Beyond Borders: Human-Centered Lessons from Global Disasters
Tracks
Gold Coast Ballroom
Coolangatta Room
Southport Room 1
Southport Room 2
Southport Room 3
| Monday, July 27, 2026 |
| 8:55 AM - 9:55 AM |
| Event Centre Ballroom |
Overview
Kjell Brataas, Security Specialist, DNB
Details
Topic: Regional and International Perspectives
Speaker
Kjell Brataas
Security Specialist
DNB
Beyond Borders: Human-Centered Lessons from Global Disasters
Abstract
Disasters test more than emergency systems. They test leadership, communication, and how
organisations treat people when the pressure is highest. This keynote draws on international
case studies from aviation accidents, terrorist attacks, pandemics and natural disasters to
explore what actually works when lives, trust and reputations are at stake.
Based on more than three decades of work with governments, airlines, private companies
and disaster-affected families, Kjell Brataas examines the gap between how crises are
planned and how they are experienced by those most affected. While many response
systems are well prepared for logistics and command structures, they often struggle with
communication, empathy and long-term support.
The presentation highlights practical lessons learned across different countries and cultures.
It shows how early and honest communication, visible leadership and structured support for
victims, families and responders can reduce harm, conflict and lasting trauma. It also
includes examples of how disasters are remembered and memorialised — through
monuments, advocacy, anniversaries and memorial spaces — and why memory matters for
learning and accountability.
A dedicated part of the keynote focuses on the role of the CEO and top management during
and after a disaster. Drawing on real cases, Brataas discusses what is expected from top
leadership when organisations face loss, uncertainty and public scrutiny.
The keynote also looks forward. Today’s crises are faster, more complex and more visible
than ever. Traditional plans and table-top exercises are no longer enough. Brataas shows
how artificial intelligence can be used to design more realistic crisis simulations, test
communication under pressure and strengthen organisational readiness.
The presentation concludes with a set of practical “tools of the trade” that leaders,
communicators and emergency managers can use to improve both immediate response and
long-term recovery.
This keynote offers a human-centred and practical approach to emergency management,
based on personal experience, real life cases and research from around the world.
organisations treat people when the pressure is highest. This keynote draws on international
case studies from aviation accidents, terrorist attacks, pandemics and natural disasters to
explore what actually works when lives, trust and reputations are at stake.
Based on more than three decades of work with governments, airlines, private companies
and disaster-affected families, Kjell Brataas examines the gap between how crises are
planned and how they are experienced by those most affected. While many response
systems are well prepared for logistics and command structures, they often struggle with
communication, empathy and long-term support.
The presentation highlights practical lessons learned across different countries and cultures.
It shows how early and honest communication, visible leadership and structured support for
victims, families and responders can reduce harm, conflict and lasting trauma. It also
includes examples of how disasters are remembered and memorialised — through
monuments, advocacy, anniversaries and memorial spaces — and why memory matters for
learning and accountability.
A dedicated part of the keynote focuses on the role of the CEO and top management during
and after a disaster. Drawing on real cases, Brataas discusses what is expected from top
leadership when organisations face loss, uncertainty and public scrutiny.
The keynote also looks forward. Today’s crises are faster, more complex and more visible
than ever. Traditional plans and table-top exercises are no longer enough. Brataas shows
how artificial intelligence can be used to design more realistic crisis simulations, test
communication under pressure and strengthen organisational readiness.
The presentation concludes with a set of practical “tools of the trade” that leaders,
communicators and emergency managers can use to improve both immediate response and
long-term recovery.
This keynote offers a human-centred and practical approach to emergency management,
based on personal experience, real life cases and research from around the world.
Biography
Kjell Brataas is an international expert on crisis management, crisis communication and the human and institutional aftermath of disasters. He has played central roles in managing some of Norway’s most significant crises, including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 22 July 2011 terrorist attacks in Oslo and on Utøya and the COVID-19 pandemic.
He has extensive experience advising organizations on leadership responsibility, support for victims and bereaved families, communication, and long-term learning after high-impact events. Brataas has designed and led numerous crisis exercises and has developed crisis management plans for both private companies and government institutions.
He regularly presents internationally and has given talks in cities including Stockholm, Amsterdam, Denver, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne. While researching his most recent books, Brataas conducted field-based work and met with survivors, bereaved families, first responders and experts in locations such as London, The Hague, Boston, Halifax, Las Vegas, Newtown, Los Angeles and Port Arthur.
Brataas is a member of several expert groups, including the Counter Terrorism Preparedness Network, and is the author of multiple Routledge-published books, including Disaster Memorials and Monuments (2025) and Managing the Human Dimension of Disasters (2022).
He currently works as a Security Specialist with DNB, Norway’s largest financial institution.
