Leadership


David Wild

Co-Founder & Chairman

David Wild

Co-Founder & Chairman

David advises on business and organisational strategy in the UK, USA and across Europe. With over 30 years’ experience, David has worked with clients in the finance, defence, aerospace, energy, tech, planning, pharma, chemicals, health and food sectors. He advises a range of clients that has included QinetiQ, MBDA Missile Systems and KPMG. Prior to consultancy, David was a Board Member of Nirex, the organisation in charge of the UK’s radioactive waste strategy. He led delegations of politicians to Japan, USA, Russia, China, France, Germany, Finland, and Sweden to share experiences and learn from other programmes. He works with leading global thinkers, academics and senior government officials on long-term resilience. David has an extensive network in the media, industry and politics.

Martha Dalton

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Martha Dalton

Co-Founder & Managing Director

A former Director of a City communications agency, and political strategist, Martha advises global clients on strategic communications, campaigns, public affairs and strategy. She has advised clients such as QinetiQ, Amazon and the infrastructure and higher education sectors on critical political issues, regulatory challenges and reputational management. She had led high profile campaigns for the Musician’s Union and the Bourbon Alliance. Listed in PR Week’s 30 under 30 2016, she is a Trustee of the Institute of the Future of Work and co-founded the grassroots organisation RegistHERtoVote. She has advised a number of political campaigns and headed up communications for Labour Party leadership candidates in 2015 and 2020.

Fran O'Leary

Co-Founder & Director, Client Services

Fran O'Leary

Co-Founder & Director, Client Services

Fran has over 10 years’ experience at board level advising clients on strategic communications and public affairs in the tech, sustainability, education and health sectors. She has written for the Times, the Cambridge Evening News and magazines and she has made Bafta nominated programmes for ITV, Channel 4 and other broadcasters. Prior to becoming a director of a communications consultancy, she worked in a policy related role within Government. Fran is a member of the PRCA Public Affairs Board Executive Committee and Co-Founded RegistHERtoVote, which encourages women to vote. She Co-Founded the Institute of AI, bringing together legislators from countries around the world to discuss policy, working in partnership with the Global AI Action Alliance and the World Economic Forum.

Ben Russell

Director

Ben Russell

Director

Ben has over 20 years of experience in frontline government and political relations, policy development, and wider media and communications roles, working across a range of sectors, with a strong focus on nuclear energy and infrastructure. He established and led the public affairs and media relations function for Horizon Nuclear Power, a multi-billion-pound nuclear new build project, and helped deliver key policy changes at a UK level and EU political/regulatory approvals to support the advancement of vital energy infrastructure development. Prior to that he has held several senior in-house and consultancy positions and has also worked in the public sector, including leading on the communications for a high-profile enquiry and report within the NHS. He begun his career in the House of Commons.

Jo Dalton

Director

Jo Dalton

Director

Jo is a Director specialising in public affairs and campaigns across the sustainability, higher education and tech sectors. Prior to Lodestone, Jo worked for Tom Watson MP on his successful Deputy Leadership campaign, General Elections, the Referendum and supporting the DCMS brief, gaining strong networks across the Labour Party and industry. Jo account directs the secretariat for the Parliamentary Internet, Communications and Technology Forum and has been instrumental in the formation of the Data Poverty APPG. She advises clients on strategic and corporate communications, PR, public affairs, brand strategy and campaigns. She was listed in the 2020 PR Week’s 30 under 30, Computer Weekly’s list of most influential women in tech in 2021 & 2022 and is an Ambassador for the Digital Poverty Alliance.

Michael Murphy

Non Executive Director

Michael Murphy

Non Executive Director

Michael Murphy is a business leader and communications specialist with decades of global experience in helping organisations to change and adapt, become more efficient and successfully develop. He provides senior counsel for Lodestone and has a portfolio of non-executive, advisory and project roles with a range of businesses large and small. Previously Michael was Global CEO at Grayling, a global PR consultancy, CEO of Trimedia International, CEO of Hatch Group, CEO of APAC, Weber Shandwick and CEO, International and CEO of PR Consultants Scotland. Michael uses his extensive and trusted network of global partnerships and relationships to support organisations to achieve their business and growth goals.

