The Team
Matthew Crisp
Research Consultant
Matthew recently completed an MSc in Conflict, Security and Development at the University of Birmingham, where he also studied for a BA in Political Science. During his time at university Matthew specialised in research methods and British politics. In his role with Lexington Matthew works for a range of clients, providing political research and monitoring to inform communications strategies.
Anna Hamilton
Office Manager
Anna is the office manager for Lexington North. She has previously worked as Office Manager for Communique PR and prior to this Touchstone Group for 8 years.
Mark Thomas
Consultant
Mark joined Lexington from public affairs roles at two national agencies. Prior to those roles, he worked for Robert Flello MP, PPS to then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Hazel Blears. Mark has advised a number of large private sector clients on a range of issues. At Lexington Mark is working across a number of accounts in a variety of sectors including renewable energy, property and outsourcing. Outside of work, Mark is Head of Government Affairs for an international charity, Health Care Sudan.
Emma Pemberton-Eccles
Senior Consultant
Emma has 10 years experience delivering high quality communications for industry leading, international organisations. Before joining Lexington, Emma held senior communications roles at Network Rail and Airbus UK, as well as leading the Public Affairs function at Manchester Airport. She also has worked in Central Government, serving a number of senior political figures as a Private Secretary. As well as a thorough understanding of parliament, local government and the media, Emma has extensive experience in public affairs, strategic planning, multi-project management, crisis communications, public relations, and reputation management.
Jackie Nally
Senior Consultant
Jackie has over five years experience providing strategic advice to clients regarding political relations, stakeholder management and community engagement issues. She has worked for a range of clients to secure planning permission in development sectors including residential, retail, waste and minerals. Prior to her consultancy experience, Jackie worked for the Rt Hon Jack Straw MP and as a Communications Advisor at Labour Party Head Office.
Sarah Atta
Senior Consultant
Before joining Lexington, Sarah spent over four years at a Leeds based specialist planning communications consultancy handling stakeholder and community relations for public and private sector clients. Prior to her consultancy work, Sarah completed a year long placement at Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council’s press office as part of her Public Relations degree. Sarah is presently the Public Relations Co-ordinator for the North West branch of industry association, Women in Property.
Paul Boyfield
Group Property Director
Paul has over twelve years’ experience as a political consultant working in the property and regeneration field across the UK. He advises companies across all sectors of the property world and is now responsible for Lexington Group’s property and local government services. Prior to becoming a consultant, Paul worked for the European Policy Forum (a think tank which focuses on European issues), as a researcher in the House of Commons and as a speech writer for a member of the House of Lords.
Katrina Clucas
Office Manager
Katrina is one of Lexington’s two office managers. She has previously worked as Executive Assistant to the Director of Cargo Clearance Biosecurity New Zealand, and prior to this as an Administration Manager within the NHS.
Nicola Hewitt
Office Manager
Nicola is one of Lexington’s two office managers and has been with Lexington for over 10 years. She previously worked for actuarial consultant Bacon & Woodrow as its administration manager. Prior to that, she worked for four years as PA to the Technical Director at WS Atkins, including a stint at their office in Istanbul.
Meredith Lloyd
Research Consultant
Meredith is a member of the research and monitoring team helping clients to keep abreast of political, policy and media developments. Prior to joining Lexington, he worked as an intelligence analyst for Avon and Somerset Police. As an active member of the Bath Conservative Party he acted as a campaign manager in the run up to the 2010 General Election.
Peter Jones
Consultant
Peter provides public affairs, media relations and campaigning advice to a range of clients, including the creative industries and property sectors. Prior to joining Lexington, he worked in the office of the Rt Hon John McFall (now Lord McFall) during his time as Chair of the Treasury Select Committee and studied British Politics and Legislative Studies at Hull University.
Gemma Hopkins
Research Consultant
Gemma is a member of the research and monitoring team helping clients to keep abreast of political, policy and media developments. She joined Lexington from the public affairs team at the Advertising Association. Previously, Gemma worked in public relations representing clients in health and education. Gemma has a degree in British Politics and Legislative Studies from Hull University, during which she spent a year working for Stephen O’Brien Minister for International Development.
