Ian Birrell
A company director and management consultant, Ian Birrell has an impressive track record in strategic corporate developments,PR and major project management in the UK and overseas. Ian’s broad spectrum of assignments has included acting as a consultant to international banks, charities, a leading PR agency, Boeing Aerospace and the Medical Research Council.
Ian’s most recent directorship was with Hy Consulting Limited, a company specialising in corporate events, PR, conference and event management. Prior to that, he was managing director of Birrell Monk Associates which advised and managed seven start up companies, developed a business plan and finance strategy for a £3 million ecotourist development, and project-directed a new Bank HQ building in the City.
He was an associate director with Orion Royal Bank where he completed a five-year global business and operations strategy, directing large budgets for strategic developments in the UK and overseas. He has also worked at Hill Samuel, where he managed operations, HR and developments in the UK and Europe; and at the Bank of England where he worked closely with The Treasury, the IMF and the European Commission.
Specialist skills- Business strategy
- Project management
- Event management
Industry sector experience- Banking and finance
- Charities
- Medicine
- Building development
Jamie Bowden
A former senior media manager for British Airways, Jamie Bowden is a PR and broadcast expert specialising in the airline, leisure and travel industries.
Jamie spent more than 20 years with British Airways where he gained extensive management experience in an international FTSE100 environment providing counsel to the CEO, chairman and directors and managing more than 2,000 staff.
As British Airways’ senior media manager, Jamie was the company’s principal broadcast spokesman and has conducted over 2,000 broadcast interviews during his career.
Jamie was seconded to the London Eyein 1999 to handle the media launch of this major London attraction. As the media spokesman, Jamie further extended his wide range of contacts in the BBC, ITN, Sky News, CNN and broadcast media around the world.
Jamie also handled the relaunch of Concorde for British Airways following its refit after the Air France crash in 2000.
As a freelance consultant, Jamie continues to advise airlines on media handling and is currently working on a TV travel programme.
Specialist skills- Brand Marketing
- Broadcast Communications
- Conference link presenting, (inc autocue, PTC)
- Crisis management counsel
- Event management including press launches and editor briefings
- International communications
- Managing hostile media
- Media training
Industry sector experience
Louise Carroll
Louise Carroll is a PR and marketing consultant offering strong experience across consumer and B2B sectors. Her expertise spans a variety of different business areas including travel and leisure, health and beauty, food and drink, property and interiors, professional/marketing services and publishing.
Louise’s client portfolio has included prestigious brands names, conducting tactical campaigns for companies such as Glaxo SmithKline, Pepsi-Cola, British Airways and Berkeley Homes - as well as smaller niche companies wishing to raise their profile within specific markets.
Recent work has included conducting a PR marketing campaign for The Portobello Clinic, a private health centre in Notting Hill, as well as a PR programme for The Kingly Club, the private member’s club in Soho. Other projects include the launch of a science education initiative on behalf of Glaxo SmithKline’s Community Partnerships division, the launch of an industry market report on behalf of international coatings giant Akzo Nobel, and a PR campaign for an advertising agency.
Having started her career in marketing working in-house in the travel industry, Louise subsequently moved to work in top London PR agencies before becoming a founding partner in her own consultancy business, Alaoui Booth. She has an honours degree in Social Sciences, a post-graduate Diploma in Marketing accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and a Diploma in Coaching.
Louise prides herself on providing a service that reflects in-depth experience, combined with a highly strategic, focused approach to PR and marketing. The ability to form good working relationships with clients and the media alike is also key to her success.
She knows how to apply her skills to meet specific business objectives, enjoying the challenge of producing fresh, imaginative and effective campaigns for each new brief. Her service includes consultancy at a senior level, advising clients and assisting with implementation of agreed activity.
Specialist skills- Consumer and b2b marketing
- Brand marketing
- Media relations
Sector experience- Travel and leisure
- Health and beauty
- Food and drink
- Property and interiors
- Professional/marketing services
- Publishing
Blair Drummond
Blair Drummond is a seasoned PR professional with around 25 years' consultancy experience of creating and delivering a broad spectrum of communications programmes to support the marketing, awareness and reputation objectives of corporate, public and third sector clients.
