Champollion
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This article is part of the Lobbying Portal, a sunlight project from Spinwatch. |
Champollion describes itself as an "independent communications consultancy, specialising in issues management, media handling and stakeholder relations, with outstanding expertise in public policy relations."[1]
Contents
History
The firm was set up by Simon Buckby who was a campaign director at Britain in Europe. In 2006 Rebecca Hewitt left Luther Pendragon to join Champollion as a senior consultant. Other appointments made at the creation of Champollion were Andrew Nye from the Attorney General's office and former Daily Express journalist Angela Cooke[2]. On joining Champollion Andrew Nye commented 'At the Attorney General's Office I've dealt with the media on controversial issues such as non-jury trials in some complex fraud cases, and Iraq.'[3].
Work
Commission for Racial Equailty
Champollion advised the Commission for Racial Equality on media relations. As well as the Commission for Racial Equality, Champollion advise individual race equality councils[4]. Champollion were hired by the CRE's communication director Colleen Harris[5].
Trevor Phillips said of the partnership with Champollion:
- “We worked with Champollion at all levels of the CRE – strategic counsel to me and the senior management team, practical support for our media relations, and document-drafting with our policy wonks. They always go the extra mile to make better best.”[6].
Bicom
Lorna Fitzsimmons the Chief Executive of BICOM commissioned Champollion as one of her key campaign strategists and media advisers. Fitzsimmons described the service delivered by Champollion:
- “In leading our message development, including through rigorous media training, and in supporting the work of our in-house communications professionals, Champollion has shown a thorough knowledge of the policy area and a commitment that is frankly beyond the call of duty.”[7].
Stop the Boycott
Champollion and Populus were the PR firms hired by BICOM in 2007 to manage the Stop the Boycott campaign which was designed to prevent British Universities boycotting Israeli academic institutions[8].
Fride
Champollion has been commissioned to work with Spanish think tank FRIDE on their Democratisation Programme. They are tasked with strengthening FRIDE's brand among the foreign policy community in Britain.
Champollion outline their strategy as:
- "working with FRIDE to develop the tightly defined messaging that will help push their policy concerns higher up the political agenda, to draw attention to their research and policy papers, and to ensure their arguments are heard by the right policy makers, analysts and journalists in Westminster and Brussels"[9]
Lobbying for education industry
Champollion has worked for a number of companies involved in market-based reforms of education. Current or recent clients include:
- Academies Enterprise Trust
- Arbor, an edtech company specialising in big data.
- Pearson College[10]
- Frog Education, e-learning company
- Renaissance, Google Capital-backed analytics and assessment giant
- CfBT, a non-profit provider of education services.
- Absolute Return for Kids
Non-executive director of Champollion, Craig Morley, is also co-founder of The Challenge, a 'social business' that provides youth and community programmes.
Clients
Register of consultant lobbyists
The register of consultant lobbyists documents those clients on behalf of whom Champollion has met with government ministers. They have been registered since May 2015 and their listings over 2015/2016 are as follows:
April - June 2016
Canal and River Trust | Education Development Trust | HB Villages | Pearson College | Population Matters | Professional Financial Claims Association (PFCA) | Renaissance Learning [11]
January - March 2016
Education Development Trust | Pearson College London | Renaissance Learning
October - December 2015
