Westminster Index
Leader in UK Public Affairs: Abigail Whittaker, Chief of Staff, Funding Circle “Public affairs is built on the strength and nuance of personal relationships (or a well-timed coffee)”
Funding Circle’s Abigail Whittaker explains how policy can unlock finance for small businesses, why timing matters in advocacy and why AI will make strong relationships more valuable, not less.
Leader in Public Affairs: Erin Mansell, Deputy Director and Head of External Affairs, Women’s Budget Group, “Feminists generally get a bad rap for being serious”
At the Women’s Budget Group, debates about fiscal rules, welfare reform and public spending land directly on the lives of women, carers and disabled people.
Leader in UK Public Affairs: Jonathan Pallant, Head of External Affairs, Financial Services Compensation Scheme, “Lead by example and be clear on your standards”
Shifting perceptions, particularly in financial services, is “no easy task” — and often requires sustained engagement across multiple audiences
Leader in UK Public Affairs: Ross Hawley, Head of Investor Relations, ZIGUP, “You understand the detail and live with the consequences”
Having moved into investor relations from a City banking and hedge fund background, his route into policy engagement has been indirect — but increasingly central.
Leader in Public Affairs – Polly Dhaliwal, Chief Operating Officer, Enterprise Nation “Public affairs, at its best, is about bridging worlds”
Enterprise Nation’s Polly Dhaliwal explains how public affairs can bridge the gap between policymakers and entrepreneurs, turn small-business experience into practical policy and ensure ambition is matched by commercial reality.
Leader in UK Public Affairs: Charlotte Thomason, Head of Public Affairs, Commercial & Institutional, NatWest, “In failure is growth”
Charlotte reflects on entrepreneurship, leadership and AI, and why understanding the businesses behind policy issues matter.
Markus Leutert, Corporate Affairs, PerkinElmer – “Focus on outcomes, rather than outputs”
Leutert’s career has included moments close to politics, including time as a speechwriter, but he concluded that he can have more impact behind the scenes.
Leader in UK Public Affairs: Andy Brown, Marketing, Communications and Business Development Director, Arup, “Be open”
Andy talks about how career progression isn’t just about salary but spending time doing work that you find meaningful
Leader in UK Public Affairs: Claire Lovegrove, Director of Corporate Affairs, Mitie, “AI is an enabler, not a replacement”
Claire captures the appeal of public affairs: influence without exposure, impact without political office.
Leader in UK Public Affairs: Dr Michelle Howard, Senior Advisor for Defence and Space, Lexington Communications: “The future of public affairs is full of promise for the creative”
Lexington’s Michelle Howard explains how an unconventional career spanning opera, journalism, hydropower and defence led her into public affairs, why political instability rewards creativity and listening, and what Westminster can learn from Britain’s space sector.
