Meet Our Team
Neil Stapley OBE
President
Previous head of New Scotland Yard Negotiator Unit. He joined the Metropolitan Police 1988 and completed 30 years. For his last nine years, he led the Hostage & Crisis Negotiation Unit based at New Scotland Yard, the longest serving in its 45-year history, during its busiest period both domestically and internationally. He regularly attended the British Governments crisis management meetings - COBR and advised the Prime Minister and senior British politicians. Under his leadership he developed and delivered the UK police negotiator training, regarded as one of the best programmes in the world. Including writing the latest doctrine to respond to ‘new terrorists’. He developed a practical based crisis management training programme on behalf of the FC&DO for its diplomats. He is Trauma Incident Management Trained. In 2014 he was appointed to be an Ordinary Officer of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in Her Majesty the Queens New Year Honours. He has actively supported the UN operationally and in a training capacity. He continues to work as a ‘subject matter expert’ on projects for Her Majesties Government including assisting Japan with their preparations for the Olympics. His most recent work involves preparing and developing capabilities across the Middle East, Africa, and the Far East. He supported the UAE in preparing and developing their integrated overseas hostage rescue response. He was responsible for preparing, managing, and delivering a crisis negotiator capability for Qatar for their 2022 World Cup. He recently prepared a unique groundbreaking course for those who respond to spontaneous protestors and activists. It was initially devised for the United Nations Climate Change Conference and has now been delivered across the world. He works part time as a business development manager for a UK electronics company where he helped develop and build a unique item of equipment for hostage & crisis negotiators. This won an award for innovation in 2020 from Queen Elizabeth II. He is currently working on the next generation model. He continues to work discreetly supporting several law firms, high net worth families and clients. He is still an active crisis response consultant. He obtained an MBA in 2022.
Dr. Gilbert Wong
VP
Previous head of PNC in Hong Kong. Dr. Gilbert WONG joined the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) as an Inspector in 1993 and was promoted to Chief Superintendent in 2017. Upon his retirement from the HKPF in 2021, Gilbert was appointed as a Life Honorary Consultant, Police Negotiation Cadre, an Honorary Consultant, Police Carelinks Cadre and an Honorary Hong Kong Police College Advisor. He is the Founder and CEO of HypnoHealth Consulting Limited and the Founding Chairman of the Hong Kong Mental Wellness Association. Gilbert completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Behavioral Science and Physiology, Master of Administrative Leadership Degree, Master of Counselling Degree, Graduate Certificate in Applied Management in Australia. In addition, he completed his PhD in Behavioural Science, Graduate Diploma in Criminal Justice from the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, Harvard Program on Negotiation and Graduate Certificate in Education in America. In 2008, Gilbert was chosen to become a member of the Directing Staff of the Scottish National Negotiators Course. In addition to his law enforcement experience, Gilbert has been a certified Clinical Hypnotherapist since 2005 and a life member of International Society for Investigative and Forensic Hypnosis since 2011. He was certified as a master hypnotherapy trainer by both the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association and the International Association Counselors and Therapists in 2012. Gilbert is passionate in understanding the mindset of people and always identifies himself as a life adventurer, peace-maker, fear-buster, conflict mediator and relationship builder.
Matthias Herter
VP
Previous head of Swiss National negotiator response. Matthias Herter was a Crisis and Hostage Negotiator for 21 years and commanded the Negotiation Units of the Bern Cantonal Police and the Swiss Federal Police. Together with his teams, he has conducted negotiations in kidnapping cases on five continents. He was Director of Crisis and Hostage Negotiator training courses in Switzerland and trained Police Crisis Negotiators globally for more than 10 years. Matthias was a long-standing member of the International Negotiators Working Group (INWG) and President of the European Network of Police Advisory Groups on Kidnapping, Hostage-Taking and Extortion (EuNAT). He is also co-author of the current United Nations Counter Kidnapping Manual. After a career in the Parachute Regiment of the Swiss Air Force, Matthias completed his training as a Police Officer with the Bern Cantonal Police and obtained his leadership training with the Police, as well as comprehensive training in psychology in cooperation with the University of Bern. He is a graduate of the UK’s National Negotiators Course and has completed training for Police Crisis Negotiators in various European countries. As of 2023, he runs his own company and delivers training for companies, NGO’s and leaders in negotiation, teamwork, and decision-making under pressure. He is also a regular guest speaker and coach at the IMD Business School for Leadership in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Chan Long Sum Zita
Executive Secretary
Executive Secretary, Asian Professional Negotiators Network Zita is a counsellor in HypnoHealth Consulting Limited. She holds a Master of Social Science in Counselling and a Bachelor of Social Science with double majors in Psychology and Counselling from The University of Hong Kong. Zita's practice is deeply rooted in crisis intervention and supporting individuals within high-stakes systems. She has provided direct counselling to young people navigating the justice system, specifically those arrested or under the 'Police Superintendents' Discretion' scheme, as well as to their families, guardians, and peers. This work has honed her skills in de-escalation, active listening, and building rapport under pressure, which form the psychological foundation of effective crisis negotiation. She applies this psychological framework to her professional training work, designing and facilitating workshops in Crisis Management & Negotiation, Stress Management, Peer Counselling, Workplace Mental Health, and Emotional Intelligence for a diverse range of organizations, including local and overseas government bodies, disciplinary forces, NGOs, and private corporations. Her concurrent role as an Honorary Consultant of Crisis Negotiation for the Ningbo Public Security Bureau allows her to contribute a counselling-informed perspective to law enforcement training. In addition to her clinical and training roles, Zita serves as the Secretary of The Hong Kong Mental Wellness Association, where she founded the Sum Rise Program, an initiative offering eight complimentary counselling sessions to individuals with financial needs and clear mental health support requirements. Concurrently, Zita serves as the Secretary of the Asian Professional Negotiators Network. In addition to providing essential administrative and executive support in coordinating APNN's premier events, Zita is committed to bridging psychological insight with professional negotiation practice, advocating for approaches that prioritize resilience, understanding, communication, and sustainable resolution.
Wong Chi Kong CK
Executive Treasurer
Mr. WONG Chi-kwong (CK) has over 30 years of experience in a wide spectrum of work with the Hong Kong Police (HKP). CK joined the Police Negotiation Cadre in May 1999 and was the Deputy Commanding Officer of the Cadre before his retirement in the rank of Chief Superintendent in March 2023. CK was awarded the Hong Kong Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2021. Whilst his active service with Hong Kong Police, he accorded priority in nurturing green officers for the purpose of preparing HKP for challenges ahead. CK treasured the need to engage working partners for achieving the widest possible collaboration leverage. Over the years, CK seized every opportunity in exploring training opportunities and exposure for his junior leaders when attending conferences/meetings in different jurisdictions. CK has taken different programmes to support the youths, both in his personal and professional settings, with a view to better understanding/supporting them. CK joined the “Future Stars Mentoring Programme”, co-ordinated by the Chief Secretary Office, from June 2020 to March 2021. The mission of the programme was to provide assistance and advice to the underprivileged youths, on a one-on-one basis, in order to help prepare them for their future work life. Currently, CK is a part-time lecturer for the Higher Diploma Course in Disciplined Services with the Vocational Training Council. CK values and treasures any encounters and work that would instil the sense of working for the best interest of the youth!
National Representatives
Singapore
National Representative
Representative for Singapore.
Hong Kong
National Representative
Representative for Hong Kong.
Japan
National Representative
Representative for Japan.
Malaysia
National Representative
Representative for Malaysia.