Stuart Warriner

Non Executive Director

Stuart Warriner

Non Executive Director

Stuart Warriner is a Non-Executive Director at Lodestone and advises Lodestone’s Political Risk unit, which provides investors with insight for their due diligence processes. A Corporate Finance specialist and former Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers, he has led transactions with an aggregate value of over £2billion. Stuart has extensive M&A experience including transactions involving Private Equity. His international experience has involved working on cross border transactions encompassing North America, the Far East and Europe. Stuart is also a Senior Advisor to GCA Altium, the European business of GCA, a global investment bank. He is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant and has an MA in Economics from Queens College, Cambridge.

Advisors


Andrew Gimson

Associate

Andrew Gimson

Associate

Andrew Gimson is an author, political journalist and an Associate at Lodestone. He writes for a wide range of newspapers and magazines, and as Contributing Editor to Conservative Home, specialising in interviewing Cabinet ministers and other leading politicians. His biography of the Foreign Secretary – Boris: the Adventures of Boris Johnson – was described by reviewers as “brilliant” and “an effervescent delight”, and was reissued in September 2016 in a new and fully updated edition. He is also the author of Gimson’s Kings and Queens: Brief Lives of the Monarchs since 1066. He started his career in the Conservative Research Department and has served as Deputy Editor of the Spectator, political columnist at the Independent on Sunday, and Berlin correspondent for the Daily Telegraph.

Victoria Page

Associate

Victoria Page

Associate

Victoria is a multi-award winning brand strategy, communications and corporate reputation expert, who passionately believes in business as a force for good. Victoria has more than 15 years experience working with corporates, NGOs and government organisations to deliver exceptional brand communications strategies and responsible business counsel. She led Grayling’s Sustainability division for a decade and for 11 years has Chaired PRCA’s Green Room to broaden awareness and understanding of responsible business issues amongst communicators. Most recently, Victoria advised Horizon on their brand strategy. Her past and current clients include Unilever, O2, John West, Meadow Foods, Costa, Hilton and Sky.

Phil Riggins

Associate

Phil Riggins

Associate

Phil Riggins is a branding specialist with more than 25 years’ experience helping understand and manage some of the world’s most well-known brands. Phil has created a variety of approaches to successful brand positioning, stakeholder engagement and reputation management. He has worked across sectors and around the world for organisations such as Airbus, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, BT, The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, Diageo, GE, G4S, Inditex, Itau, Kellogg’s, OPEC, Schroders, and the US Department of State.

Claudia Wood

Associate

Claudia Wood

Associate

Claudia Wood is the former Director of Demos, the cross-party think tank and is now based in Northern Ireland. Her expertise encompasses research and evaluation, policy development and impact measurement in a range of social policy issues. Claudia has worked at both the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Resolution Foundation, and while at Demos worked closely with a number of trusts, grant makers, the European Union, local government, alongside large corporates like MasterCard. Claudia has led a variety of policy development work encompassing housing, health and social care reform, financial inclusion, disability, early years education and life chances. She advises across a wide range of policy issues relating to Northern Ireland, the UK and internationally.

Alex Favier

Associate

Alex Favier

Associate

Alex plays a key role in delivering Research Advocacy and Institutional Influence Strategy programmes for the UK’s leading universities as part of Lodestone’s Higher Education practice. With over a decade of global and political affairs experience, Alex has an outstanding track-record of innovation, impact and creativity. Having built award-winning public affairs functions at both the University of Warwick and the University of Nottingham he has developed an international reputation for sector-leadership and collaboration. He has established groups such as the Russell Group Political Affairs Network, the UK Universities Overseas Campus Network and initiatives such as the UPP Civic University Commission. During his time at the University of Nottingham, he established the Institute for Policy and Engagement and served as the Director of Global and Political Affairs. He combines his time on consultancy with his role as the Director of Global Reputation and Partnerships at the University of Nottingham, as Co-Chair of the UK Universities Overseas Campus Network and as the European Representative on the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education’s Global Commission.

