Giles Kenningham
Giles Kenningham served as the head of political press to former UK prime minister David Cameron, and was also the Conservative Party director of communications.
He is a former special adviser to the secretary of state for communities and local government Eric Pickles,[1].
Described by the Spectator as 'fast-talking and 'one of the most effective Tory spin doctors', Kenningham has taken a leave of absence to head up CCHQ’s pre-election media operation following Susie Squire’s secondment to Downing Street. [2]
Background
In 2006, Kenningham left his role at ITV as producer of ITN's Lunchtime News to join the Conservative Party as a press officer; claiming "We want to make the Conservative Party more relevant to people locally with less Westminster bias". Remarking upon the significance of Kenningham's appointment, Steven Porthouse of Newcastle-based Golley Slater PR said:
- Giles Kenningham's appointment highlights that the Conservative Party is taking seriously the fact that readers are increasingly placing more trust in the local media... Clients are asking us to focus on their local Press as well as national media as they realise that increasingly more and more people are getting their news from their local paper, local radio or TV station.[3]
Kenningham was appointed as special adviser following the general election in May 2010.[4]
After the 2015 general election, Kenningham was appointed as a head of political press at Number 10 Downing Street, replacing Alan Sendorek.[5]
Contact, Resources, Notes
Contact
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gileskenningham
Notes
- ↑ Department of Information Services, "Parliamentary Information List", accessed 07.09.10
- ↑ James Forsyth, Another sign that CCHQ is moving on to an election footing, The Spectator, 15 November 2012
- ↑ Peter Young, "Any other business", The Evening Chronicle, 30.08.06, accessed 13.09.10
- ↑ Cabinet Office Written Ministerial Statement on Special Adviser numbers, costs and revised model contract and code of conduct, accessed 13 September 2010.
- ↑ John Harrington Conservative PR stalwarts Giles Kenningham and Caroline Preston take Downing Street comms roles PR Week, 12 June 2015, accessed 15 June 2015.
