Westbourne Communications
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This article is part of the Lobbying Portal, a sunlight project from Spinwatch. |
Westbourne Communications is a lobbying firm co-founded and run by James Bethell, the 5th Baron Bethell. It describes itself as a "small specialist agency that offers clients a fresh approach", placing strong emphasis on the need to change public opinion as a way of influencing decision-makers.
- The traditional ways of conducting your communications are growing out of date. The economics of digital media have broken old monopolies on information. Scandals created suspicion about back-room decisions. Consumers expect choices.
- At Westbourne, we believe that decision-makers will be influenced less by secretive lobbying and more by changing opinion about your issues.
- Headlines and contacts are important but, increasingly, not enough. Nowadays it might be just as important to mobilise public supporters. Or else giving a voice to relevant specialist groups – experts, officials, professionals, locals, parents.
- That’s why you need a new combination of skills. Researching opinion. Presenting your case. Adapting to feedback. Direct communications, often over the internet. Mobilising support. Rebutting opposition."
Contents
People
- James Bethell[1]
- Maurice Cousins[1]
- Emily Hamilton - head of media[1]
- Lucy James[1]
- Nicola Minford[1] - works on the Campaign for High Speed Rail and Siemens accounts,
- Jennifer Powers[1]
- Thomas Ricketts[1]
- Campbell Storey[1]
- Milly Doolan - Business Development Manager since June 2012[2]
- Duncan Menzies [2]
- Duncan Sedgewick - Energy Practice Chair, joined in 2012
- Simon Barrow - People Director
- Portia Swales - Associate Development Director [3],
- Dan Large[3] - joined Westbourne in September 2011 as campaign director for the Campaign for High-Speed Rail. He was formerly top aide to Conservative MP Edward Timpson MP, first working with him on his high-profile Crewe & Nantwich by-election victory in 2008. [4]
Infrastructure practice
- Adrian Shooter, former chairman of Chiltern Railways, was made chairman of the practice in May 2012 [5][1]
- Paul Chapman, former MD of High Speed 1, was also made associate partner in May 2012 [5]
Former staff
- James Frayne was a partner at Westbourne until he left to join the Department for Education as Director of Communications in March 2011 [6]
- James Wickett-Whyte [1], worked on the Yes to High Speed Rail campaign, no longer listed as Westbourne staff on the APPC register as of April 2013, now a consultant at Curtin & Co on the community consultation team [7] [8]
- Harry Spencer[1] - was an intern and researcher at Westbourne, is now an account executive at Edelman [9]
Clients
As of April 2013:
- APPG for High Speed Rail
- Birmingham Airport
- Campaign for High Speed Rail
- Core Cities
- Euston Estate Limited
- GB Railfreight
- Healthlogistics
- Ingeus UK
- Legal & General
- Siemens PLC
- The Society of Chief Librarians
Feb 2013
As above, but breakdown of clients involved in the APPG for High Speed Rail included- TSSA, Bruntwood, South West Trains, Abellio, Eurotunnel, Core Cities
March - May 2012
- 50p Tax Campaign | Alliance for Affordable Solar Energy | [[Atkins Global] | Birmingham Airport | Birmingham City Council | Campaign for High Speed Rail | Cheviot Asset Management Limited | Electralink Limited | First Group PLC | Ingeus UK | Legal & General | Policy Exchange - (The Wolfson Economics Prize) | Railway Industry Association | Siemens PLC | Stagecoach Group | Sydney & London Properties Ltd | Systra UK
Former clients
Westbourne's website displays the following companies' logos on its 'about Westbourne' page:
- New Schools Network
- Private Equity Foundation
- Ministry of Sound nightclub - Westbourne founder James Bethell was previously MD of the club
- TheCityUK
- Bain Capital
- Sino-Bridge
- abellio
- Stagecoach Group
- Network Rail
- Deloitte
- Yingli Solar
- Cheviot Asset Management
Contact, Resources and Notes
Westbourne Comms Company was incorporated as a private limited company (No. 06936185) on 17 June 2009. Its registered address is 17 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AH. Founder James Bethell is the sole company director. [12]
Contact
- Address:17 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AH
- Email:jennifer.powers@westbournecoms.com
- Website: www.changeopinion.com
Previously:
- 55 Tufton Street
- London SW1P 3QL
- Tel: 02033970100
- Email: campbell.storey@westbournecoms.com
Resources
- Jamie Doward, High-speed rail opponents 'portrayed as posh nimbys' by Tory peer's lobbying firm: PR agency accused of scare tactics and invoking the class divide in a 'coldly calculated' campaign to push coalition's case for HS2 network The Observer (England), April 7, 2013, OBSERVER HOME NEWS PAGES; Pg. 3, 957 words,
Notes
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 APPC Register Entry for 1 Mar 2012 to 31 May 2012,
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 APPC Register Entry for 1 Sep 2012 to 30 Nov 2012
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 APPC Register Entry for 1 Sep 2012 to 30 Nov 2012, acc 8 April 2013
- ↑ Public Affair News, PEOPLE MOVES - September 2011 edition, 1 September 2011
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Public Affairs: The Week in Lobbying, prweek.com, Friday, 18 May 2012, 12:00am, acc 7 April 2013
- ↑ Public Affair News, People Moves - March 2011 edition
- ↑ James Wickett-Whyte, LinkedIn profile, acc April 2013
- ↑ James Wickett-Whyte, Curtis & Co website, acc 8 April 2013
- ↑ Harry Spencer, LinkedIn, acc 8 April 2013
- ↑ http://www.appc.org.uk/en/register/current-register.cfm/westbourne-communications, acc 8 April 2013
- ↑ About Westbourne, acc 8 April 2013
- ↑ Companies House, Webcheck, acc 8 April 2013
