THE CHARLOTTE STREET PARTNERS BOARD
MALCOLM ROBERTSON
founding partner
Malcolm Robertson is one of our two founding partners and a veteran of the UK communications sector.
He served his apprenticeship at Beattie Media, which, at the time, was Scotland’s largest PR agency. From there he moved to BAA, the airports operator, where he spent 12 lively years on the frontline of some of the most high-profile political, regulatory and operational crises of that era, advising the board and shareholders on reputation risk.
In 2011, Malcolm went it alone and spent two years managing a small strategic advisory business, representing clients in the banking and transport sectors and advising
international private equity and infrastructure funds on high-profile M&A. At Charlotte Street Partners, he advises clients on long-term reputation risk management and mitigation in challenging and changing circumstances.
Malcolm is chair of Unicef’s Scottish advisory board and a non-executive director of Frame PR. He is a volunteer coach at Hutchison Vale Football Club in Edinburgh, where he works with the club’s youngest age groups.
ANDREW WILSON
founding partner
Andrew has enjoyed a varied career to date as an economist, politician and now as a strategic adviser to businesses, charities and a variety of other organisations. He studied at the universities of St Andrews and Strathclyde and began his career in the civil service, before working as a researcher and economist for the SNP and as a business economist at the Royal Bank of Scotland.
He was elected as a member of the first Scottish Parliament in 1999, serving as shadow minister for, variously: finance, economy, transport and lifelong learning. In 2003, Andrew re-joined RBS, working in a number of roles including as deputy chief economist. During the banking crisis, he served as head of group communications and was intimately involved in the bank’s high-profile engagement with the City, UK government and the media during those tumultuous times. In 2012, he joined global marcomms group WPP in a client strategy role, before co-founding Charlotte Street Partners in 2014.
Andrew is a board member and trustee of the National Galleries of Scotland, The John Smith Centre for Public Service at the University of Glasgow, the Edinburgh International Culture Summit, Sistema Scotland, Motherwell Football Club and Frame PR. In March 2020 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In September 2016 he was appointed chair of the Sustainable Growth Commission, which reported to Scotland’s first minister in May 2018. He was also a member of the Independent Commission on Referendums, based at UCL’s Constitution Unit, reporting in July 2018. He is a regular contributor to both print and broadcast media on economics, business, and politics.
SIR ANGUS GROSSART
chairman
Sir Angus is chairman of Noble Grossart Limited, the Scottish merchant bank which he jointly founded in 1969. He has acted as financial or strategic adviser to many public and private companies and other bodies.
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Sir Angus has served as a director of nearly 20 listed public companies in the UK, the USA and Canada. He is a former vice chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group and a former chairman of the Scottish Investment Trust PLC and of Edinburgh Fund Managers PLC. He served as chairman of the National Museums of Scotland, the National Galleries of Scotland, the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, and as deputy chairman of National Heritage Memorial Fund. He is currently chairman of Lyon & Turnbull, Scotland International, The Burrell Renaissance and Edinburgh International Culture Summit.
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A Queen’s Counsel, Sir Angus graduated from the University of Glasgow with degrees in both Law and the Arts before becoming an advocate and serving at the bar until 1969. He is a Deputy Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh, was awarded a CBE in 1990 and then knighted 1997.
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In 2014, Sir Angus – a one-time scratch golfer – told The Sunday Times that he practises by hitting balls over the 16th century castle he has spent 25 years restoring in Fife. “It costs you in windows if you don’t get it right”, he said.
James joined Finsbury as a partner in 1996 and is currently Managing Partner of its London office. He has more than 25 years’ experience in financial communications and has handled a number of contested transactions, flotations and other high profile communications issues. He advises a range of major UK and international clients. James started his career as an investment banker at Dean Witter, where he qualified as a registered securities representative in both the UK and US. He has a degree in economics and politics.
