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David Hornus

David Hornus Crisis negotiator, expert in decision-making under pressure and risk governance

A crisis negotiator with hands-on field experience, David Hornus turns more than twenty years spent in high-stakes situations into practical lessons on decision-making, negotiation, resilience and leadership.

Languages
English, French
Formats
Talk, Keynote, Masterclass, Panel discussion

Biography

A crisis negotiator and an expert in risk governance and competitive intelligence, David Hornus has spent more than twenty years working in environments where uncertainty, pressure and the human factor can change everything in an instant.

Deciding when every minute counts

Kidnappings, disappearances, threats, terrorist attacks, industrial disputes, evacuations: David Hornus has been deployed to numerous crisis situations in France and abroad. This rare experience taught him to size up a situation quickly, prioritize information and make decisions when certainties fall away.

Negotiation as a tool for de-escalation

Working as a negotiator under “special risks” insurance policies, he is called upon in particular for kidnapping and detention cases. His approach relies less on confrontation than on listening, understanding the other party, keeping emotions in check and searching for a viable way out.

From the field to the business world

An entrepreneur in security and risk management for nearly twenty years, David Hornus now supports executives and organizations facing uncertainty. He applies the reflexes developed in extreme situations to business challenges: decision-making, negotiation, conflict management, resilience and the protection of strategic assets.

An exceptional career path

A former reserve officer, entrepreneur, crisis negotiator and competitive intelligence specialist, David Hornus also teaches at several grandes écoles and universities. Author of Danger Zone and, in 2026, of Seul Dieu la voit – Otage au cœur de la crise syrienne, he offers a deeply human perspective on crisis: how do you keep a clear head when everything becomes uncertain?

When certainties vanish, you still have to know how to decide.

— David Hornus
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Conferences

Drawing on situations he has actually lived through, David Hornus shows how to keep a clear head, decide, negotiate and act when time is short, pressure is rising and certainties are vanishing.

01

Deciding when everything becomes uncertain

Staying clear-headed when certainties vanish.

How do you make a decision when information is incomplete, time is short and the consequences are potentially serious?

Drawing on crises experienced in the field, David Hornus breaks down the mechanisms that make it possible to stay in control and act despite uncertainty.

  • Prioritising information under pressure
  • Avoiding bias and paralysis
  • Deciding without waiting for all the answers
Ideal for Executive committee (COMEX), executives, managers, project teams, transformations
Format Talk or Keynote · 45 to 90 min
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02

Negotiating when failure is not an option

Lessons from a crisis negotiator.

In a hostage situation as in a strategic negotiation, persuading is not always the first step: you first have to understand.

David Hornus reveals the mechanics of negotiation under extreme tension and applies them to the conflicts and negotiations of business life.

  • Listening before persuading
  • Mastering your emotions and your tempo
  • Creating the conditions for an acceptable outcome
Ideal for Executives, sales teams, managers, procurement, negotiators
Format Talk or Masterclass · 45 to 90 min
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03

When crisis strikes: the reflexes that change everything

The first minutes can decide everything.

A crisis overturns familiar bearings, speeds up time and destabilises organisations.

Through situations experienced in France and abroad, David Hornus shows how to regain control, organise the response and stop the crisis from taking over.

  • Identifying priorities immediately
  • Structuring an effective crisis unit
  • Communicating without adding to the confusion
Ideal for Executives, executive committee (CODIR), crisis teams, exposed organisations
Format Talk, Keynote or Masterclass · 45 to 90 min
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04

Preventing and defusing violence

Understanding escalation before it spirals out of control.

Incivility, aggression, threats, conflicts: organisations are increasingly confronted with difficult human situations.

David Hornus shows how to detect weak signals, defuse a confrontation and protect exposed employees.

  • Recognising the mechanisms of escalation
  • Using de-escalation techniques
  • Providing better support in the aftermath of a crisis
Ideal for Healthcare, public services, retail, banks, transport, local authorities
Format Talk or Masterclass · 45 to 90 min
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05

Economic warfare: protecting the company in a world of conflict

Your information, your talent and your reputation have become targets.

Cyber threats, interference, disinformation, economic espionage and predation: conflict no longer stops at borders.

David Hornus helps executives understand these new threats and better protect their tangible and intangible assets.

  • Identifying new forms of predation
  • Protecting strategic information
  • Building a genuine risk culture
Ideal for Executive committee (COMEX), industry, international companies, security and strategy departments
Format Talk or Keynote · 45 to 90 min
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For which events?

David Hornus speaks at the key moments where people, performance and impact matter.

  • Seminars and conventions
  • Leadership committees and strategic talks
  • Product launches
  • CSR and climate events
  • Institutions, schools and universities

Possible formats

Formats adaptable to your goals and context.

  • Inspiring talk
  • Impactful keynote
  • Participative workshop
  • Panel
  • Webinar

Why choose them?

A unique experience serving strong, useful messages.

  • Field experience backing the message
  • Authentic and inspiring stories
  • Human, demanding and accessible approach
  • Tailored content aligned with your stakes
Would you like to invite David Hornus to your event?
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Videos

Discover David Hornus through short formats and interviews on crisis management, negotiation, economic security and high-risk environments.

Looking for more content or a specific clip? Contact us
At the Heart of the Crisis! 01:01
Short format

At the Heart of the Crisis!

On the ground, a single objective: protect, intervene and get people out of a crisis situation alive.

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At the Heart of Crisis Zones 23:30
Interview

At the Heart of Crisis Zones

From Ukraine to Haiti, David Hornus breaks down the new threats, crisis management and the boundaries between private security, mercenary activity and terrorism.

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Protecting the Invisible! 00:41
Short format

Protecting the Invisible!

Data, sensitive information, social media: David Hornus reminds us that a company’s intangible assets have become a strategic target.

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Professionalising Private Security! 01:35
Short format

Professionalising Private Security!

Standards, training, ethics and governance: David Hornus makes the case for a more demanding, better structured and fully accountable private security sector.

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Want to feature David Hornus at your next event?

Our team helps you craft a tailored intervention, aligned with your goals and your audience.

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Publications

Seul Dieu la voit – Otage au cœur de la crise syrienne — 2026

A thriller inspired by true events that plunges the reader into the heart of the Western hostage crisis in Syria and the human mechanics of negotiation in extreme situations.

Danger Zone — 2022

David Hornus recounts his career and several missions carried out at the heart of international crises. A first-hand account of a profession where analysing, negotiating and deciding can literally save lives.

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