Crisis Communications
When the story is running without you, you need someone who has sat on both sides of the table — newsroom and regulator.
Book a Strategy Call →Senior counsel, not a junior handoff
A crisis is not defined by how loud the coverage is. It is defined by how quickly trust can erode among clients, employees, regulators, and the press — and whether leadership still has a disciplined way to speak.
Crisis communications is a core specialty at Perone Consulting. Herb Perone provides rapid-response strategy, spokesperson support, and narrative control when reputations are on the line, informed by experience as a journalist and as Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
What this engagement covers
Rapid response & holding statements
Clear, accurate first statements that buy time without creating contradictions you will regret tomorrow.
Regulatory inquiry communications
Messaging frameworks for examinations, enforcement attention, and inquiries where legal and communications strategy must stay locked together.
Reputation recovery strategy
A plan for the days and weeks after the acute phase — restoring confidence with the audiences that matter most.
Spokesperson support
Preparation and real-time counsel for the people who will face cameras, clients, or Capitol Hill staff.
Scenario planning & playbooks
Before a crisis hits: roles, escalation paths, and pre-cleared language so the organization is not inventing process under fire.
Who this is for
- →Firms facing regulatory scrutiny, enforcement risk, or unexpected examination intensity.
- →Leadership teams dealing with executive transitions, allegations, operational failures, or sudden market attention.
- →Organizations that want a crisis playbook and training before they need one.
- →General counsel and communications leads who need a senior partner who understands how regulators and reporters actually think.
How Herb works
In the first hours, the priority is accuracy, legal alignment, and stopping self-inflicted damage. Herb works directly with counsel and leadership to establish what can be said, by whom, and when — then keeps the narrative from fragmenting across channels.
He has managed communications through enforcement actions, market volatility, and congressional scrutiny from inside the SEC. That experience shapes a bias toward clarity over spin, and toward protecting long-term credibility even when short-term silence feels uncomfortable.
After the acute window, the work shifts to recovery: who still needs reassurance, what proof rebuilds trust, and how to avoid reopening the story.
When to call — and when to prepare
Live crises need speed: a holding statement, alignment with counsel, and a clear decision on who speaks. Herb is engaged for regulatory inquiries, enforcement attention, executive transitions that trigger speculation, operational failures, and any moment when silence or improvisation would create more damage than a disciplined first response.
The quieter engagement is often the smarter one: building playbooks, escalation paths, and spokesperson readiness before anything breaks. Organizations that rehearse under low pressure spend far less reputation when the real event arrives.
Questions about crisis communications
Does Perone Consulting handle crisis communications?
Yes — crisis communications is a core specialty. Herb provides rapid-response strategy, spokesperson support, and narrative control when reputations are on the line, drawing on experience from both sides of the table: as a journalist and as a regulator at the SEC.
Can Herb help during an SEC examination or regulatory inquiry?
Yes. Herb has managed communications through enforcement actions and heightened regulatory scrutiny from inside the SEC, and later advised financial-services organizations facing examination and policy pressure. He works alongside legal counsel so public messaging does not create new exposure.
Do you only work active crises, or also prepare playbooks in advance?
Both. Some clients call when an issue is already live. Others engage Herb to build scenario plans, holding-statement frameworks, and spokesperson readiness before a crisis arrives — which is almost always less costly than improvising under pressure.
How quickly can an engagement start in a live crisis?
Herb responds personally to inquiries, typically within one business day — and faster when a live matter requires it. Start with the contact form or book a strategy call so he can assess urgency and the right immediate next step.
Ready to talk through your situation?
Book a complimentary 30-minute strategy call with Herb — no obligation, no pitch. He responds personally, typically within one business day.
Book a Free Call →