GPC appoints APCO’s Aitken to Scottish office role

Aitken left APCO earlier this month and has yet to be replaced. APCO UK managing director Simon Miller said: ‘Carol ran a one-woman shop as our Scottish partner. We have and still do provide a service to clients who require public affairs support in Scotland.’

He said the agency was in the advanced stages of recruiting her successor.

GPC managing director Sarah Chisnall said Aitken would focus on healthcare clients, where she has particular expertise, having handled clients such as Lloyds Pharmacy at APCO.

GPC Scotland’s healthcare clients include Pfizer, Roche Diagnostics, Parkinson’s Disease Society and the Scottish office of Macmillan Cancer Relief.

Aitken’s brief is likely to include intelligence monitoring, advising on legislation and reputation management, and developing new business in other sectors.

Chisnall has been MD and associate director since the departure of former MD Devin Scobie in June, who left to become director of the Scotland office of Eaga Partnership, a social enterprise that provides state grants to disadvantaged households.