Juliette Gerstein
Research Consultant
Juliette is a member of the research and monitoring team helping clients to keep up to date with political, policy and media developments. Prior to joining Lexington, she worked for Conservative Government Whip, Brooks Newmark MP. Juliette has First Class honours degree in Politics and Parliamentary Studies from the University of Leeds, as a part of which she spent five months working for Jonathan Djanogly MP and five months working for US Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. She also has an MPhil in International Relations from the University of Oxford.
Chris Yearsley
Consultant
Chris has a strong track record in providing advice on public affairs and media issues, both on a national and local level. He is experienced in managing and implementing coordinated campaigns that require a detailed understanding of the political and parliamentary process. His clients include household names in the creative industries, food, property and charity sectors.
Lisa Timothy
Senior Consultant
Lisa works on issues as diverse as public health and social care to pharmaceutical regulation and pricing. In addition to working with businesses and charities, she advises a number of coalitions on their internal and external communications activity. Lisa joined Lexington from the Royal College of Nursing where for three years she worked on high profile health issues, legislation and campaigns. Prior to this she was an aide to the Conservative MP Mark Simmonds.
Amy Richards
Consultant
Amy brings together her experience of working in the public and private sectors to advise clients on all aspects of political and regulatory affairs. She joined Lexington from the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO), helping them promote the voluntary sector as a major provider of quality public services. Prior to this, Amy worked in the policy and parliamentary team at the City of London Corporation and in government relations at Accenture Global Consulting.
Lloyd Milton
Consultant
Lloyd advises clients on their strategic approach to government relations and stakeholder engagement. He has extensive political experience at a national and local level. Before joining Lexington, he was Chief of Staff to Conservative MP Bob Neill in the communities and local government team with a remit to manage the media, build relations with business and to develop specific policy papers. Lloyd is a former Chairman of Streatham Conservatives and ran the Party’s 2010 General Election campaign in that constituency.
Matt Keirle
Consultant
Matt is experienced in delivering political and media programmes. He works across a wide range of sectors, including transport, food and nutrition, and healthcare. Matt joined Lexington with a background in political communications and experience working for the Conservative Party and the London Chamber of Commerce.
James Horrax
Consultant
James helps to run Lexington’s opinion research function having previously worked at a specialist research agency. He is experienced in delivering focus groups, polling and interviews. Prior to this, James worked as part of the communications team for Boris Johnson’s successful London Mayoral campaign. He then went on to assist the Mayor’s senior political advisors in City Hall. James is a member of the Market Research Society.
Matthew Hill
Consultant
Matthew brings together his experience of working in Whitehall and in-house as a public affairs practitioner to help clients navigate the political and policy environment. He joined Lexington from the Commission for Rural Communities, where he helped influence the policy agenda by engaging with government departments and parliamentarians. Prior to this, he was in the public affairs team of the Royal British Legion and spent more than three years in financial assurance with Ernst and Young LLP.
Emer Harrington
Consultant
Emer works with clients to analyse complex regulation and develop targeted public affairs programmes. She joined Lexington from the public affairs team at the NHS Confederation having previously worked for Chris Huhne MP during his time as Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary. She has a first class honours degree in English and History from University College Cork and a Masters in the History of International Relations from the London School of Economics.
Cath Warren
Head of Research
Cath heads the Research and Monitoring team at Lexington. Cath previously worked for the BBC where she was responsible for political research and data analysis to support the BBC’s coverage of both the 2010 General Election and May 2011 local elections. Prior to this she was Policy and Public Affairs Manager within BBC Learning. She has worked in-house for Accenture and the Arts Council, as well as for a political consultancy.
Will Sherlock
Senior Consultant
Will provides political and regulatory advice to clients in a range of sectors. Prior to joining Lexington, he worked for the Labour Party supporting the Parliamentary Labour Party’s political briefing operation working on economic and business issues. Before the 2010 General Election Will worked in the Department for Business providing Government Ministers with political and media advice on science and innovation policy
Claire Neilson-Noble
Senior Consultant
Claire draws on her experience within the UK and European political arenas to provide insight and advice to companies across a broad range of sectors. She joined Lexington from the CBI where she represented large companies and led and developed CBI’s parliamentary programme. In Brussels, Claire was a political assistant to the Chair of the Internal Market Committee and North-West MEP, Arlene McCarthy. She is experienced in the EU policy making process and liaising with EU organisations and officials.
