As they surveyed the empty Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle on the morning of 15 January 2008, the communications team of ailing bank Northern Rock knew it was the calm before the storm. They had good reason to be nervous. After being taken to the brink of collapse by months of worsening trading conditions and negative press, Northern Rock could not afford for a potentially hostile Extraordinary General meeting – called by its institutional investors to restrict the board’s ability to sell its assets – to further inflame the situation.

The meeting that day had been pulled together quickly, and over the Christmas and New Year period at that. But Nicky Havelaar, managing director of Crown Business Services which created the event in 13 days, had stayed focused on the event’s priorities: “They were to ensure the chairman could conduct the meeting openly, correctly and effectively, and also to create a safe and comfortable environment for the shareholders who attended.”

Creating a live event during a time of crisis can be daunting. With the clock ticking, a communications director must oversee every detail from the choice of location through to anticipating the questions that may be asked. Havelaar says that the process calls for three things: creativity, resourcefulness and adaptability. Preparation takes two forms. The first is honing the messages that the organisation wishes to convey to the audience. The second (just as important) is planning the mechanics of the presentation, stage-managing the event to minimise potential disruption or reputational damage.