Academies Enterprise Trust | Canal & River Trust | Catch22 | Genie | Here East
July - September 2015
Academies Enterprise Trust | Canal & River Trust | Catch22 | Enham Trust | Family Rights Group | UK Carbon & Graphite
April - June 2015
Academies Enterprise Trust | Canal & River Trust | Catch22 | Cathedral Group PLC | CfBT Education Trust | Enham Trust | Here East | Housing for Women | UK Carbon and Graphite
January - March 2015
Academies Enterprise Trust | Alexander Adamescu | Canal & River Trust | Cathedral Group PLC | CfBT Education Trust | Cripplegate Foundation | Here East | Housing for Women[12]
APPC lobbying register
March 2016-May 2016
Academies Enterprise Trust | Basis Yorkshire | Canal and River Trust | Catch22 | Delancey | Education Development Trust | Frog Education | Global Action Plan | HB Villages | Here East | Mayday Trust | National Union of Students | Pearson College London | Pocket | Population Matters | Professional Financial Claims Assocation | Renaissance Learning | Step Ahead | Trussell Trust [13]
December 2015-February 2016
Academies Enterprise Trust | Basis Yorkshire | Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation | Canal and River Trust | Catch 22 | City Bridge Trust | Delancey | Education Development Trust | End Violence Against Women | Enham Trust | Esmee Fairbairn Foundation | Frog Education | Genie | Global Action Plan | Here East | Mayday Trust | Minerva | National Union of Students | Pearson College London | Pocket | Population Matters | Professional Financial Claims Association | Renaissance Learning | Step Ahead | Trussell Trust [14]
September 2015-November 2015
Academies Enterprise Trust | Arctic Shores | Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation | Canal and River Trust | Catch 22 | CfBT | Child Poverty Action Group | City Bridge Trust | Enham Trust | Esmee Fairbairn Foundation | Frog Education | Genie | Global Action Plan | Here East | Hubbub | Human Dignity Trust | Infinity | Labour Behind the Label | Lehman Brothers Foundation | Mayday Trust | Minerva | National Union of Students | OikoCredit | Pearson College | Pocket | Population Matters | Quartermaster | Renaissance Learning | Scope | Step Ahead | The Food Foundation | This is Rubbish | UK Carbon and Graphite Company | Wide Horizons [15]
March 2015-May 2015
Academies Enterprise Trust | Addaction | Arbor | Arctic Shores | Canal and River Trust | Catch 22 | Cathedral Group | CfBT | Child Poverty Action Group | City Bridge Trust | Criminal Law Solicitors Association | Cripplegate Foundation | Esmee Fairbairn Foundation | FACT | Family Rights Group | Frog Education | Global Action Plan | Here East | Housing for Women Hubbub | Infinity | Intercontinental Church Society | Lehman Brothers Foundation | Octavia Housing | OikoCredit | Orchid Project | Paul Hamlyn Foundation | Pearson College | Pocket | Population Matters | Prisoners Abroad | Pure Leapfrog | Quartermaster | Rank Group | Renaissance Learning | Renaissance Learning | Scope | StageText | Step Ahead | Step Ahead | Streetwise Opera | The Challenge | This is Rubbish | UK Carbon and Graphite Company[16]
December 2014-February 2015
Academies Enterprise Trust | Arbor | Canal and River Trust | Catch 22 | Cathedral Group | CfBT | Child Poverty Action Group | City Bridge Trust | Criminal Law Solicitors Association | Cripplegate Foundation | Esmee Fairbairn Foundation | FACT | Family Rights Group | Frog Education | Global Action Plan | Here East | Housing for Women | Hubbub | Infinity | Institute for Voluntary Action and Research | Intercontinental Church Society | Octavia Housing | OikoCredit | Orchid Project | Pearson College | Peto | Pocket | Population Matters | Prisoners Abroad | Pure Leapfrog | Quartermaster Quartermaster Studios | Rank Group | Renaissance Learning | Scope | StageText | Step Ahead | Step Ahead | The Challenge [17]
September 2014-November 2014
