The Heat is On: Navigating Smoldering Crises in High-Pressure Situations

Ed Hoover oversees crisis preparedness and crisis response for Mars, and partners with multiple internal stakeholders to align on Mars’ positions and responses to critical issues facing the business. In this role, Ed established Mars’ first globally aligned crisis management program, bringing the company’s numerous business segments together to coordinate efforts in preparing for, preventing and managing threats to the company’s reputation. This work includes developing a comprehensive training program for management teams across Mars, ensuring leaders are equipped to prevent situations from becoming a crisis, and to manage crises according to the Mars Purpose and The Five Principles. He works closely with the Mars Leadership Team to coordinates the corporate Crisis Management Team and serves as a strategic resource for Mars leaders throughout the world in best practice for crisis management. Ed joined Mars in 2010 after more than a decade advising numerous clients in public affairs, government relations, corporate positioning, crisis and issues management, and stakeholder outreach in Texas, Washington, D.C. and Sydney, Australia. He has managed crisis and litigation communications for Dole; community outreach and public affairs during the DeepWater Horizon oil spill; media relations and outreach to minority communities for the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing; media relations, advertising, sports marketing, and consumer care for the Public Utility Commission of Texas; and issues management for Accenture.

Eliot Hoff is the Executive Director and Global Crisis Practice lead at APCO Worldwide. He's a recognized expert in crisis management and preparedness. He works with his clients on their most challenging issues and has experience in all industries. He has specific expertise in product recalls and has managed some of the largest and most complex recalls in the food and consumer products sector. Prior to APCO, he was a vice president in Ruder Finn’s corporate reputation practice, also focusing on crisis management. Before Ruder Finn, he was the director of Connors Communications. While there, he launched several companies in the technology sector, including Vonage and Schema Ltd. He went to Connors from Hill and Knowlton, where he was part of the litigation group of the corporate practice. He is an attorney who began his career as associate director at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), where he implemented and expanded media relations and grassroots community outreach program in the New York region and served as spokesperson in the national and local media.