When the new director of communications at Number 10 talks, people will listen: Hugely respected as the former head of communications at Vodafone, Simon Lewis is now the mouthpiece of the prime minister.

From crash landings on rivers to rivers crashing down landings, we’ve witnessed a torrent of potential PR disasters over the last couple of years: But when it comes to being prepared for crisis communication, which companies have remained watertight? Jon Barker took the plunge Monty Python may have ridiculed him in rhyme, but when Henry Kissinger said: “There cannot be a crisis next week – my schedule is already full”, was he actually being remarkably prescient? In some of the following examples of successful crisis management we find similar wit, audacity and frankness, despite the enormous potential for catastrophe.

Welcome to this month’s 35 Debate, our monthly email dialogue in association with 35 Communications.