JAMES MURGATROYD
non executive director
Roland Rudd is Founder and Chairman of Finsbury and Chairman of Open Britain. Before founding Finsbury, Roland was a financial journalist at the Financial Times, the Sunday Correspondent and the Times. He is a former policy coordinator for Lord Owen. He studied Philosophy and Theology at Oxford University, where he served as President of the Oxford Union. He is now a visiting Fellow at the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation and an Honorary Fellow at Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford. He is Trustee of the Royal Opera House, the Garden Bridge Trust and Speakers for Schools. He is Chairman of the Governors of Millfield school and Ambassador to the Made by Dyslexia campaign.
ROLD RUDD
non executive director
MT Rainey is a Non Executive Director of Hays PLC. She is also Vice Chair of Creative Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for the Creative Industries, Co-Chair of the Development Board for WW1 Centenary arts commissioning body, 14-18 Now, and a board member of Glasgow School of Art Development Trust and Clear Channel. She was recently a Non Executive Director of AIM-listed Pinewood Group until the board took it private at the end of 2015. In the past, she has served as a Deputy Chair of Channel 4 and as a Non Executive Director with WH Smith and with STV.
MT RAINEY
non executive director
CONSULTING PARTNERS
PAUL GRAY
consulting partner
An experienced public service CEO, Paul places a strong emphasis on ethical and compassionate leadership, transparency, and collaborative working. He is committed to public accountability, experienced in leading delivery and change in complex systems, and is comfortable with exposure to scrutiny in highly visible and politically contested sectors.
An honorary professor at the University of Glasgow College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Paul is also a senior faculty member at the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh), Quality Governance Collaborative, a member of the Care Inspectorate’s Board, a lay assistant to the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland, an adviser to Care Opinion, and a coach and mentor to a number of senior public sector executives.
From 2013 to 2019 he served as director general, health and social care, and chief executive of NHS Scotland. He was also director general, governance and communities from 2011 to 2013. Before that, Paul was the Scottish government’s director general, rural affairs, environment and services. During that period, he was the strategic board lead for civil contingencies and resilience and had overall responsibility for people and resourcing.
From 2007 to July 2009, Paul was the Scottish government’s director of change and corporate services, with responsibility for senior staff development and deployment; human resources; information systems and services; accommodation and estates services; corporate learning; employee engagement; and the Scottish government’s business improvement and change programmes. His professional specialisms are digital technology and project and programme management.
THE CHARLOTTE STREET PARTNERS TEAM
HARRIET MOLL
creative director
Harriet is passionate about supporting businesses to clearly articulate their purpose and values and face the many challenges of our times head on. As creative director, she leads brand and design work across our client base, as well as driving the direction of the Charlotte Street Partners brand and other creative assets. Harriet also leads our media training and values workshops.
In her career as a TV news producer, reporter and presenter, following a degree in law at King’s College London, Harriet delivered programming and interviews with business leaders, musicians, celebrities and politicians. She covered events from Davos to G8 summits, working across Europe for major international networks including Bloomberg, CNN, CNBC, StarAsia and PBS. Harriet lived in Italy for more than a decade, where she worked initially for MTV as producer for news and documentaries, and latterly as head of communications for a non-governmental organisation focusing on minority rights in the Western Balkans and Middle East.
In 2013, Harriet completed a masters in fundraising at the University of Bologna and took up a role in Scotland as head of major giving at housing charity Shelter, before joining Charlotte Street Partners in 2016.
She is a trustee of Street Soccer Scotland, Brink Literacy Project and the Glencruitten Cathedral of Trees SCIO, as well as a certified Iyengar yoga teacher and trainee meditation teacher.
LAURA HAMILTON
managing partner
Laura is our managing partner, with responsibility for recruiting talent, looking after our team, managing company and office administration, and ensuring exceptional client delivery.
​Laura’s career began in the financial services industry, where she worked in various public affairs roles at Scottish Widows and Lloyds Banking Group. During her time at Lloyds, she managed the bank’s public affairs activity in Scotland and worked on Scottish Widows’ thought leadership programme and the Bank of Scotland’s research campaigns. In 2013, Laura joined the TSB communications team to support the launch and IPO of the new bank, leading on political engagement at Westminster and Holyrood.
