Leader in UK Public Affairs: Isaac Levido, Founding Partner at Fleetwood Strategy, “I got my start in campaigns”

Mace | 23rd September 2026 | In-House Public Affairs

Fleetwood Strategy’s election-winning co-founder on building resilience, looking beyond AI and owning his mistake

"Far too much emphasis on contact books and leveraging relationships in Westminster, nowhere near enough focus on understanding what’s driving political incentives in the real world outside of it." It is a striking complaint from Isaac Levido. Few political consultants could credibly claim to possess a better Westminster contact book. He was campaign director for Boris Johnson’s emphatic 2019 general election victory, when the Conservatives secured an 80-seat majority, and returned to lead the party’s campaign in 2024. Before that, he had held senior roles in the 2015 and 2017 general elections and served as deputy federal director of Australia’s Liberal Party. But Levido’s argument is that proximity to political power is precisely the wrong way to understand influence. Politics does not begin in Westminster; Westminster responds to incentives being created outside it. His work for Johnson in 2019 provides a particularly good illustration. The campaign succeeded by understanding what c...

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 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: 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.

Leader in Public Affairs: Tom Steiner, VP Government Relations, Smiths – “Support, empowerment and ownership for shared growth and success”

Mace | June 15, 2026

Across his career, a consistent theme emerges: the importance of experience, perspective and trust.

Leader in UK Public Affairs: Alastair McCapra, Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Public Relations “If you can automate something entirely it isn’t a professional service, it’s just a glorified supermarket checkout”

Mace | May 31, 2026

CIPR chief executive Alastair McCapra explains why lobbying needs stronger regulation, higher professional standards and the human judgement that technology cannot replace.