CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
£2.5K TO £5K
AFTER DINNER SPEAKERS
£2.5K TO £5K
"Major Hunter's briefing was exceptionally well done, informative and timely."
FBI
EXTERNAL LINKS
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WIKIPEDIA
TOPICS
Risk, Overcoming Adversity
SPEECH TITLES
Dealing with threats
Strength under pressure
Leadership in the front line
BIOGRAPHY
Chris Hunter had 'the world's most dangerous job, in the world's most dangerous place'. As the British Army's most experienced counter-terrorist bomb disposal specialist in Iraq, he took his life in his hands on a daily basis.
He was so effective at defusing the crude, unstable but deadly devices, that terrorists on both sides of the conflict, Sunnis and Shi'as, put a price on his head. Quite apart from the danger of defusing the bombs, just getting to them was a risk, as Chris was a sitting target for snipers.
Chris joined the British Army at sixteen. He was commissioned from Sandhurst and later served with a number of specialist counter terrorism units. During his career he deployed to a number of operational theatres, including The Balkans, Northern Ireland, Colombia, Afghanistan and Iraq. For his actions during his Iraq tour, he was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal.
Chris rounded off his military career as a senior intelligence analyst at the Ministry of Defence. At the time of the London suicide bombings, he was seconded to COBRA, the Cabinet Office's emergency response committee.
Since retiring from the army, Chris has worked as a counter-terrorism consultant, writer and broadcaster. His memoir, Eight Lives Down, tells the harrowing story of his experiences in Iraq. He is a regular contributor to television and radio news and current affairs programmes.
Speaking, Chris has audiences on the edge of their seats. Finding humour in even the most desperate situations, Chris illustrates a gruelling journey of bravery, strength, leadership and skill where every decision made during his time in Iraq could have been his last.
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Q&A
JLA: Which qualities come to the fore when pressure mounts?
CH: Disabling terrorist bombs and rockets and dealing with the continual threat of insurgent ambushes were everyday occurrences in my job. The pressure was phenomenal. It taught me to think clearly and communicate effectively, detach myself from associated anxieties, and rapidly identify and prioritise tasks.
JLA: What can a delegate (eg a sales manager) learn from counter terrorism?
CH: I will give you three examples:
The importance of staying focused.
Four days into my tour in Iraq, a tabloid published fake photographs that led to a local cleric issuing a fatwa against British Forces. As a direct result, we were attacked that night in a terrifying ambush in which my driver and I were both shot and wounded. I needed to stay completely focused just to stay alive.
The importance of pursuing a goal relentlessly
As we became more skilled at disabling terrorist bombs, the bombers also became more skilled and determined. I stayed alive by not cutting corners and being relentless in seeing the task through to the end.
The importance of not over-complicating a situation
Because of the intense heat and the harsh terrain, our kit and equipment often broke down right at the critical moment. The ability to improvise and think on our feet was the difference between instant failure and total success, and I learned that it sometimes pays to keep it simple. (Remember that NASA spent $12m designing a pen that could write in space. The Russians took pencils.)
JLA: You have met extreme danger - is there really a corporate parallel?
CH: Success in either environment comes from observing, orientating, deciding and acting as quickly as possible. Both require the leader to analyse existing and emerging market intelligence; and in both arenas there's a constant need to coordinate and assess your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
JLA: Can fear be channeled in a positive direction?
CH: 'You're going to do the world's most dangerous job in the world's most dangerous place.' That's how my tour in Iraq was sold to me. I quickly discovered that fear can be your friend. Instead of allowing it to curtail success, I teach how to embrace and nurture fear - effectively channeling it in a positive direction and gaining strength from it to give yourself a competitive edge.
JLA: How can you stay ahead of the competition when conditions turn hostile?
CH: The most effective method is through timely and effective intelligence and a rapid decision-action cycle. In my experience the second is not to get bogged down when things go wrong. As Confucius is supposed to have said, "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising each time we fail."
JLA: What motivates you?
CH: Knowing that our time in this world is finite and watching people who have nothing strive to improve their lives.