Globalisation:Albany Associates

Robyn Warburton Elizabeth Laird Chiara Brunelli Chibuye Ngosa

Overview

Albany Associates is a UK-based company which concentrates on delivering communications and public diplomacy strategies all over the world. Their typical clients include Governments, International Community Agencies, Broadcast and Telecoms Regulators, Media Regulatory bodies and NGOs. Their range of work involves consulting in media and telecommunications law and regulatory frameworks, advising in media infrastructure development including assisting the development of public service broadcasting and providing professional training and institutional capacity building . Albany Associates has to deal with some of the world's most difficult and demanding situations. They specialise in implementing new and creative strategies in challenging communication environments in particular a great understanding of the importance strategic communications plays in building and sustaining policy, regulation and media independence in complex political, social and economic situations.

Like Post Conflict People, Albany Associates aims to assist in the rebuilding of post-conflict societies. Yet their focus tends to be concentrated more on the 'freedom' of media and information systems. Albany wants to help develop an open government that will not seize central control and censorship whilst restricting varying forms of media. However, problems arise with the speed of advancement in communications technology. Deciphering facts from fiction from all the various modes of communication be it radio, television, newspapers or mobile phones presents some challenges. Along with the ready availability of communications technology to individuals and governments, it is up to governments, institutions and corporations to make sense of this chaotic environment. This is achieved through strategic communications, regulation, media development and training . Albany has worked in a number of conflict areas including Iraq, Sudan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Lebanon. Profiting from conflict just like Post Conflict People.

Goals and Objectives

Albany Associates is a very big company and its aims are numerous. As the group describes itself, it works:

- to develop innovative strategies in communications environments;

- to deliver communications and public diplomacy strategies;

- to consult on media and telecommunications law and regulatory frameworks;

- to advise on media infrastructure development including assisting the development of public service broadcasting;

- to provide professional training and institutional capacity building

Albany Associates was particularly involved with Post-Conflict People in a conference ("Strategic Communications in Countries Emerging from Violent Conflict Conference 2009" ) which took place in June 2009 and had as a goal to develop and implement innovative strategies in transitional and challenging communications environments, as well as to establish how strategic communications can be incorporated into policy at an early stage. This two-day event was directed particularly to policy-makers, communications practitioners, academics and media.

Personnel

Albany Associates was founded by the three directors Dieter Loraine, Simon Haselock and Doug Griffin, who together have over 40 years experience in strategic communications and regulatory affairs. They have a team of multi-disciplined international consultants, trainers and advisers with a range of expert skills. Albany has several associates one of whom is Katrin Nyman-Metcalf who provides consulting services and guidance within certain areas of the business.

Dieter Loraine has over 15 years experience of strategic commuications, institution building and media and regulatory development. Before forming Albany he was Senior Consultant for Media Regulation with the Foregin and Commonwealth Office's Media Development and Regulation Advisory Team in Iraq. His experience in communications stems from two years as Acting Deputy Director General and Director of Communications for the Communications Regulatory Agency (CRA). During this period he also worked as Special Adviser to the UK Press Complaints Commission. From 1998 to 2001 he was Director of Broadcast Licensing and Director of Public Affairs in the Independent Media and Broadcasting Commission in Sarajevo. Dieter Loraine also had a career in the Royal Marines as Assistant Director of Public Relations in the UK Ministry of Defence .

Simon Haselock co-founder and director of Albany Associates, specialises in media intervention in post-conflict countries. He was the Deputy High Representative for Media Affairs in the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Haselock was responsible for the regulation of the print and broadcast media in accordance with best international practice during his role as Temporary Media Commissioner in Kosovo. He also kick started the process of enabling independent media in Kosovo afterwards serving as the Director of Public Information for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo. Before Albany Haselock was the Head of the Media Development and Regulatory Advisory Team in Iraq. This involved him establishing an Iraqi National Communications and Media Commission amongst the development of various other media infrastructure programs. Like Dieter Loraine, Haselcok also served with the Roayal Marines and was responsible for assisting in the development of media policy in the UK Ministry of Defence .

Douglas Griffin the third director of Albany Associates, is also an attorney specialising in media and communications issues. Having previously worked in the United Arab Emirates providing advice on regulatory issues, in Sudan on a public information campaign related to the peace process in Darfur, and in Iraq on capacity building projects with the media and telecommunications regulator. Currently he is advising Jordanian institutions on the establishment of a media law curriculum, the development of an annual media law and policy institute, and other law policy issues. Albany Associates deployed a Media Development and Regulatory Advisory team in Iraq for which Griffin was the lawyer. In this role he drafted codes and regulations applying to Iraqi media to protect it from government influence and helped the Iraqi interim and transitional governmetns on the role of independent regulators of media and telecommunications. Before working for Albany Griffin worked for Internews Europe where he assisted media rights advocates in developing countries and was in private practice for five years with the international law firm Latham and Watkins in New York, Moscow and Paris .

Activities

Publications

Albany Associates has a wide range of publications. A full list of works can be found at: http://www.albanyassociates.com/knowledge_publications.php

Conferences

Strategic Communications in Countries Emerging from Violent Conflict - 2009

Albany Associates held a conference on Strategic Communications in Countries Emerging from Violent Conflict in 2009. High profile delegates and speakers at the international conference agreed that "strategic communications must be incorporated into policy at an early stage" . The conference, co-hosted by Post Conflict People, lasted for two days. It provided a basis for people to share experiences and academic knowledge from expert fields to consider models for the implementation of strategic communications. Over 120 communications experts from a range of backgrounds across the globe attended the conference along with the United Nations and other international organisations, NGOs, Academia, Media and the Private Sector. Central to discussion was how strategic communications can be incorporated into policy at an early stage. Speaking at the conference was General Sir Michael Jackson, Alistair Campbell, Edward Mortimer and Jamie Shea all extremely influential players who agreed that pro-active management of information, within stabilisation efforts and peace-building operations, is crucial to strategic thinking within the communications context. They came to conclude that one of the most important factors in strategic communications is the ability to form a sound and coordinated strategy. Nik Gowing opened the conference with a presentation that focussed on the impact of new communications technology on both media organisations and governments. He highlighted that the speed we are now able to transfer information with shortens the "news timeline from hours to minutes, and that the breadth of information transfer challenges the hegemony of major institutions of power". Jamie Shea, a former NATO spokesman, said "In the past we haven’t been too good at strategic communications, but we have to improve and we can do that by sharing best practice so we can get it right in the future. Conferences like this help us do that .

A programme of the conference events can be found at the following link : http://www.albanyassociates.com/assets/docs/Al887-ProgrammeV16.pdf

Connections

With Government

Coffey International is a global professional services consultancy focusing on physical and social infrastructure. They help solve emerging challenges to improve the lives of communities. The following is a link to the Department for International Development (DFID) via Coffey International: http://www.coffey.com.au/our-businesses/coffey-international-development/coffey-international-development/about-us Albany formed part of a consortium framework on March 10, 2008. This framework was a DFID framework agreement for Governance, Justice and Peace Building in conflict affected environments with Albany Associates leading on media capacity building, strategic communication and media regulatory reform. The consortium is lead by Coffey International Development . This shows the circle of influence from ex-government advisors and diplomats in PCP, via the private security industry, back to government.