ROBERT ROWNTREE

Robert has worked in the crisis management industry for over 40 years and is known for his remarkable experience leading international teams responding to major incidents around the globe. To date Robert has deployed to over 100 events in a variety of roles. This has been as part of disaster management organisations and more recently independently.

Robert’s experience includes multiple aviation disasters, terror attacks, rail accidents, maritime incidents and natural disasters. His varied and global leadership and operational experience sets him apart as a true expert in mass fatality response.

During his career Robert has worked towards ensuring maximum support for families during tragic events. He believes that supporting families is one of the most important elements of an operation. His passion for providing true and honest information and treating affected loved ones with respect and dignity underlines everything he does.

Previously, Robert worked in the funeral industry for over two decades. He is a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer and has held the position of National President of the British Institute of Funeral Directors and the Cooperative Funeral Service Managers. He remains an active Member of several industry leading societies. To ensure he keeps current and skilled Robert obtained Security Risk Management Consultant (SRMC) status in 2022 and completed Pre Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) and All Hazards Disaster Response (AHDR) to support both clients and colleagues in higher risk environments.

Robert has a BA (Hons) in Business Management and Administration from Buckinghamshire New University. He presents at conferences and is an Associate Lecturer both for undergraduate and post graduate programmes teaching crisis management, disaster operations and family assistance. Robert is a qualified post 19 years teacher and is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

“Robert is a professional crisis manager and responder. He is a capable leader during missions that are sensitive, require empathy and where mistakes cannot be tolerated. Robert works effectively in environments with rapidly developing situations, ambiguous information, and evolving situational awareness.”

Christopher Boyer Kenyon VP Operations (Ret.), Executive Director for The National Association For Search And Rescue