Team


Orlando Wind-Cowie

Account Director

Orlando Wind-Cowie

Account Director

Orlando is an Account Director specialising in the development of integrated communications and public affairs strategies. He directs accounts across the tech, energy, higher education, rural policy, health and international trade sectors. As the Secretariat for the Parliamentary Internet, Communications and Technology Forum, Orlando oversees the Forum’s annual programme which delivers regular high-profile events in Parliament on key policy areas such as online safety, cyber security, digital skills and health tech. He has co-written speeches and articles for politicians and industry leaders on energy, infrastructure, and technology, and has a wide network within the media and across Whitehall and Westminster. Orlando delivers training sessions on public affairs, reputational risk and media engagement, working with academics, corporate leaders and their teams to establish effective campaigns.

Harriet Kaye

Account Director

Harriet Kaye

Account Director

Harriet has experience in public affairs, corporate communications, crisis and reputation management. She has a wealth of experience both in the political arena and strategic consultancy. Harriet has worked at No.10 as a Special Advisor and on the 2019 General Election at CCHQ as well as two London Mayoral campaigns.

Harriet also has worked in strategic consultancy across a range of industries including energy, food and drink, health and other campaigns. Through her work she has strong experience in leading on promotional campaigns both in public and corporate affairs. She also has significant experience in crisis communications.

Amy Nash

Account Director

Amy Nash

Account Director

Amy is an Account Director at Lodestone working across education, health and energy clients, working across public affairs and strategic communications. She has previously worked for household names such as Nationwide Building Society, L’Oreal and Klarna, through to market disruptors. Amy has supported clients on campaigns, developing programmes of activity to create policy change, including a successful project with Wine Drinkers UK ahead of consecutive Budgets.

She has worked for a number of transport and infrastructure clients, including Siemens Rail, the M6toll and FREE NOW, and previously worked for IFM Investors, whose assets include Manchester Airports Group. Part of this work included supporting Stansted Airport, conducting an engagement programme with key stakeholders and the production of a report into the economic impact of the airport on the region.

Niamh McGurk

Account Manager

Niamh McGurk

Account Manager

Niamh is an Account Manager working with a range of clients across the energy, health, higher education and tech sectors. She works across public affairs, stakeholder relations, communications, events management and impactful campaigns for clients including the Parliametary Internet, Communications and Technology Forum (PICTFOR), the University of Birmingham, and the National Union of Students. She has particular expertise in social listening, analysing online conversations about our clients and our focus industries at large to find out more about the audience. Her previous experience includes providing public affairs support to leading charities, with a particular focus in the areas of climate and tech. Niamh is passionate about increasing accessibility to higher education and is a mentor for social enterprise I Have A Voice working to improve political literacy for disadvantaged young people.

Eric Robinson

Account Manager

Eric Robinson

Account Manager

Eric is an Account Executive at Lodestone working across a range of tech, sustainability, health and education clients. Support he provides includes the fields of social media strategy, political and media engagement, thought leadership and events management. Clients Eric supports include leading UK universities, NHS trusts, technology consultancies, and clean energy engineering and asset management firms. He provides support for the newly formed Data Poverty APPG, as well as the Digital Poverty Alliance on a pro bono basis. Prior to joining Lodestone, Eric interned at think tanks including the Henry Jackson Society and UCL’s Constitution Unit, as well as writing on international relations for The National. Eric has a double first in history from Cambridge University.