Allona McCloy
Senior Consultant
Allona has over 10 years’ senior communications experience with a proven track record in helping organisations achieve trusted partner and thought leadership positions. Allona is currently working with a number of pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, as well as national charities, on issues-based policy-focused campaigns. She was formally a trustee for SafeHands for Mothers and Board Director for the UK Breast Cancer Coalition.
Francis Mallinson
Senior Consultant
Francis specialises in property, planning, local government and infrastructure. He devises campaign plans using a broad range of communications tools, including public affairs, media relations, social media and opinion research. Francis has worked in consultancy for six years and in-house for the National Farmers’ Union and the Heritage Lottery Fund. He worked for a Labour Party Parliamentary Whip under the last Government and more recently on the 2010 election campaign for the Labour Party in south London.
Owen Bethell
Senior Consultant
Owen has over eight years experience in politics and public affairs and advises clients with complex communications challenges. Owen has also worked with charities, trade associations and SMEs to achieve his clients’ objectives, using public affairs, media and social media techniques. Prior to joining Lexington, Owen worked in public affairs consultancy and in Opposition for Rt. Hon. Oliver Letwin MP, currently Minister of State at the Cabinet Office.
Caroline Nagle
Associate Consultant
Caroline is a corporate communications specialist. She is experienced in developing positioning strategies and messaging, generating media coverage, dealing with crisis situations, training company spokespeople and creating corporate communications tools. Caroline was previously Head of Communications for the UK Film Council. She also worked in government communications and before this worked for the former MEP, Mel Read, followed by more than two years working for a Westminster-based public affairs agency.
Alex Mawer
Associate Director
Alex is an experienced public affairs professional and has particular expertise in supporting clients in healthcare, the food and drink sector, and the creative industries. Before joining Lexington Alex worked for two other public affairs consultancies and in 2006 she was presented with the Public Affairs News Award for Newcomer of the Year. She also has political experience having worked in Parliament for a Liberal Democrat MP and in the party headquarters during the 2010 General Election.
Simon Jones
Associate Director
Simon helps clients develop political strategies and campaigns to inform the policy agenda. He has a unique insight into the Coalition Government having been the Conservative parliamentary candidate in the marginal seat of Dagenham and Rainham in 2010 and working as an adviser to Lord Ashcroft at KPMG. He is currently an Executive Board Member of an Academy School.
Lisa Tremble
Director
A director at Lexington, Lisa leads the company’s work in the creative, media and leisure sectors and also heads up Lexington’s media relations assignments. Having worked at a senior level in three government departments, Lisa brings a wealth of experience of Whitehall and Westminster. Lisa is also a former director of communications for the UK Film Council.
Jessica Fine
Director
Our health team is led by Jessica Fine, a director at Lexington. She is a senior and experienced practitioner who advises clients involved in the delivery of healthcare services to help them build effective campaigns to navigate and plan for change within the new NHS environment. This includes policy and regulation, political and media communications, as well as crisis and issues management.
Emma Cerrone
Chief Operating Officer
Emma Cerrone, chief operating officer at Lexington Communications, is a senior and experienced public affairs and media relations practitioner. A former corporate communications executive at J Sainsbury plc, Emma leads a number of major client assignments particularly in the fields of issues management and corporate public affairs programmes.
Ian Kennedy
Partner
Ian Kennedy co-founded Lexington Communications in 1998 and it has since become the market leader in providing leading global corporations with political and media relations advice. Ian leads a number of major client assignments particularly in financial services, competition issues, crisis and issues management and corporate reputation.
Mike Craven
Partner
Mike Craven co-founded Lexington Communications in 1998. Since then, Lexington has grown to be one of the UK’s leading public affairs and media relations companies with 35 consultants working in London and Manchester. Mike has worked on a large number of assignments and acts as a lead consultant to many of Lexington’s clients. Mike is a former political adviser and chief media spokesperson for the Labour Party.
