Westminster Index
Leader In Public Affairs, Jayne Almond, Public Affairs Director UKI, L’Oréal, “Look after your network and treat people well”
Jayne Almond’s career has taken her from Brussels and local government to some of the UK’s best-known consumer brands. L’Oréal’s UK and Ireland public affairs director tells The Mace why in-house teams must bring the outside world into the business — and why strong networks remain the profession’s most valuable asset.
Leader in Public Affairs: Luke Law, Director of Government & External Affairs, Serco Group Plc — “You don’t influence from your desk”
Serco’s Luke Law speaks to The Mace about public affairs at the sharp end of government delivery, the importance of relationships in a volatile policy environment and why politics remains fundamentally about people.
Leader in UK Public Affairs, Madeleine Hale, Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy (UK&I), Dell Technologies, “Ask for forgiveness, not permission”
From a music degree and Parliament to five years inside the civil service, Madeleine Hale has built a career around taking opportunities and understanding government from within. Dell Technologies’ UK and Ireland policy chief tells The Mace why authenticity, long-term relationships and human judgement remain indispensable in the age of AI.
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: 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: 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.
