Arden Strategies

About Us

Arden Strategies is an internationally renowned advisory and communications firm. Headquartered in London, our team of truly outstanding individuals have a record of achievement in business, government and strategic communications.

At the heart of our team is our founder, former UK Cabinet Minister, the Rt Hon. Jim Murphy. For more than two decades, Jim has successfully led exceptional professionals from across the public and private sector on policy development, messaging strategy, international elections, and high-profile public persuasion campaigns.

Arden Strategies is uniquely placed to provide advice and insights to leaders and organisations on the political and policy landscape across all four nations of the UK. We have offices in London and Edinburgh, and senior staff based in Scotland, Wales and across England.

Read more about our services here

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Our team

Adam Scott
Account Director
Adam heads Arden's expanding energy practice, while also playing a key role in shaping our global services offering. With eight years of experience in Westminster, he gained extensive knowledge in briefing and advising Labour Shadow Secretaries of State on a broad spectrum of domestic policy areas, including transport, housing, and energy. His expertise and strategic insights were instrumental in influencing the development of two Labour general election manifestos, showcasing his ability to shape policy at the highest levels.
Ailsa Williams
Managing Director Client Strategy
Ailsa is a seasoned government relations and corporate affairs adviser, with almost 20 years’ industry experience. Ailsa has significant experience advising clients in highly regulated sectors and navigating high-stakes political challenges, and expertise in government relations, reputation management and political campaigns
Alec James
Account Director
Alec has worked with and for some of the most senior figures in the Labour Party including the then Deputy Leader, Tom Watson. He also worked at the heart of Labour’s HQ in the General Secretary’s office giving him a ring-side seat on all major developments in Labour politics in recent years.
Alec has policy expertise in energy, finance and technology policy.
Charlotte Weir
Account Manager
Charlotte is a former Chief of Staff for a Liberal Democrat MP, having spent over four years in Parliament working her way up from an intern position. Charlotte has worked across a broad range of policy areas with particular emphasis on immigration and education issues. Charlotte has a background in executing single-issue campaigns and has a keen interest in international affairs, education, and migration policy.
Clare Monaghan
Executive Assistant
Clare spent 5 years working for the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office in the United Arab Emirates as the British Ambassador’s Executive Assistant and Events Coordinator. After moving back to Scotland in 2017, Clare ran a small business until she joined the Arden Strategies team in 2020. Clare has over 20 years' experience in customer facing roles and brings her skills as an exceptionally organised and reliable individual to Arden.
Davide Sands
Account Manager
Davide has experience advising senior Labour politicians at Shadow Cabinet and Select Committee level. He has unique insight into Labour’s political processes and since Keir Starmer became Labour leader, he has advised a Shadow Cabinet Member across two portfolios which placed him at the heart of current Labour policy development, campaigns, and media management. His policy expertise and interests include transport, food security, foreign affairs, and environment.
Ellie Miller
Managing Director External Affairs
Ellie has more than 15 years’ experience working in senior roles with Labour. Since Keir Starmer became Leader, she, more than any other senior staffer, has led the party’s engagement with corporate Britain. As Head of Labour’s Business Relations team, Ellie has helped Keir Starmer rebuild connections with business. She has also worked as an advisor to a Labour Minister as well as the Deputy Speaker of the Commons. Ellie joined Arden from Make UK (one of the ‘Big 5’ business groups) where she was Head of Stakeholder Engagement.
Emma Perry
Account Executive
Emma is an experienced communications and research professional, working in the New Zealand Prime Minister's Office for two years. She has been involved in Labour election campaigns in both New Zealand and the UK, and has experience in digital media. Emma is also a former journalist and has a Masters' degree in International Relations.
Ewan Pilley
Operations Executive
Ewan joined Arden from Labour’s External Relations team, in which he undertook stakeholder engagement, administration and events management across business relations and equalities. Before this, Ewan worked in local government and holds a BA in Geography from the University of East Anglia.
George McGregor
Associate Director
George was a Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Scotland in the last Labour Government and is a former member of the Labour Party National Policy Forum. He worked for almost two decades in public affairs providing senior counsel to many of the country's leading companies, delivering government relations strategies and campaigns to help them achieve their objectives. George's work has won him an array of awards including Best Public Affairs Campaign of the Year.
Hayden Munro
Senior Strategist
Hayden Munro is an experienced campaign and corporate affairs strategist. He has run multiple national elections and was campaign director for New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern's landslide victory in 2020. Hayden has worked as a senior advisor to Labour on energy, housing, climate and innovation policy. He has advised PMs, Cabinet Ministers and the leaders of some of the world's largest companies on strategy and messaging. Hayden brings a clear understanding of the intersection of politics, media, government and business.
Jazlyn Lehal
Accounts and Events Executive
Jazlyn recently obtained a MSc from the London School of Economics in History of International Relations and her bachelor's degree in Politics from the University of Leicester. Jazlyn’s academic career has solidified her enthusiasm for UK politics and global issues and she currently assists in aiding relations with business leaders.
Rt Hon. Jim Murphy
CEO and Founder
Jim is one of the UK’s most experienced government Ministers. He was a Labour MP for almost two decades and has held multiple ministerial portfolios including as a cabinet minister. He was leader of the Scottish Labour Party and Secretary of State for Scotland. Jim was a senior member of Labour’s election winning teams. Jim is also a member of His Majesty’s Privy Council.
John Arnold
Associate Director
John has over 20 years experience in public affairs and has provided support to over 80 international blue chip companies, trade bodies, interest groups and local authorities including UKPowerNetworks, EE, VM02, Betfred, VirginAtlantic, the Housebuilders Federation, IBM, INEOS, and the UK Fashion Industry. John was the political advisor to the Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, before joining the Local Government International Bureau where he was head of the international section. He is currently a Trustee of the Manchester United Foundation.
Katarina Stawska-Hughes
Head of External Affairs
Kat has over ten years of expertise in political and business engagement, executing a number of high profile advocacy projects and providing counsel to clients in the financial services and tech sectors. Prior to this, Katarina worked at the Labour Party, building the Party’s network of business supporters and pioneering engagement with BAME business leaders and endorsers. Before starting her career in politics, Katarina was a small business owner. She graduated in Law with Business at the University of Portsmouth.
