Leader in UK Public Affairs: Anthony Vigor, Group Director, Persimmon Homes, “I was lucky to secure a role at National Express”

Mace | 21st July 2026 | In-House Public Affairs, Westminster Index
anthony vigor image

Anthony Vigor is Group Director of Strategic Partnerships and External Affairs at Persimmon Homes.

“After working as a special advisor in the last Labour Government… I was lucky to secure a role at National Express,” says Anthony Vigor. It was, he recalls, “an interesting first role where public affairs was seen as central to the company’s objectives” — a perspective that has shaped his approach ever since. Today, he operates in a sector where that centrality is even more pronounced. Housing, and particularly planning, sits at the heart of the UK’s economic and political debate. “Planning!” he says, when asked what keeps him up at night — a one-word answer that captures both the scale and persistence of the challenge. Persimmon Homes is one of the UK’s largest housebuilders, delivering tens of thousands of homes annually across the country. Operating through a network of regional businesses, the company sits at the intersection of national housing targets and local planning realities — where policy, land, infrastructure and community priorities all converge. In that environment, pub...

Subscribe to The Mace

Join the member community shaping British politics and stay ahead of what's really happening in the world of politics and public affairs, with expert analysis, breaking news, and insider insights from Westminster and Brussels. The Mace is the leading news source and resource for the government affairs industry, offering required reading and lobby intelligence for professionals.

To see what you are missing out on by not subscribing to The Mace, click here to download our full membership info-pack. This includes having no paywall on op-ed content or profiles/interviews, allowing professional profiles to be read with maximum impact and visibility by government, special advisers, MPs, peers, civil servants, and policy and political decision-makers.



Leader in Public Affairs: Zak Viney, Campaigns and Public Affairs Coordinator, Living Streets, “Politics starts locally on the doorstep”

Mace | August 3, 2026

Living Streets’ Zak Viney speaks to The Mace about moving from engineering into advocacy, making the case for walkable streets across political divides and securing practical progress on

Leader in Public Affairs: Zara Harrington, Head of Public Affairs, Diageo – “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity”

Mace | August 3, 2026

From navigating regulation and trade policy to aligning advocacy with commercial strategy, Diageo’s Zara Harington's career in public affairs has been about understanding how political decisions translate into

The Advocate: Lucy Gilchrist, Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs, PepsiCo UKI – “Advocacy enables better policymaking”

Mace | August 2, 2026

PepsiCo UKI’s Lucy Gilchrist does some of her best policy thinking on the running machine. She tells The Mace why public affairs must turn intelligence into action, how

The Strategist: Sonia Khan, senior partner H/Advisors – “Those of us who’ve spent a good amount of time in government understand how government operates”

William Cash | July 28, 2026

As one of Westminster's most effective public affairs strategists, Sonia Khan tells Mace how she bridges the gap between high-stakes politics and global corporate strategy.

Leader in Public UK Affairs: Beatrice Barleon, Head of Policy & Public Affairs, EngineeringUK, ‘Achieving change is team work, always’

Mace | July 28, 2026

With a career spanning sustainability, property and now EngineeringUK, Beatrice discusses her drive to work in policy areas that align with her principles.

Leader in UK Public Affairs: Joe Chapman, Head of Public Affairs, Manchester Airports Group – “I love being an advocate”

Mace | July 23, 2026

Joe Chapman, head of public affairs at the Manchester Airport Group, reveals his support for reform in the public affairs industry and why he loves being a leading

Leader in UK Public Affairs: Stef Kenyon, Director of External Affairs, UK Chamber of Shipping, “I came to public affairs via a more unconventional route”

Mace | July 21, 2026

Stef Kenyon discusses the pressures, personalities, and politics that shape the maritime industry.

Leader in UK Public Affairs: Edwin Morgan, Director of Policy & Communications, UK Warehousing Association – “I’ve always tried to assume that people are trying to do the right thing”

Mace | July 9, 2026

At the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA), Edwin Morgan champions a diverse network of businesses, from family-run depots to major logistics operators, making sure logistics industry challenges are heard

Leader in Public Affairs: Charlotte Whitley, Head of Corporate Affairs, British Land – “Nothing beats really getting under the skin of the issue”

Mace | July 8, 2026

After cutting her teeth in agencies such as FTI and FGS Global, Whitley moved in-house to British Land in 2015, a role that has defined her career as

Leader in Public Affairs: Andreas Bohrer, Chief Legal & Corporate Affairs Officer, Lonza Group

Mace | July 4, 2026

A lawyer who traded M&A briefs for boardroom strategy, Andreas Bohrer has spent a decade quietly expanding his remit at one of pharma's most critical manufacturers. When the