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

Mace | 28th July 2026 | In-House Public Affairs, Westminster Index
Beatrice Barleon photo

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

“It was exciting to see what sustained political and policy engagement can do,” says Beatrice Barleon, recalling her early experience interning at Friends of the Earth as the Climate Change Act was making its way through Parliament. It was, she says, a formative moment — a first-hand view of how persistence, coalition-building and timing can translate into legislative change.

From there, she moved into her first full public affairs role at the British Property Federation — “a totally different experience,” she says, one that taught her “a lot about diplomacy, managing stakeholders and strategic communications.” Together, those early roles set the tone for a career built around navigating complexity and driving change over time.

Today, at EngineeringUK, that focus is firmly on the future workforce. The organisation is a not-for-profit working to increase the number and diversity of young people entering engineering and technology careers in the UK. Through research, advocacy and partnerships, it plays a central role in shaping how government, industry and educators think about skills, pathways and opportunity in sectors critical to long-term economic growth.

For Barleon, the attraction of in-house work has always been tied to purpose. “I have always worked in-house because I am driven by being involved in policy areas that sit well with my principles,” she says, alongside the …

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

Mace | July 21, 2026

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

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

Buy British – unless you’re making jet fuel 

Charlie Garner | June 16, 2026

Charlie Garner makes the case for sustainable aviation fuel, arguing that Britain holds a competitive advantage as the market develops.