The Strategist: Shomik Panda, Inline Policy

Mace | 25th March 2026 | Lobbying, Political Consultants, Westminster Index
Mace image shomik panda

As CEO of Inline Policy, Shomik Panda combines political insight with commercial understanding. Selected as a Mace Top 100 lobbyist, expertise includes where digital technology intersects with travel, transport, fintech and short-term accommodation.

Shomik Panda is the founder of Inline Policy and a recognised leader in public affairs, with two decades of experience shaping political engagement strategies across the UK, Europe and beyond. His entry into the sector came, in his own words, “with a stroke of good luck.” While working as an analyst at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (now BlackRock), he was asked to brief colleagues on the 2003 US Primary elections and their potential market impact. The presentation caught the attention of a senior executive, who introduced him to the head of government affairs –“a department whose existence I was not even aware of.” A serendipitous meeting, falling immediately after the head had been in a meeting with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, opened his eyes to the world of public affairs. A few years later, he was offered a role at JPMorgan, where his career in government relations formally began. Since then, Panda has developed a reputation for combining political insight with commercial ...

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.



Protected: The Oldie Regime

Liz Emerson | January 21, 2021

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Whatever Happened To…?

Emelia Wild | October 22, 2020

From armchair space exploration to prison chaplaincy, Rosa Herxheimer and Emelia Wild look at the ways politicians approach the second acts of their lives

In the Shadows: How Campaigners Shift the Debate

Damian Collins MP | October 14, 2020

Damian Collins MP explains how digital campaigns alter our perceptions of the news

Steve Bannon Campaign Hashtag Digital

Iain Dale’s Top 100 in British Politics

Mace | October 5, 2020

The movers, shakers and rule-breakers making their mark in Westminster

The Mace Questionnaire

Rosa Herxheimer | October 5, 2020

Ever wondered what MPs are really thinking? Here’s a preview of the Westminster Index, where we’ll be profiling everybody who’s anybody

Meet the Class of 2019

Mace | January 28, 2020

George Peel surveys the best of the new crop and finds much to celebrate in all the parties

Heads of State

Christopher Jackson | January 28, 2020

Christopher Jackson meets the Harley Street surgeon whose busts of world leaders are winning him friends in high places.

The Dark Art of Lobbying

Adam Solomons | January 24, 2020

We lift the lid on the industry cloaked in mystery.

Why the Lobbyists are Taking Over Whitehall

Benjamin Goodwin | January 16, 2020

Another administration, another set of Spads – but is there a trend in favour of lobbyists taking on senior advisory positions?

The Jackdaw: Staffers Had It Hardest

Marie Le Conte | January 16, 2020

Over the last year we’ve seen dozens of MPs switch parties or go independent. But how does such an unexpected move affect their hard-working staff?