Kate Conway
Managing Director Strategic Communications
Kate spent twenty years as a producer in BBC, ITN and Times Radio newsrooms, as well as working as a political consultant to some of our most loved TV programmes. Kate's experience includes working as Jon Snow's producer at Channel 4 News, Danny Finkelstein and Michael Portillo's programme editor at Times Radio and as a script consultant to Armando Iannucci's award winning satire, The Thick Of It.
Kaylin Raine
Research Officer
Kaylin holds a BSc in Law from the University of Durham and studied Politics at Luiss Guido Carli for her Year Abroad in Rome where she focused on international conflict and peacebuilding. She has experience as a researcher, being recently credited in a published book on the topic of biomedicine. As part of Arden’s research team, Kaylin’s main interests are in defence, health, and technology.
Rt Hon. Ken Macintosh
Associate Director
Ken is the former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament and has a wealth of experience in challenging and high-profile roles across media, communications, current affairs and politics. Ken spent 13 years at the BBC, both in London and Scotland, and spent the subsequent two decades as a Member of the Scottish Parliament. Ken now brings his proven judgement and creative, persuasive, and communicative skills to his work domestically and internationally on good governance programmes and his Non-Executive Director positions.
Kieran Simpson
Associate Director
Kieran worked for Labour’s economic team under Gordon Brown, and has served as a Special Adviser in three government departments. He has extensive knowledge of Whitehall’s interactions with business and trade bodies. Kieran has built a career as a leading communications and strategic adviser helping clients build their corporate reputations. His knowledge extends across a range of sectors including the food & drink, agriculture, energy and health.
Lorraine O'Shea
Senior Account Manager
Lorraine has advised some of the most senior figures in the Conservative Party, including Dame Cheryl Gillan, Andrew Mitchell and James Heappey. Lorraine is responsible for heading up Arden’s campaign and coalition work to influence policy across a range of areas. This work has included leading a project on skills policy for both the Conservative and Labour parties. She is expert at building consensus and coalitions by bringing together the interests of industry experts, trade associations and trade unions to develop policy solution and engage with politicians.
Marie Birchall
Account Director
Marie has a decade of experience in senior roles at the Labour Party, working as a political advisor for Ministers and Shadow Ministers, including Yvette Cooper. Marie has worked across a broad range of policy areas in both Westminster and Holyrood. As Head of Policy for Scottish Labour, she steered the Party’s policy-making process. She also has experience in education research and working for INGOs and her particular policy expertise includes equality, education, justice and international development.
Marie Powell
Finance Manager
Marie joins Arden with 20 years of experience in management, finance and operations. With training in law, accounts and business, Marie has worked in and consulted for a wide variety of organisations and gained a wealth of experience. Marie specialises in systemisation and analytics, using her skills to support companies in building strong teams, departments and businesses.
Mateo Lazarus-Sanz
Account Manager
Mateo has vast experience in the fields of housing, energy and post & telecoms. Throughout his four years in Citizens Advice's public affairs team, Mateo worked alongside government on the cost-of-living crisis - securing lifeline support for millions of households across the UK. Mateo also worked directly on key legislation, specifically the Renters Reform Bill, while engaging with regulators on the future of Royal Mail's service.
Owen Ballantine
Account Manager
Owen has joined Arden from a global strategic communications agency where he gained experience of working on high-profile government engagement strategies across a number of sectors. Owen's background is in financial services, business and trade, taxation, and sustainability policy. He previously worked in Washington DC and for a UK Member of Parliament.
Patrick Marsh
Research Officer
Patrick has completed both BA and MA degrees in Politics and International Relations, and he has been involved with Labour Party politics for the past 4 years. Before starting at Arden, he worked within the field of responsible business, as well as with local authorities on single issue campaigns. His main interests include international affairs, environmental policy, and artificial intelligence.
Phoebe Warneford-Thomson
Account Manager
Phoebe has a wealth of experience from the fields of transport, trade and infrastructure. Phoebe was responsible for managing strategic communications for the Port of Dover as they navigated the post-Brexit years and re-shaped perceptions of the Port amongst key stakeholder groups. Previously working for the British Ports Association, she led on policy matters relating to Scottish ports, economic zoning, transport and digitalisation.
Ryan Denning
Senior Account Manager
Ryan is a former Conservative advisor with six years’ experience working in the House of Commons for Conservative MPs and Ministers. He has also been involved on the frontline of both the 2017 and 2019 General Election campaigns, giving him unique insight into the workings of Conservative Campaign HQ. Ryan has led campaigns to influence policy in a range of areas including transport, the environment, and aerospace. His main policy interests are housing, defence, and foreign affairs.
Shelley McNicol
Chief Operating Officer
Shelley is a senior strategic communications professional and trusted advisor with substantial international experience acquired working across five continents. She has provided strategic communications advice to several large and high-profile corporates and was previously the Strategic Communications Director for an international membership organisation. Across her career, Shelley has worked in multiple sectors including health, energy, indemnity, insurance, professional services, FMCG and music.
Tefsi Golla
International Account Executive
Tefsi is an experienced researcher with expertise in a diverse range of policy areas in international development in the Global South. Tefsi holds an MSc in Africa and International Development from the University of Edinburgh. She has co-authored multiple scholarly publications and has co-edited the upcoming Routledge Handbook on Natural Resources in Africa. As part of Arden’s International research team, Tefsi works to engage with election candidates across South America and Asia.
Tessa Rowan
Executive Assistant
Tessa has worked in public affairs, strategic comms and financial PR for the last 6 years and has over 20 years experience working in communications.
She has a wealth of experience in supporting CEO’s and clients alike.
Toni Sword
Director of Digital
Toni has a wealth of experience in digital campaigning and communications. She previously led the Labour Party’s digital and social media activity in Scotland, and has brought her knowledge and understanding to successful political campaigns around the world. Toni has worked with senior political figures, including former PM Gordon Brown, and many high-profile companies, delivering innovative and creative campaigns to help them achieve their objectives.

