“I grew up in media relations roles and have always been drawn to issues management and campaigning,” says Claire Lovegrove. Her route into public affairs was not a clean break, but an evolution — shaped by a moment when her organisation’s work shifted significantly towards the public sector. “It became clear we needed a more structured approach… that created an opportunity for me to build it properly from the ground up.” That foundation still defines how she approaches the role today: public affairs as something integrated, intentional and embedded within the business, rather than an occasional add-on. Mitie operates across facilities management, engineering and professional services, delivering everything from security and cleaning to decarbonisation and infrastructure support. With a large proportion of its work tied to public sector clients, the company sits close to government priorities — whether in healthcare, defence, transport or energy. In that context, understanding policy i...