​Laura joined Charlotte Street Partners in January 2015. Her clients include UK and global businesses in the financial, transport, retail and food and drink sectors.
DAVID GAFFNEY
partner
David is skilled in crisis handling and reputation management, having joined Charlotte Street Partners in 2015 after seven years spent in the financial services sector.
​He joined RBS in 2007 on the eve of the banking sector’s most turbulent period and was part of the communications team tasked with rebuilding the bank's reputation following government bailouts in 2008 and 2009.
​In late 2013, David had become head of communications for the spin-off challenger bank, Williams & Glyn, taking responsibility for the fledgling bank's corporate affairs strategy before the proposed IPO and sale processes were ultimately shelved.
​During his time at RBS, David gained significant experience, most notably in media relations and financial reporting, but also in crisis management, sponsorship, and events. He handled external communications for several major M&A deals and corporate restructurings, and led media relations for the bank's non-core division, which disposed of more than £200bn in assets in five years.
​David began his career at Beattie Media in 2000, after graduating from the University of Stirling with a degree in psychology and film and media studies. He spent seven years at Beattie, working with major corporate and consumer brands, including a two-year secondment in the press office at the economic development agency, Scottish Enterprise.
KEVIN PRINGLE
partner
Since joining Charlotte Street Partners in 2015, Kevin has applied his deep knowledge and understanding of politics and government to help clients manage an increasingly complex public policy and political landscape, including crisis management and long-term reputation building.
Having worked in senior roles at the interface of politics and the media, Kevin is ideally placed to help organisations sharpen their communications in a variety of challenging situations, such as broadcast interviews and parliamentary committee appearances.
Kevin worked as a senior special adviser in the Scottish government from 2007 until 2012, and has a detailed understanding of the governance arrangements between Scotland and the rest of the UK, and how these influence policy delivery and impact.
He is a trustee of the Reform Scotland public policy institute and columnist with The Sunday Times Scotland.
IAIN GIBSON
associate partner
Iain joined Charlotte Street Partners in 2018 from leading global strategic communications consultancy Finsbury, with whom he had spent seven years in the firm’s Middle East and Africa offices, advising government and private sector clients across the region on their corporate communications, financial communications and public affairs strategies.
​He worked on behalf of government ministries, international corporations, sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms and regional companies in sectors including aerospace, financial technology, mining, infrastructure, semiconductors, insurance and healthcare.
​Prior to leaving Scotland for the Middle East in 2011, Iain spent six years working in the press and communications department for the Scottish Conservatives at Holyrood. Iain is a graduate of both St Andrews and Edinburgh universities.
TOM GILLINGHAM
associate partner
Tom joined Charlotte Street Partners in 2018. He was previously an associate director in the corporate reputation team at MHP Communications in London. His expertise lies in advising clients on media strategy, crisis response and long-term reputation management. He specialises in developing and delivering successful integrated corporate affairs and financial communications campaigns.
Tom has recently advised a number of international and domestic clients including oil majors, a challenger bank, several listed companies, UK government departments, and a range of leading technology and infrastructure companies.
SABINA KADIC-MACKENIZE
associate partner
A client once described Sabina as a rare breed who combines methodical process with exceptional creative thinking. We agree wholeheartedly with that assessment!
Sabina joined us from housing and homelessness charity Shelter Scotland in 2017 and has made an impact advising a wide range of clients on a wide range of issues, including external relations, employee and crisis communications, and sustainability.
Sabina’s real expertise is in media relations and the third sector, which sees her putting her journalism experience to good use, as well as her passion for equality and social justice. She feels equally at home delivering corporate communications counsel to our clients including Diageo, Edinburgh Airport, Wireless Infrastructure Group and Bacardi, and was named by PR Week as one of the future leaders of the industry. Most recently, her work has included providing crisis and contingency planning support to our clients during the coronavirus pandemic, advising on, among other issues, strategy development and implementation, employee engagement, and wellbeing.