Academies Enterprise Trust | Attain | Canal and River Trust | Cardboard Citizens | Catch 22 | Centre for Justice Innovation | Commonwealth Foundation | Criminal Law Solicitors Association | Cripplegate Foundation | Engage | Esmee Fairbairn Foundation | FACT | Family Rights Group | Frog Education | Global Action Plan | Here East | Housing for Women | Hubbub | Infinity | Institute for Voluntary Action and Research | Intercontinental Church Society | Law for Life | Mark Duggan Inquest | OikoCredit | Orchid Project | Pearson College | Peto | Pocket | PPL | PRS for Music | Pure Leapfrog | Quartermaster | Rank Group | Russia Foundation | Scope | StageText | Step Ahead | Step Ahead | Teacher Support Network | The Challenge Network | UKSIF | University Alliance | World Cancer Research Fund[18]
June 2014-August 2014
Academies Enterprise Trust | Attain | Canal and River Trust | Cardboard Citizens | Catch 22 | Centre for Justice Innovation | Commonwealth Foundation | Criminal Law Solicitors Association | Cripplegate Foundation | Detention Advice Service | Dying Matters | Esmee Fairbairn Foundation | FACT | Family Rights Group | Frog Trade | Global Action Plan | Here East | Housing for Women | Infinity | Institute for Voluntary Action and Research | Law for Life | London Borough of Tower Hamlets | Mark Duggan Inquest | OikoCredit | Only Connect | Orchid Project | Pearson College | Peto | Pocket | PPL | PRS for Music | Pure Leapfrog | Rank Group | Restorative Justice Council | Russia Foundation | Scope | Step Ahead | Step Ahead | Teacher Support Network | The Challenge Network | UKSIF | University Alliance | World Cancer Research Fund[19]
2008
- America Works | Barrow Cadbury Trust | BFOREC | BICOM | Chechnya Peace Forum | Commission for Racial Equality | The Equalities Review | FRIDE | Gembel European Sales | Girlguiding UK | Infinity | Kazmunaigaz | Reprieve | The Russia Foundation | Sense International | Stop the Boycott | Vielife | Waging Peace[20]
- Tower Hamlets Council - reportedly hired in 2014 in relation to a Panorama investigation
People
Executive Team
- Simon Buckby - founder and managing director. Former social affairs and the employment correspondents of the Financial Times, political reporter for the BBC and a producer at London Weekend Television
- Lauria Brodie - director. Former senior broadcast journalist in news and current affairs, working on BBC’s Question Time, and Channel 4's Dispatches and 30 Minutes. and former deputy press secretary to former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Charles Kennedy.
- Kim Catcheside - director. Former education and social policy correspondent for network radio and television.
- Estelle McCartney - director. Former head of business liaison at Britain in Europe
- Helen Wharton - associate director
- Nick Colwill - senior consultant
- Hamir Patel - consultant. Was involved in the Liberal Democrats 2010 General Election campaign.
- Gareth Siddorn - consultant
- Andy Low - associate consultant
- Hannah Perlin - associate consultant
- Valdane Clarke - UK designer and developer
- Ed Brown - graduate consultant
- Jack Kelly - graduate consultant
- Kirsty Munro - graduate consultant
- Aliya Ahmad - intern
- Kathy Hoath - financial controller
- Elly Virgo - office manager
Non executive directors
- David Hill. Previously Tony Blair's official spokesman, chief spokesman for the Labour Party and held senior posts at the Chime Communications owned agencies Good Relations and Bell Pottinger.[21]
- Craig Morley
Associates
- David Barker
- David Clark. Chairman of the Russia Foundation and a senior research associate at the Foreign Policy Centre. Former special adviser to Robin Cook MP.
- Bradley Martin
- Jo-Anne Nadler. Conservative political commentator, writer and a former BBC journalist, former elected councillor on the Conservative council in Wandsworth and a spin doctor during the John Major government.
- Paul Richards. Former special adviser at the Cabinet Office, Department for Health and the Department for Communities and Local Government.
