The help you need

The help you need

In my time at Portland I have worked with major brands, governments, campaign organisations and high-profile individuals.
Our clients can look very different from each other but at heart what they all want is to tell their story clearly and successfully.
As we say in this document, leaders have to have know how to do all sorts of different communications disciplines: financial, internal, corporate, crisis, commercial… there is no shortage of advice on how to excel at each of these. But leaders come to Portland because we cover them all, and combine them into a compelling whole.
In my experience, too few leaders play to their strengths. They often allow external advisers to push them into saying things that work for a particular audience, or react to external pressure. But what people want from a leader is authenticity. They need that leader to tell a story which makes sense and feels true.
The services we provide start with deciding the story the leader needs to tell. We work with you to find a set of messages and a voice that are authentic and compelling. We then develop a programme for telling the story to different audiences in a joined-up way. And we help implement that programme to get maximum results.
In doing so we draw on our experience with some of the biggest brands and names around business in the UK and abroad.
We are proud of our unrivalled team, combining experience at the highest levels of politics, business and the media.
Tim Allan is a former director of communications for BskyB and has spent 13 years at the forefront of the communications profession in the UK and abroad with Portland; Mark Flanagan was a digital adviser to three Prime Ministers; George Pascoe-Watson brings his unique experience of journalism and politics to reputation management; David Bradshaw has written speeches and opinion pieces for some of the world’s most influential business leaders, following a decade at Downing Street; and Ed Perkins was until recently the head of communications for three of the most famous people in the world: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
Caroline Edgar has advised iconic global brands including Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Speedo and the Discovery Channel; Victoria Wallin specialises in business to business communications for global organisations across the property, retail and professional services sectors; and Paul Duffy, a senior journalist at the BBC for almost a decadeworks across several sectors advising clients on reputation and media strategies.

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