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Ben McCarthy

Crisis Communications Specialist / Lionbridge PR

When a crisis hits, the first hours are everything - Ben McCarthy has spent more than two decades making sure organisations are ready for them.

Trained as a broadcast journalist by the BBC and fifteen years as a network correspondent for the BBC, ITN and Sky News, Ben understands how the media works from the inside, how stories develop, what journalists want, and how decisions made under pressure shape coverage for weeks and months to come.

He has worked with more than thirty airlines worldwide, including easyJet, flydubai and EgyptAir, advising CEOs and senior leadership teams on crisis planning, communications strategy and real-time response. As Head of Crisis Communications at Kenyon International, the world's leading emergency services company, he was on the ground at some of aviation's most devastating moments, including the flydubai FZ981 crash in Rostov-on-Don and the loss of EgyptAir MS804 over the Mediterranean — both in 2016. In the travel sector, he worked alongside Thomas Cook CEO Peter Fankhauser through the aftermath of the Shepherd children tragedy and the creation of the Safer Tourism Foundation.

On stage, Ben is as compelling as he is authoritative. He draws on real experience at the sharpest end of genuine disasters and audiences don't just leave informed. They leave ready to act.

    Media Training

    Fourteen years in front of the camera means Ben knows exactly what journalists are looking for and exactly how interviews go wrong. His media training is built on authenticity that's hard to replicate.

      Storytelling & Presentation Skills

      Ben also works with business leaders, communications teams and conference speakers to develop one of the most valuable, and most overlooked, leadership skills: the ability to tell a compelling story, whether in a boardroom, to a camera or on a stage.
      Whether he's speaking, training, stress-testing your crisis plan or coaching your spokespeople, Ben doesn't just inform. He transforms.

        ``You can't imagine how much I appreciate your help and your support. You were the one who helped me out of a mission almost impossible. And this I will not forget!``

          Peter Fankhauser — Former Chief Executive, Thomas Cook Group plc

            Eventer

            Inspiring Travel Speakers connects you with trusted voices from the travel industry; seasoned professionals with real-world experience and unforgettable stories. We make it easy to book inspiring keynote speakers and panellists who bring genuine insight and flair to every event. No red tape, just meaningful connections and captivating travel tales.

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