enquiries

For press enquiries please contact [email protected].

For all other enquiries please call or fill out the following form, and we will be in touch shortly.

By providing your information, you are agreeing that we can use it to contact you. For more information please see our privacy policy.

Contact ARDEN

For press enquiries please contact [email protected]. For all other enquiries please fill out the form below, and we will be in touch shortly.

By providing your information, you are agreeing that we can use it to contact you. For more information please see our privacy policy.

book an event

All of the events listed below will take place in our lounge on Level 2 of the ECL (next to the entrance to the link bridge) unless stated otherwise in the event description. 

Please note that as our lounge is inside the secure zone and you need a conference pass to attend these events. 

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book a table

We have a limited number of two and four person tables available to reserve in our lounge. Our conference lounge is the most prestigious lounge at Labour Party Conference venue, and is the ideal space for your informal meetings.

If you would like to reserve a table in our lounge, please use the booking form below.

Please note that due to high demand for this space, bookings are limited to one table per person per day. If you would like to make additional reservations please contact your account manager or email [email protected]

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By providing your information, you are agreeing that we can use it to contact you. For more information please see our privacy policy.

book a table

We have a limited number of two and four person tables available to reserve in our lounge. Our conference lounge is the most prestigious lounge at Labour Party Conference venue, and is the ideal space for your informal meetings.

Please note that due to high demand for this space, bookings are limited to one table per person per day. If you would like to make additional reservations please contact your account manager or email [email protected]

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By providing your information, you are agreeing that we can use it to contact you. For more information please see our privacy policy.