Destination Crisis Management & Operational Response in Travel

Martin has more than 25 years’ experience as a busy stress and trauma consultant. Previously he'd managed a multi-disciplinary Community Mental Health Team and was the founder-manager of a local authority’s disaster response team.

Martin has provided onsite incident response support and training to organisations in travel and other industries across the UK, Europe and the rest of the world.

As a veteran of more than 500 incidents Martin’s experience is world class. He has appeared on the BBC, ITV and Sky Television and Radio.

Iain Bough is responsible for Emergency Response Planning at Jet2.com and Jet2holidays. Iain has over 25 years experience in the aviation business having worked for a number of major carriers and airport authorities in a range of senior operational roles both in the UK and during almost 20 years spent in the Middle East. Prior to joining Jet2 Iain was Head of Emergency Response Planning for Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. Iain is also a Board Member of the United Kingdom Aviation Emergency Planning Group (UKAEPG).

Sara Corscadden has been part of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office for over 17 years working on all key areas both in Headquarters and overseas. She has worked in nearly 30 countries overseas. Her last posting was India and she was part of the crisis response team repatriating on more flights more people than any other crisis to date. She has been one of the Global Response Centre Team Leaders since 2022. In her spare time she is part of London Search and Rescue and a Pilates instructor.

James Davies has worked at Heathrow Airport for over 16 years and has been the Emergency Planning Manager at Travel Care for the last 8 years, during which time he has led and coordinated Travel Care’s Initial Response Team through aircraft related emergencies and humanitarian crises including Covid, the Ukraine conflict, Afghanistan repatriation flights, Sudan conflict, and most recently arrivals from Gaza.  Having led the coordination of these events between Heathrow Teams, Border Force, Local Authority, airlines, foreign embassies and UK government departments, the Travel Care team is well placed to provide support to individuals and agencies in times of crisis.

In addition, James delivers monthly Emergency Response Desktop training alongside airport and police colleagues to airport stakeholders and partner agencies, as well as delivering bespoke training focussed on personal resilience and trauma support.  James has over 30 years’ experience of working in social care, through counselling, disabilities in education and managing the only Young Persons Advisor project based at an airport in the UK.

Christopher Haywood is a senior programme and project management professional with over 15 years in the UK Civil Service, including five years with Homeland Security Group. He has delivered high-profile initiatives such as critical communications for UK Emergency Services during the 2012 London Olympics and led international collaborations to strengthen protective security and resilience. Certified in PRINCE2® and MSP®, Christopher combines strategic leadership with technical expertise, risk oversight, and stakeholder engagement at senior levels.

Claire leads DWF’s travel team.  She handles all manner of  travel liability issues and litigation arising from incidents including aircraft, cruise ships, multi-vehicle or coach collisions, drownings and injuries sustained in pools or from balcony falls, hurricanes, mountaineering and climbing accidents and sickness outbreaks.

In addition to defending claims she drafts tour operator and travel agents’ terms and conditions, supplier contracts, crisis manuals and health and safety addendums. She also has a wealth of inquest and regulatory expertise and advises management boards on risk management, and health and safety issues.

She is an expert in crisis management and provides her clients with a 24/7 crisis management response helpline. Chambers UK and The Legal 500 UK recognise Claire as a Leading Lawyer. Chambers UK report that "Claire Mulligan's extensive experience in the travel sector enables her to expertly handle claims concerning accidents abroad.", “Claire is the number one lawyer in the tour ops world. I would not want anyone else representing us” and The Legal 500 describes her as ‘invaluable’ and ‘a bright star on the travel scene’. 

Becky has worked within the travel industry for 30 years. Having worked in a range of management roles both overseas and in the UK, Becky has significant experience in crisis management, responding to a broad range of incidents including natural disasters, security incidents, aircraft accidents and flight disruption. In March 2024 Becky was appointed as Incident and Crisis Manager for TUI UK&I with responsibility for the triage, management, and coordination of all high-profile incidents. 

Heather is the Destinations Manager at ABTA, with responsibility for destination operations, health and safety, crisis management and incident management. She is one of ABTA’s key points of contact in the Destinations team where she coordinates activities in relation to health, safety, crisis and operational issues affecting destinations for ABTA, its Members and the FTO sub-committee.  She is also a key member of the on-call crisis response team.  

Heather has over 25 years travel industry experience. Prior to joining ABTA in 2015 she worked for a number of years for a major international airline in a range of operational roles, including crisis management.

Sarah Taylor is the Director, Consular and Crisis at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). She was appointed in July 2024.

Previously Sarah led the FCDO’s Office for Conflict, Stabilisation and Mediation. She also worked on the UK government’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Sarah has served as Europe Director, responsible for the UK’s bilateral relationships across Europe and overseeing the FCDO’s European network of diplomatic missions. Before that, Sarah was responsible for overseeing continuity of international agreements as the UK left the EU.

Sarah joined the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in 2016 as Cyber Director, overseeing the UK’s international efforts to promote a peaceful and secure cyberspace and call out state sponsored cyberattacks. She was awarded 2018 Marie Clair ‘Future Shaper’ award for her work on the application of international law in cyberspace.

Sarah has held roles in the Cabinet Office, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

She spent time in local government on secondment to the London Borough of Hackney as it hosted the 2012 Olympic Games, and in international government at UNHQ New York, as Special Assistant to the Director of the United Nations Security Council.

Director Consular and Crisis
The Director Consular and Crisis leads the UK’s consular services globally, including providing assistance to British nationals in difficulty overseas, and preparing for and responding to crises abroad. They oversee a Directorate of around 200 staff in the UK and a network of around 600 staff in 160 countries and territories around the world.