Andrew Smith, ex-group managing director of ill-fated lobbying firm Ian
Greer Associates, has moved to Westminster Policy Partnership.
Smith joins the partnership - which includes lobbying firm Westminster
Policy, press cuttings agency Press Cutting Edge and a newly-launched PR
agency, Alexander Mead - as joint managing director.
Smith’s move will see him reunited with joint MD Paddy Gillford, who
left IGA to set up Westminster Policy three years ago.
Smith, who was one of the first senior staff to resign following the
September abandonment of IGA’s libel action against the Guardian, said
he was attracted by the broad aspect of his new role.
As well as being joint managing director of Westminster Policy, he
becomes chairman of Press Cuttings Edge, which launched in May, and
joint MD of Alexander Mead. Smith will head up the London office of the
PR agency, which specialises in the energy sector, with Vanessa
Alexander handling the Aberdeen office.
Gillford said that, despite the sudden disintegration of IGA, he had no
qualms about appointing such a senior figure from the firm. Gillford
added that the company was also talking to three or four more possible
recruits, none of whom were formerly with IGA.
