The referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union will dominate politics next year, with ramifications for every business operating in the UK.
To help our clients navigate this landscape, I am delighted to announce that we have appointed Sir Stephen Wall as Portland’s Chief Adviser on Europe.
There is nobody better placed to advise on Europe than Sir Stephen. He has been at the centre of Britain’s relations with the EU for 35 years.
His experience includes five years as UK Permanent Representative (Ambassador) to the European Union in Brussels, and four years as EU adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair – as well as five years running the Foreign Office’s European Department and two years as Britain’s Ambassador to Portugal.
As a member of the British Diplomatic Service, Sir Stephen worked closely with five British Foreign Secretaries and was Foreign Policy Adviser to Prime Minister John Major.
His expertise is such that he literally wrote the book about Britain and Europe – A Stranger in Europe was published in 2008, and, as Official Historian for the Cabinet Office, Sir Stephen is currently working on the second volume of ‘The Official History of Britain and the European Community’.
I am delighted that Portland is able to welcome an adviser of Sir Stephen’s calibre.