- Marcie Shaoul
- Jeremy Newmark
Additional staff October 2009
- Kylie Griffiths Office Manager
- Annie Bruzzone Associate Consultant
- David Clark Project Advisor
- Duane Raymond New Media Advisor[22]
APPC UK
March 2016-May 2016
Aliya Ahmad | Jennifer Berger | Laura Brodie | Simon Buckby | Kim Catcheside | Jack Kelly | Andrew Low | Estelle McCartney | Jo-Anne Nadler | Hamir Patel | Hannah Perlin | Priya Rane | Euan Roddin | Helen Wharton [13]
December 2015-February 2016
Aliya Ahmad | Jennifer Berger | Laura Brodie | Edward Brown | Ed Brown | Simon Buckby | Kim Catcheside | Gabriella Forson | Jack Kelly | Andrew Low | Bradley Martin | Estelle McCartney | Kirsty Munro | Hamir Patel | Hannah Perlin | Euan Roddin | Gareth Siddorn | Helen Wharton [14]
September 2015-November 2015
Aliya Ahmad | Laura Brodie | Edward Brown | Ed Brown | Simon Buckby | Kim Catcheside | Valdane Clark | Gabriella Forson | Jack Kelly | Andrew Low | Jayne Mairlot | Bradley Martin | Estelle McCartney | Kirsty Munro | Hamir Patel | Hannah Perlin | Gareth Siddorn | Elly Virgo | Helen Wharton [15]
March 2015-May 2015
Aliya Ahmad | Laura Brodie | Ed Brown | Simon Buckby | Kim Catcheside | Valdane Clark | Nick Colwill | Jack Kelly | Andrew Low | Estelle McCartney | Hamir Patel | Hannah Perlin | Gareth Siddorn | Helen Wharton [16]
December 2014-February 2015
Laura Brodie | Ed Brown | Simon Buckby | Kim Catcheside | Valdane Clark | Nick Colwill | Jack Kelly | Tian Liu | Andrew Low | Estelle McCartney | Hamir Patel | Hannah Perlin | Gareth Siddorn | Helen Wharton [17]
September 2014-November 2014
Anastasia Batiuk | Laura Brodie | Ed Brown | Simon Buckby | Kim Catcheside | Nick Colwill | Jack Kelly | Tian Liu | Andrew Low | Estelle McCartney | Hamir Patel | Hannah Perlin | Katheryn Santos | Millie Shuter | Gareth Siddorn | Helen Wharton[18]
June 2014-August 2014
Anastasia Batiuk | Laura Brodie | Simon Buckby | Kim Catcheside | Nick Colwill | Tian Liu | Andrew Low | Estelle McCartney | Hamir Patel | Hannah Perlin | Katheryn Santos | Millie Shuter | Helen Wharton[19]
Former Staff
- Angela Cooke - Project Advisor
- Geoff Duggan - Graduate Consultant
- Sam Hardy - Consultant
- Becky Hewitt - Senior Consultant
- Eve Starbuck - Office Manager
- Frida Williams - Graduate Consultant
Website
References
- ↑ Champollion - Home, accessed 2 May 2008.
- ↑ Public Affairs, LUTHER'S HEWITT IN CHAMPOLLION SHIFT, PR Week, 17-March-2006, Accessed via Nexis UK 25-October-2009
- ↑ Voluntary Sector, BUCKBY FIRM NABS NYE AS CONSULTANT, PR Week, 18-November-2005, Accessed 25-October-2009
- ↑ Public Affairs, LUTHER'S HEWITT IN CHAMPOLLION SHIFT, PR Week, 17-March-2006, Accessed via Nexis UK 25-October-2009
- ↑ A Merge, Race watchdog splashes cash on outside consultants, The London Evening Standard, 29-June-2006, Accessed Via Nexis UK 25-October-2009
- ↑ Our Clients, [Commission for Racial Equality http://www.champollion.co.uk/ourclients_cfre.html], Champollion, Accessed 25-October-2009
- ↑ Lorna Fitzsimmons, Our Clients:BICOM, Champollion, Accessed 25-October-2009
- ↑ Campaign, Voluntary Sector Special - Coalition stops boycott of Israeli universities, PR Week, 23-November-2007, Accessed 17-December-2009
- ↑ Our Clients, Fride, Champollion, Accessed 25-October-2009
- ↑ Pearson College website, accessed August 2015
- ↑ 'Champollion profile 2016, Register of consultant lobbyists, accessed 20 July 2016
- ↑ Champollion PR profile 2016, Registrar of consultant lobbyists, accessed 29 April 2016
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Champollion clients, APPC, accessed 15 June 2016
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Champollion client list, Dec15-Feb16, APPC, accessed 4 May 2016
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Champollion client list, Sep-Nov15, APPC, accessed 4 May 2016
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Champollion client list, Mar-May15, APPC, accessed 4 May 2016
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Champollion client list, Dec14-Feb15, APPC, accessed 4 May 2016
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Register 1st September 2014 - 30th November 2014 APPC, accessed 20 January 2015
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Register 1st June 2014 - 31st August 2014 APPC, accessed 19 October 2014
- ↑ Champollion - Our Clients, accessed 2 May 2008.
- ↑ David Singleton Agency post for Blair’s media man Public Affairs News, 4 December 2014, accessed 4 December 2014
- ↑ Champollion - Our Team, accessed 25-October-2009.