A former magazine and broadcast journalist before entering the world of PR consultancy, he has particular expertise in communications training – effective writing for the media, feature writing, media interview training, and crisis and issues management.
Over the past 15 years, he has trained hundreds of executives – from CEOs to junior staff – in private, public and charity sector organisations in how to get the best from media interviews. He has also been actively involved in crisis and issues management, from preparation, planning and testing to live management.
Blair was project manager for Shell UK in the two year aftermath of the Brent Spar crisis, helping Shell rebuild reputation through open dialogue with the world's media. For three years, he was a full member of the crisis management team for Kerr McGee Oil, participating in at least one full-scale test simulation annually. He has delivered crisis training courses and testing for GE Europe and Perkins Foods, and has participated in crisis test exercises for Lloyds TSB, a risk management business active in Iraq and one of the world's leading air freight businesses. He continues to manage the communications aspects of issues for a fast-growing waste management company, and continues to deliver a long term media interview training programme for the RNID.
In 2003, he was selected by BBC TV to media-train the two young contestants who featured in reality TV production 'Blair For The Day' which imagined they were Prime Minister for a day and having to deal with escalating issues.
Most recently, he helped deliver a second cycle of intensive interview training for management and experts from EUMetsat (the European agency responsible for weather satellites and related data collection and transmission) in Germany, based in a full size working TV studio.
Grace Drury
Former deputy managing director of Ketchum Paris and head of consumer PR at Ketchum London and Countrywide Porter Novelli, Grace Drury has developed and run international communications programmes for corporate and consumer clients.
Grace has more than 15 years' experience in international consultancy, developing and managing programmes for clients such as Coty, Reebok, FedEx and Gillette.
Recently, she has provided crisis planning and communications programme development for major cross-border factory closure and redundancy programmes for clients such as C&A and Levi Strauss.
Fluent in French and Spanish, Grace spent two years managing the Paris office of Ketchum where she ran international campaigns for clients such as FIFA World Cup '98, Remy Martin and ACNielsen.
On returning to the UK in 2000, Grace set up her own consultancy, Objective Consulting, to provide senior counsel to brand owners on a local and international scale. Recent projects include the launch of Ocado, the on-line shopping service and consultancy support for Coty, as well as activity for Polo Ralph Lauren, BMW Mini and other blue-chip companies. She regularly runs training courses on corporate communications, as well as undertaking media training.
Specialist skills- Brand development
- Change management planning
- Crisis and issues management
- Cross-border redundancy programmes
- International communications planning and programme development
- Media and presentation skills training
Industry sector experience- Consumer goods
- Food and drink
- Luxury goods
- Retail
- Transportation and logistics
Peter Kendall
A former corporate communications director for the development and launch of Eurostar and communications director at Connex, Peter Kendall has in-depth experience of both the rail and energy markets.
A journalist by training, Peter joined the British Railways Board in 1985 becoming Chief Press Officer then Southern Region's regional public affairs manager, where he helped to protect the company's reputation during and after the Clapham and Purley rail accidents. He led a 23-strong team during a period of major industry change before being appointed by the British Rail Channel Tunnel Division as public affairs director to promote the need for a new high speed rail link and preparation for Channel Tunnel services on existing lines.
On the creation of Union Rail and Eurostar as separate companies, he continued as Eurostar's first director of public affairs and was an influential member of the senior management team during the development of the company and the launch of the service.
In 1998 Peter was appointed by Connex Rail as communications director but resigned in 2000 after the company rejected his strategic advice.
His subsequent career as a consultant has included a 13 month assignment with BHP Billiton Petroleum covering their External Relations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Specialist skills- Change management
- Copywriting
- Crisis management
- Media relations
- Political lobbying
Industry sector experience
Vyvyan Kinross
A founder and principal of Kinross + Render Ltd which has since become a top 50 marketing and PR firm, Vyvyan Kinross has spent a total of 20 years in marketing and public relations consultancy. He has planned and implemented marketing, communications and PR programmes for a wide variety of organisations, both in the UK and internationally.
On behalf of Shell UK, he developed a communications campaign over five years to promote the company's liveWIRE programme, the successful UK wide scheme to help support young entrepreneurs considering self-employment.