Charlie Mower

Account Manager

Charlie Mower

Account Manager

Charlie is an Account Manager at Lodestone working across health, education, and technology. Charlie supports clients with their public affairs campaigns, stakeholder relations, PR, corporate communications and events management. Clients he supports include the National Union of Students, various UK-based universities, NHS Trusts and the Data Poverty APPG – the All-Party group in Parliament dedicated to tackling digital exclusion. Prior to joining the Lodestone team, Charlie worked in a range of roles in the House of Commons as both a staffer to various Members of Parliament and also as a freelance researcher to a journalist at the Independent, the I and London Review of Books. Charlie has also worked on multiple general election campaigns, coordinating volunteers in 2015, 2017 and 2019 and was Unite the Union’s rep to Young Labour.

Oscar Tami

Account Manager

Oscar Tami

Account Manager

Oscar is an Account Manager at Lodestone working across a range of clients in sectors including energy, conservation, food, health, education and tech. Oscar’s time at Lodestone has included supporting on programmes of engagement with political stakeholders, helping to manage events and campaigns within parliament, and horizon scanning media opportunities for clients. Oscar currently works across public affairs, PR, stakeholder relations, and internal comms at Lodestone. Prior to joining Lodestone Oscar studied politics at the University of Liverpool. Throughout university, Oscar was politically active, supporting several MPs during national elections, Oscar was exposed to the operations of local elections and Senedd elections. Oscar’s engagement in political campaigns has been wide ranging, including involvement in surveys, canvassing and beyond.

Kate Troiano

Senior Account Executive

Kate Troiano

Senior Account Executive

Kate is a Senior Account Executive at Lodestone, working across the tech, health, and higher education sectors. Her work includes supporting clients across public affairs, PR, event management, and member relations for leading cross-sector organisations. Prior to joining Lodestone, Kate worked with some of the world’s best-known international development agencies, including UNICEF, UNFPA, and UN Women. She has developed communications campaigns and social media collateral to promote brand messages, delivered thought leadership pieces on initiatives such as UNFPA’s improvement of maternal health in the Gambia, and conducted data analysis to identify proposal win themes and forecast LTA opportunities. A strong advocate of gender equality, she has conducted qualitative research on gendered misinformation in 2021. She is fluent in Spanish and was the recipient of the Kobra Ahmadi Award during the completion of her MSc in Public Policy at the University of Bristol.

Billy Roberts

Senior Account Executive

Billy Roberts

Senior Account Executive

Billy is a Senior Account Executive at Lodestone working across the higher education, renewable energy, and healthcare sectors. Billy has written thought leadership, press and social media content, policy briefings, and strategy research for leading academics and industry chiefs. His work includes planning and executing parliamentary events for the Parliamentary Internet, Communications and Technology Forum. Prior to joining Lodestone, Billy worked in the press office for a range of House of Commons select committees, shaping news agendas for the Health, DCMS, Education, and Work and Pensions Committees.

Henry Wright

Account Executive

Henry Wright

Account Executive

Henry is a Account Executive at Lodestone working across a range of sustainability, tech, health and education clients. Henry has worked with a number of higher education clients with their public affairs and Parliamentary campaigns including the University of Birmingham, the University of Wolverhampton and University of Nottingham. He supports clients with engagement across Westminster, Whitehall and the media, and has penned multiple pieces of cutting-edge analysis on global renewable energy news. Prior to his role, he specialised in campaigning, working for a candidate training group in British Columbia, Canada.

Ilse Anderson

Finance & Operations Manager

Ilse Anderson

Finance & Operations Manager

Ilse is the Finance & Operations manager at Lodestone and works to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the organisation by providing leadership and support in financial and operational matters. These include processing payments, updating financial and company records, and managing invoices. Additional to this Ilse supports in the successful running of the office.

Jenna Kearns

Finance & Operations Manager

Jenna Kearns

Finance & Operations Manager

Jenna is currently on maternity leave

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