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The latest public affairs and politics news, opinion and features.
Got a story? Contact Ian Griggs on 020 8267 4893 or ian.griggs@haymarket.com.
News and news analysis
Exclusive: Former parliamentary aide joins WA Communications
Lisa Townsend, a former senior parliamentary assistant to Conservative MP James Morris, has been appointed as a director at WA Communications.
Women in PR unveils most diverse committee in its history
Women in PR (WPR) reveals new committee members and pays tribute to the contribution of longstanding members who have stepped down.
Cash bonus as BritainThinks marks transfer to employee ownership
Employees at strategic insight consultancy BritainThinks have been given a one-off cash bonus of £1,000 this month, to mark the agency's decision to transfer ownership of its business to its 50 staff.
Google poaches Microsoft public affairs specialist
Google has appointed Tom Morrison-Bell, a former government affairs manager for Microsoft, as its government affairs and public policy manager.
Former No 10 press secretary joins Lexington
Comms consultancy Lexington Communications has hired ex-Downing Street press secretary Paul Harrison as it expands its senior team.
Budweiser appoints UK legal and corporate affairs director
Budweiser Brewing Group has appointed a director of legal and corporate affairs from rival Pernod Ricard.
'Avoid parallel conversations': Femi's path to political influence (and comms tips)
People's Vote campaigner Femi Oluwole has become one of the country's most high-profile political influencers in one of the most divided periods of recent times. PRWeek hears how he did it.
Former ABPI public affairs chief and London mayoral adviser joins healthcare agency
The former head of government affairs for pharma trade body the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has been hired as a director at specialist healthcare agency OVID.
Watch: Greenpeace, Olivia Colman and animated turtles illustrate plight of oceans
The environmental group teams up with animation company Aardman, Colman, David K Harbour, Dame Helen Mirren and other celebrities to highlight the plight of the world's oceans through the eyes of turtles.
Pfizer's Kirsty Graham named CEO of Edelman Public Affairs
The practice will operate like a boutique public affairs firm, taking on shops like H+K and APCO.
IPA condemns Facebook's refusal to ban or fact-check micro-targeted political ads
Google and Twitter have both made moves to stem lies in political advertising.
End of an era as 'father of the PR industry' Harold Burson dies
Harold Burson, regarded by many as one of the founding fathers of the modern PR and comms industry, has died at the age of 98, it was announced today.
Grayling names UK managing director and expands practice lead remits to cover Europe
Grayling has promoted Jonathan Curtis to MD and expanded Tom Nutt and Nathan Kemp's roles to head of corporate and head of creative and planning, respectively, across the UK and Europe.
Vodafone international policy director joins Hering Schuppener
Hering Schuppener Consulting has appointed Vodafone Group's international policy director, Gregoire Verdeaux, as partner to lead its EU corporate and public affairs team in Brussels.
Cicero joins Maitland in Havas AMO network ahead of expected acquisition
Cicero is joining Maitland and other agencies in Havas' global AMO network, in what is believed to be a precursor to Havas acquiring a stake in the public affairs specialist, PRWeek can reveal.
GSK, Roche, Merck, Novartis and AstraZeneca confirmed for PRWeek PharmaComms conference
The cream of public and private healthcare communicators will gather in London next month for PRWeek's PharmaComms 2020 conference.
Asda appoints public affairs consultancy
Supermarket chain Asda has hired Pagefield to support its UK public affairs activity, PRWeek can reveal.
Opinion and features
In a post-trust world, let's focus on 'belief'
As sure as world leaders heading for the slopes in Davos, so the Edelman Trust Barometer rolls round and dominates industry headlines for a news cycle.
What does the departure of senior women in the industry say to the next generation of female leaders?
Another new year and another raft of departures and new beginnings announced in agencyland; no real surprises there, as it is the season.
Now we have a government with a large majority and the ability to do stuff, there is some real lobbying to do
The decisive result of December's general election means it's time for public affairs practitioners to get back into the fray in a changed political landscape.
Game of influence: how new-wave political influencers became 'lightning rods' of debate
The evolution of social media has given rise to influencers who have a clear impact on the way their followers, and the broader social audience, think about politics - despite not coming from a traditional political background.
The 'climate decade' is here, so get ready to align your comms with action
As leaders from business and government gather for the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, climate change will be high on the agenda.
Stop talking about it and just get it done: we need to be a climate-positive industry
As an industry we are great at talking - it is one of our strengths. However, sometimes we need a bit more action and that has probably never been more important than the need for an urgent response to the climate crisis.
My personal experience tells me that we need an industry-wide miscarriage policy
Recently, creative agencies Lucky Generals and Creature announced miscarriage policies, the essence being to remind staff that they can take time off work for their loss (Lucky Generals gives two weeks off for the mother or one week as the partner), and that it needn't be something that they have to keep private.
Brexit storm provided PRs some cover from controversy - but no more
It's a staple in the political calendar. On 2 January, rail fares rise in line with inflation, compounding commuter misery at returning to work after the Christmas break.
Prince Andrew and the Lib Dems made the same PR mistake
If we'll remember 2019 for anything, it probably won't be public relations. Let's be honest, we've not had a vintage year, at least on the face of it.
The General Election Diaries: Voters want to weep or scream
PRWeek has partnered strategy and insight consultancy BritainThinks to take the temperature of the nation and its response to politicians' attempts to win their votes throughout the election campaign.
Stop chasing your next promotion and focus on gaining experience instead
Ambition is an essential trait in the development of any comms consultant; it pushes you on, keeps challenging you, and ultimately makes you a better practitioner.
The industry's diversity deficit is not the fault of recruitment agents
I read Arvind Hickman's piece on 27 November - 'Recruitment agents accused of discrimination....' - with interest and, as someone who has worked in recruitment in our industry for my entire career, felt I had to respond.
Rethinking public affairs amid 'the lack of trust in government' - Edelman president
Edelman president Matthew Harrington on the depletion of public trust and the shifting power dynamic between organisations and stakeholders.
Why you should say 'sorry' in politics - and in the business world - but only if you mean it
Sorry seems to be the hardest word for both party leaders to say at the moment.
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Account Director to Associate Director - Planning, Engagement & Corporate Projects Premier Resourcing UK London
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Associate Director- Public Affairs JFL Search & Selection London (Greater)
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Public Affairs Officer McDonalds London (Greater)
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Account Manager (Strategic Communications and Public Affairs Campaigns) Red Flag London (Central), London (Greater)
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Account Executive (Strategic Communications and Public Affairs Campaigns) Red Flag London (Central), London (Greater)
Recent public/corporate affairs people moves
Portland hires director from Kekst CNC
Portland has appointed financial and corporate communications veteran Simon Evans as a director.
eBay hires UK head of corporate comms from Gumtree
eBay has hired Gumtree head of PR Fergus Campbell as head of corporate communications.
NHS Property Services appoints comms head from BCW
NHS Property Services (NHSPS) has hired former BCW director Simon Richards as its new head of communications.
Stonehaven hires new MD from ScottishPower as incumbent prepares to depart
Stonehaven has named a former senior executive at ScottishPower owner Iberdrola as managing director, with current MD Ben Thornton leaving in March to start his own business, PRWeek has learned.
Movers and Shakers: 2019's biggest PR appointments and departures
The industry's revolving door rarely had a stationary moment this year. Here are 17 of the most notable PR and comms hires and fires that took place in 2019.
Channel 4 merges comms and corporate affairs under MacLeod, corporate relations chief leaves
Channel 4 is bringing all its comms and corporate affairs activity together in one combined department, to be led by James MacLeod in the new role of director of communications & corporate affairs.