He also planned and rolled-out a UK and European marcoms programme on behalf of UPS Logistics Group, part of the world's largest transportation company. This included setting up and co-ordinating an agency network to achieve common objectives across the UK, France, Benelux and Germany. He has worked on communications and PR programmes for major US and UK organisations, such as Xerox Corporation, Saga Services and Diebold.
In the public sector, Vyvyan delivered the high profile marketing and communications campaign supporting the Department of Trade & Industry's (DTI) Information Society Initiative, set up by Government to spread awareness of information and communication technologies (ICTs) amongst SMEs. This included research, sponsorship, advertising, direct marketing, events and extensive media relations. Vyvyan has also worked on communications audits for the Highways Agency and on developing marcoms strategy for the National Disability Council, on behalf of the DfEE.
While at K+R, Vyvyan also devised low cost communications programmes for clients in the not-for profit sector, among them the Hamlet Trust and Sickle Cell Society. He has achieved Institute of Public Relations Approved Trainer Status and is a member of the NUJ.
Specialist skills- Communications audits
- Copywriting
- International communications (especially in the Middle East)
- Marcoms strategy development
- Training
Industry sector experience- Government and public sector
- Not-for-profit
- SMEs
- Transport
Christiane Morris
A founding partner in The Counsel House, Christiane Morris is a highly experienced interim PR manager in the corporate and professional services sector, having undertaken assignments at HLB Kidsons, Logica, QCA, PKF and Wordbank.
Christiane also has considerable experience of the independent schools sector, housing associations and SMEs for whom she provides complete marketing communications support ranging from strategic marketing reviews and plan development to client satisfaction surveys, collateral production and media relations.
Recent projects have included the development and implementation of a communications strategy for a specialist housing association including new corporate identity, creation and production of new marketing collateral and re-launch event.
She has undertaken a number of strategic marketing reviews for independent schools including the development of marketing plans and regularly runs marketing workshops for this sector.
Christiane is currently providing in-house marcoms consultancy to a localization company where she has undertaken the development and implementation of a marketing strategy and plan including a new website, brochure and other promotional materials, seminar programme and client care programme.
Specialist skills- Business to business communications
- Client care and targeting programmes
- Client satisfaction surveys
- Copywriting and collateral production
- Marketing reviews and plan development
- Surveys and research projects
Industry sector experience- Accountancy and other professional services
- Commercial property
- Housing associations
- Independent schools
- Localization and translation
- SMEs
Jo O'Driscoll
Jo specialises in the public and non-profit sectors. She has outstanding all-round experience of managing communications functions and has worked for a range of high-profile organisations, including regulators, funding bodies, charities and think tanks.
Over the last 15 years, Jo has built up considerable experience helping organisations set up and run communication functions, providing strategic advice and capacity building. She also has excellent hands-on skills in media relations, stakeholder engagement, public affairs, copywriting, corporate identity, events, and web development.
Jo has worked on a number of high-profile campaigns. She managed communications for the Gambling Commission during the passage of the Gambling Act 2005 and she was also responsible for launching the new open judicial recruitment processes on behalf of the Judicial Appointments Commission in 2006.
As Head of Communications for the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, Jo orchestrated the 'Renaissance' campaign, coordinating lobbying at national, regional and constitutional levels and managing high profile media activity and stakeholder engagement strategies to generate over £150 million for regional museums. She was also responsible for doubling MLA's visibility in the press and for promoting public libraries to a new generation of users.
Jo has a real passion for public policy. She began her communications career in the Policy Studies Institute, one of Britain's leading think tanks, where she managed a range of conferences and policy seminars and was Managing Editor of Policy Studies journal. Before that, she worked in commercial publishing where she gained her outstanding copywriting and editorial skills.
Current and recent assignments include acting as interim Communications Director for Britain's largest problem gambling charity; overseeing marketing strategy and agency recruitment for a major FE College; providing strategic advice and project management for a government Commission; and branding and messaging work for an arts charity.
Jo is an MBA graduate and a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.
