Emma is a public affairs specialist, with almost two decades of experience in strategic communications, public affairs, political campaigns and policy roles.
At Portland, Emma provides senior counsel to clients across a range of sectors, including FMCG, health and life sciences and technology, on their integrated communications and public affairs strategies and reputational challenges.
Before joining Portland, Emma served the UK Government for three years as a Special Adviser working with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and two Health Secretaries. During this time Emma worked on the delivery on a range of policy challenges and initiatives. In the Department of Health (2019-2021) this included the Covid-19 response, the roll out of PrEP in England and HIV opt out testing pilots, and devising and delivering the first Women’s Health Strategy for England. She also contributed to the work around the G7 and G20 Health Ministers’ communiqués. After leaving DHSC, she went on to work in the Cabinet Office, Number 10 and HM Treasury on a broad portfolio of policies and issues spanning crisis, risk and resilience, including G7 level oil price cap negotiations, the UK Government’s Resilience Strategy, and the National Cyber Security Strategy.
Prior to government Emma worked for a consultancy advising tech, media and telecoms companies, including Microsoft, Three, Viacom, Cisco, PaddyPower and StubHub, on issues relating to online harms, consumer protection and cyber security. She also led the civil liberties organisation, Big Brother Watch, where she regularly gave evidence to parliamentary inquiries and appeared on national broadcast.
Emma was named a We Are The City PR & Comms ‘Rising Star’ in 2019 and a PRWeek ‘30 under 30’ Young Professional in 2015. She is a mentor at King’s College London and a Trustee of the gynaecological cancer charity, The Eve Appeal.