Dr. James R Álvarez Keynote Speaker

Internationally recognized hostage negotiator, influencing behavior in life-threatening and business-critical scenarios.
Co-host of the British Podcast Award-nominated Who We Are Now podcast with Richard Hammond.
Featured as the HQ Psychologist Hunter on Channel 4’s Celebrity Hunted Series 6.

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Dr. James R Álvarez's Biography

Dr. James R Álvarez, a world-renowned hostage negotiator, psychologist, and authority on influencing behavior in high-pressure environments. With expertise spanning life-and-death kidnap and piracy cases, high-stakes corporate negotiations, and organizational change James bridges the worlds of extreme crisis and everyday leadership.

His expertise is rooted in his academic background and professional practice. James holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and two master’s degrees from the University of Columbia. He is a registered Clinical, Forensic, and Occupational Psychologist in the UK and licensed in New York, bringing a global perspective to his work to leverage his dual US/UK nationality and international experience. Álvarez is the only consultant ever used by both Scotland Yard and NYPD’s Hostage Negotiation Teams.

At the heart of Álvarez’s approach is the belief that hostage negotiation and business leadership share a common goal: changing behavior when direct control is limited. By building rapport, understanding motivations, and strategically influencing decisions, James has guided successful resolutions in hostage situations and corporate environments alike. His methods have driven transformative culture, organizational, and learning development projects, delivering measurable benefits to clients and impacting thousands of employees.

James is a celebrated author and communicator. His book on hostage negotiations was “Highly Commended” and nominated for the Crime Writers Association’s Gold Dagger Award. His podcast Who We Are Now, co-hosted with Top Gear’s Richard Hammond, was nominated for a British Podcast Award. Recently, Álvarez showcased his psychological expertise on Channel 4’s Celebrity Hunted Series 6 as the HQ Psychologist Hunter.

A sought-after speaker, James delivers captivating insights on negotiation, behavioral change, and crisis management offering actionable lessons drawn from his extraordinary experiences in hostage rescue and business leadership.

Business Leadership and Hostage Negotiations

Discover the psychology of influence with lessons from hostage negotiations to boardroom leadership. The connection between business leadership and hostage negotiation may sound unconventional, but it’s actually a powerful analogy. Both rely on getting others to do what you want by aligning their desires with your goals, rather than by force. Explore James's insights on how to apply ordinary negotiation and influence techniques to extraordinary, situations like kidnaps.

Leadership: People Aren’t Against you. They’re For Themselves

Understanding that people are "for themselves" rather than "against you" is a fundamental insight in effective leadership. To lead effectively, it’s crucial to uncover what drives your people. Discover the approaches for understanding and leveraging those "silent motivators" and aligning them with your goals.

The Platinum Rule: Advanced Negotiation Techniques for High-Stakes Situations.

Instead of projecting our own preferences onto others, the Platinum Rule encourages us to consider and honour each person's unique needs, values, and perspectives. Explore some of the hard negotiation lessons James learned in his years of experience as the only negotiator ever used by Scotland Yard and NYPD’s hostage negotiation teams.

Breakfast with Kay Burley: Hamas say they're 'close to reaching a truce agreement'

Hostage Negotiator Answers His Most Asked Questions | DEEPX

James Álvarez | The Negotiator

Articles, Media & Podcasts

Psychological Impact of Kidnap

Comments & Testimonials

"James Álvarez was captivating and had the attendees on the edge of their seats, bringing to light many of the nuances of hostage negotiation which I hadn't previously considered. I highly recommend booking this talk... unless you are a kidnapper."

"I have had so much great feedback from your session - it was a huge success. We can't thank you enough. The themes we pulled from your session were extremely beneficial for us as a business working together, but also for us to work better with our clients and production partners."

"My favourite parts of his talk were the moments he combined the very high-risk nature of his work with that of our everyday and professional lives. I enjoyed the breakdown and simplicity of a complicated process that negotiating can be and evidently is - to a form of communication and mutual understanding that everyone can grasp and relate to."

"Jim gave an informative and entertaining presentation. We wish we had been able to provide him with a longer slot as we feel both he and the audience could have engaged for a much longer period of time than was available on the day."