Specialist skills- Campaign planning
- Capacity building
- Media relations
- Stakeholder engagement
- Public affairs
- Copywriting
- Branding and visual identity
Industry sectors- Public sector/NDPBs
- Regulatory bodies
- Arts and cultural sector
- Environment
- Public policy
- Leisure industry
Robin Swinbank
A founding partner in The Counsel House, Robin Swinbank is an experienced interim PR manager having undertaken secondments with blue chip organisations such as Eurotunnel, Vickers, Logica and Nabarro Nathanson.
Examples of his interim management work include a period at Eurotunnel, where he reported to co-chairman, Sir Alastair Morton, and the public affairs director, John Noulton, in both an advisory and executive capacity across a range of PR roles. These included crisis and issues management and media relations. Specifically, he was tasked with the planning and organisation of the inauguration of the Channel Tunnel by The Queen and President Mitterrand.
At Logica plc Robin undertook a marketing and communications role for the international computer consultancy, systems integration and software company. This also involved the development of a global corporate PR strategy and plan for the company and its various divisions linked to a range of services, including Year 2000 compliance. He also provided senior management with crisis and issues management advice.
Robin's most recent secondment was at the law firm Nabarro Nathanson. He has also advised several other professional service sector clients including Mishcon de Reya, KPMG and HLB Kidsons.
He has advised senior management on issues management and crisis PR in a number of leading corporations including BT, Pepsi-Cola, Logica plc, and Vickers plc.
Specialist skills- Business to business communication
- Corporate counselling
- Crisis and issues management
Strategy and plan development
Industry sector experience- Commercial property
- Defence
- Drinks
- FMCG
- Legal
- Recruitment
- Technology
- Transport
Edward Townsend
A former industrial editor of The Times and Head of Group Media Relations for BAA and NatWest Group, Edward Townsend has also worked at a senior level within two leading PR consultancies, Le Fevre Communications and Luther Pendragon.
Following 14 years at The Times – including seven years as Industrial Correspondent and Industrial Editor - Edward was headhunted by BAA as Head of Media Relations, a new post-privatisation position for the company at corporate level. He worked closely with airline and airport PR teams on a range of crisis and security issues including the Lockerbie tragedy in 1988.
In 1990, Edward joined NatWest Group as Head of Group Media Relations and Senior PR Consultant with responsibility for managing the Group Press Office and advising the bank's subsidiary operating companies' press and PR units.
Edward then joined Luther Pendragon in 1996 as a senior consultant and specialist in media relations and crisis management for the consultancy's blue chip clients in the legal, banking, stockbroking, technology and financial services sectors.
In 1998, Edward was appointed by Le Fevre to mastermind the consultancy's expansion from Oxford to London and provide media relations and executive-level PR consultancy to a range of clients including BT, Abbey National, Lloyds TSB, Thomas Cook and several new media companies.
Specialist skills- Crisis management
- Industrial and business issues
- Media relations
- Media training
- People management
Industry sectors- Airlines/airports
- Banking
- Financial services
- Legal
- Manufacturing
- Motors
- Travel and tourism
Paul Vousden FCIPR
Paul Vousden is a senior and highly-experienced interim executive who has successfully made the switch from the private to the public sector where he has handled a number of high-profile management roles over the last seven years.
An accomplished general and change manager with a strong track record in turnaround and large programme delivery he has proven leadership and team building skills, combined with extensive knowledge and expertise in stakeholder management.
Paul has had senior interim roles with a number of central Government departments such as Department of Health, Department of Communities and Local Government and Department of Work and Pensions, working with Ministers and senior officials on communications, stakeholder management and change programmes.
He has also worked for a number of Non Departmental Government Bodies such as: The Healthcare Commission; The Rent Service and NHS Innovations. He has most recently been acting as Director of Corporate Affairs for NHS Hounslow Primary Care Trust.
Prior to an interim career Paul founded and ran his own highly successful London-based PR consultancy for ten years where he handled a number of high profile campaigns for clients such as: Credit Suisse; Eastern Energy; London Docklands Corporation; Perkins Engines and Railtrack.
Specialist skills- Change management
- Corporate counsel
- Internal communications
- Stakeholder engagement
Sector experience- Central Government
- NHS
- Financial services
- Energy
