'PEOPLE MOVES' - August 2011 edition

Stephen Parkinson– a Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Labour-held Newcastle-upon-Tyne North at last year’s general election – is to join Quiller Consultants as a consultant. He was most recently the Conservatives’ national organiser on the ‘No to AV’ campaign.

Anglo American group head of government and social affairs Anji Hunteris leaving at the end of this month. Her PA responsibilities pass to head of government relations Hugh Elliott, reporting to director of HR and comms, Mervyn Walker. Hunter joined two years ago (PAN, Jun 09).

Impetus Trust, which bills itself as ‘the UK pioneer of venture philanthropy’, has appointed Asheem Singh to the new role of director of policy and strategy. He was previously deputy director of the ResPublica think-tank, which he left six months ago. Impetus has 14 full-time staff.

Pharma firm Boehringer-Ingelheim’s head of government affairs, Duncan Cantor, has been promoted to director of comms for the UK & Ireland after the retirement of Jon Hearson. Cantor joined B-I – which has simultaneously merged its government affairs and comms teams but is recruiting for a new government and public affairs manager – in 2008 as corporate affairs manager from HBOS (PAN, Aug 08). B-I, which uses Ketchum Pleon for PA, recruited Hannah Gagenas government and public affairs exec in March. She was formerly at Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Westminster-based agency Ranelagh International has recruited Edward Lawsand Saskia Bradburyas account executives. Laws, formerly doing a PhD and teaching at York University, started on 11 July. Bradbury, previously at think-tank Chatham House, starts this week.

The Association of Medical Research Charities has named Sharmila Nebhrajani, currently executive director for finance and contracting at NHS Sussex, as its new CEO. She succeeds Simon Denegri, now at Ovarian Cancer Action (PAN online, 23 May).

Helen Gravestockhas joined CLIC Sargent, the cancer charity for children and young people, in the new role of research and policy officer. She reports to policy and public affairs manager Katie McDowell. She was previously policy officer at Skill: the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities, which ceased operating in April.

Louise Brooker-Careyhas this week (1 Aug)started at Crossrail as head of external affairs, with responsibilities including PA. She reports to new CEO Andrew Wolstenholme. Brooker-Carey was most recently interim director of policy and research at the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and, before that (2000-2010), she was comms director at Tube Lines. Crossrail’s corporate affairs director, Clinton Leeks, stepped down in April but continued to act as a part-time adviser to the chairman until four weeks ago. At the CMI Brooker-Carey was covering the maternity leave of Petra Wilton, who has now returned to work.

Children’s medical research charity Sparks has recruited Suzi Browneto the new role of head of comms and marketing. Browne – who is “reviewing communications strategy across the board, including external affairs” – told Public Affairs News that Sparks’ previous public affairs work had been “limited” and that it was “definitely an area where we would like to increase our profile”. She was previously at the National Autistic Society, where she has been replaced by Kathryn Bancroft(PAN, July).

Insight Public Affairs has recruited Jonathan Sheppard as an account director and Gareth Elliottas an account manager. Sheppard is a two-time Conservative parliamentary candidate (1997 and 2005) who has worked for PA/comms recruitment firms Ellwood & Atfield and VMA Group, as well as in-house at Boots and Royal Mail. Elliott, a Tory councillor in the London Borough of Richmond, has joined after more than five years at the British Chambers of Commerce where he was a senior policy adviser.

Fleishman-Hillard has recruited Michael Siegelas an account executive, specialising in healthcare public affairs.

Public affairs and comms agency Camberton has recruited Toby Pellewas an associate director. He was formerly at Luther Pendragon. Camberton was launched a year ago by ex-Betfair group director of external affairs Mark Davies (PAN, Aug 10).

Madeleine Hallward, head of public affairs at NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts), has gone on maternity leave. Helen MacDougall– who has formerly worked for organisations including Remploy and Fishburn Hedges – is covering her absence.

Social-care provider Sense Scotland has appointed Andy Kerr as chief executive, starting next month. Kerr was Labour MSP for East Kilbride until he lost his seat in May, and is a former Scottish Executive health and community care minister.

Comms agency Seven Hills has recruited Mark Leveras a consultant. He started at the Wandsworth-based firm this week, moving from a senior account manager role at Edelman, where he worked for four years.

Rachel Bosworthhas started as director of comms at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). She was formerly at the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and has previously worked in public affairs for Railtrack. The MHRA’s former comms director was Simon Gregor, who told PAN that he was now working as a freelance comms consultant and as a professional photographer.

PAN’s publisher, Dods, has appointed Lauren Jonesas campaigns and events project manager in its parliamentary services division. She was formerly project manager for Dods’ training division, Westminster Explained.

The Office of Fair Trading has promoted head of external relations Paul Latham to comms director after the exit last week of senior director for strategy and comms, Barney Wyld, to Unilever.

Lord (Paul) Myners, Labour’s former City minister, has joined hedge-fund manager Cevian Capital as chairman of its UK operations and partner. He has the standard two-year lobbying ban from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.

Bell Pottinger Public Affairs has recruited Christian Klappas a consultant. He starts next month, moving from recruitment firm Team One UK.

Fishburn Hedges has appointed John Longworth, Tim Johnsand Phil Collinsas members of its advisory panel. Longworth – who has formerly worked at both Asda and Tesco – is a non-exec director of the Co-operative Group and Nichols plc, and a member of the Competition Commission Panel. Johns is a former V-P of global corporate comms at Unilever. Collins is a columnist and leader writer at the Times, a former speechwriter to Tony Blair and ex-director of think-tank the Social Market Foundation.

Interel Consulting UK has recruited John Fearnas a senior consultant, specialising in financial services. He most recently spent three months freelancing at Freud Communications and before that spent just under two years as media relations and PA officer at the Office of Fair Trading. Prior to that he was at the agency Grayling.

Travel association ABTA has recruited Luke Petherbridgeas European public affairs executive, a role focused on promoting the UK holiday industry’s interests in Brussels. He started last month and is based in London.

Joseph Henryhas joined Electus, the recruitment firm owned by PAN’s publisher Dods, as a consultant. He was formerly a researcher with Odgers Berndtson and, before that, worked for Lib Dem MP Malcolm Bruce.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance has appointedJonathan Isabyas political director. Isaby was most recently co-editor of political blog ConservativeHome, and before that worked for the Daily Telegraph.

Matt Tee, the former permanent secretary for government comms, has joined the agency Blue Rubicon’s advisory board.

Edelman last month completed its search for a new UK chief executive, appointing BBC director of communications Ed Williamsto the role. He will start on 31 October. Williams is a former director of communications at Reuters and ex-director at Brunswick.

The Washington DC-headquartered Public Affairs Council, the association for PA pros, has named Erika Compartas comms and editorial director. She moves from a role as deputy managing editor at Politico.

2nd August 2011 by PAN staff