Union

Stuart Hyslop

• Former Fleet Street executive who set up his own consultancy, Surrey House
• Specialist in corporate communications
• Trained a wide range of clients in how to prepare for and respond to media attention during a crisis or when under critical media scrutiny
• Works in partnership with OCTO in provision of crisis exercises and training
• Provides media training and expertise to people working for utilities, government officials, board directors, supermarket and other food industry staff and insurers

Helen Glanville

• Senior producer, director and programme editor of mainstream factual TV programmes (Panorama, Newsnight, Watchdog)
• Specialisms are broadcasting consultancy, and corporate and training video
• Advises government organisations on improving media profiles, and provides media training to British industries
• Experienced in media training and media management
• Supported disaster scenario exercises in Europe, providing the broadcast element and post-exercise analysis
• Accomplished team leader and Managing Director of Glanville Production Limited

Tony Melville

• Joined OCTO as an Associate in 2012
• An advisor to new Police Commissioners and for other high-level government policing and change-management issues
• Previous career was in the Police Service; served at all ranks, operational and strategic, in three Forces culminating in the position of Chief Constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary
• Ten years of experience as a Chief Police Officer with a wealth of experience dealing with both operational and organisational critical incidents, crises and emergencies
• Nationally-trained Hostage Negotiator and accredited Gold Firearms Commander, deployed to many high risk, high profile and complex situations; these required an ability to perform, often under intense media scrutiny and pressure
• Graduate of the Police Strategic Command Course and Prime Minister’s Top Management Programme, with a strong and proven background in leading organisational change to match his operational experience

Andrew Bickley

• Joined OCTO as an Associate in 2014
• 30 years’ experience developing and demonstrating leadership in the UK police service, retiring recently following a distinguished career to the rank of Assistant Chief Constable
• Proven track record in many areas: the leadership of many critical incidents and emergencies in both a police and multi-agency setting; developing strategic responses to critical risk areas of business; managing significant reputational harm following service failings; building strong alliances and learning across public, private and the voluntary sector during and in the recovery phase of critical incidents
• Gained experience internationally developing work with the Police in Holland and worked in COBR during the first national fuel crisis.  Undertook the strategic command role for the nuclear accreditation and relicensing exercise at HMNB, Devonport in 2013
• Nationally accredited strategic firearms commander and a public order commander, successfully deploying these capabilities during a range of high profile, high risk operations
• Graduate of the National Policing Improvement Agency senior leadership development programme.  Currently taken up an appointment as the Independent chair for the governance of safeguarding arrangements for children and vulnerable adults in Plymouth

Bob Jones

• Joined OCTO as an Associate in 2015, following almost two decades of close involvement in the field of emergency management in complex, high hazard Industries
• Over 37 years at Sellafield, he was closely involved with the development, commissioning and operations of the processes and plants on the site.  Acted as Operating Unit Head for the majority of the large Operating Units on site and in doing so was personally accountable for their safe and effective operations, in both normal and emergency conditions
• Served over 20 years in Site Emergency Control Teams, latterly as a long standing and extremely proficient Site Emergency Controller
• Serves on a sub-committee to the Magnox Board, which contributes to corporate governance by evaluating and commenting upon the nuclear safety and environmental performance of their fleet of reactor stations

 

Emergency Management and Leadership

Project Support

---

---

---