Sabina is on the board of trustees for Fresh Start, a charity that helps people with experience of homelessness resettle into permanent accommodation. She also provides strategic communications counsel to children and young people’s charities, including Unicef UK, the Children’s Parliament and the Scottish Youth Parliament.
​Sabina was born and raised in Bosnia and has put her language skills to good use by translating children’s books from Bosnian to English, most notably a book for war children with experience of complex trauma.
SCOTT REID
associate partner
Scott stays true to his keen sense of curiosity, cultivated during his time as a PhD candidate at the universities of St Andrews and Edinburgh.
Having joined us as a researcher in 2017, we were quick to hire Scott on a permanent basis for his professionalism, sector know-how and his deep sense of empathy in everything he does. He’s most at home when supporting clients in corporate affairs narrative and strategy development, alongside providing forward-thinking macro-economic and political intelligence.
Scott continues to play an integral part in helping Charlotte Street Partners to develop our culture and purpose, most recently transforming the Charlotte Street Partners ‘Academy’ and ‘Accelerator’ offerings from concept into reality.
ADAM SHAW
associate partner
Adam joined Charlotte Street Partners in 2016 after three years in London with a specialist financial services communications consultancy.
He works across a number of our busiest client accounts – with a particular focus on the financial and wider professional services sectors – advising on and implementing corporate communication strategies and media and stakeholder engagement.
Since joining Charlotte Street Partners, Adam has worked on several notable projects, including the launch of Carrick Therapeutics, supporting Murray Estates with its communications surrounding major housing and commercial developments, and working with financial advice network Openwork as the company went through a period of significant change.
In 2019, Adam spent six months seconded to Tesco Bank as interim head of media and public affairs.
KATIE STANTON
associate partner
If anything at all is clear from amidst the dusty fog of crisis yet to settle, it is that we are now party to more problems than before. How should businesses rebuild, and do so better? How can leaders protect their people, the planet, and their bottom line?
These are big fat questions to navigate together and much of our content output during this crisis has aimed to tackle them. Katie has been front and centre of that effort, putting her excellent writing and editing skills to great use in curating our vast expertise in concise, crisp prose prime for consumption.
A graduate of the University of Edinburgh, Katie later escaped to London where she remains, helping the team craft our external output while working with clients across a rich range of sectors. From advertising to health technology, energy to fintech, Katie’s roster is exciting and varied. Having joined us as a researcher in 2018, she has quickly progressed to tackle everything from financial communications and public affairs, to sustainability and media relations.
Katie relishes the hard questions and is particularly drawn to cultural and social trends, structural inequalities, international relations, and the global green economy. She also loves to read and was the driving force behind Charlotte Street Partners’ lockdown book club Zoom meetings.
JAVIER MAQUIEIRA
senior associate
Javier joined Charlotte Street Partners as a researcher while he was finishing his MSc in international relations at the University of Edinburgh. He previously worked in his native Spain as an account executive with Ogilvy, providing corporate communications counsel to key players in the tech, pharmaceutical, and food and drink industries.
At Charlotte Street Partners, Javier advises clients on their community engagement, sustainability and public affairs strategies with a focus on research, diversity and inclusion. He brings a global and interdisciplinary background to bear on his work, having recently assisted one of the leading social healthcare groups in Spain in its handling of the coronavirus crisis.
Javier combines his senior associate responsibilities with his role as a design coordinator across our business, managing the look and feel of our own content as well as our clients’, and integrating new format ideas as part of our creative team.
A former ballet student in Monaco and New York, Javier is most passionate about international relations, gender equality, and world history.
India has a flair for all things design and creative. She is responsible for creating original artwork and graphic media, both internally and for our clients. This includes designing and constructing websites, social media visuals, infographics, digital art drawings and paintings, animation, motion graphics, video editing, photography, typography and printed collateral. You name it, India can make your vision come to life.
INDIA MALKANI
design associate
With great attention to detail and a background in customer service, Diana provides the administrative platform that supports our team in delivering excellence for our clients.
An enthusiastic and reliable member of the team, Diana handles all sorts of tasks – from taking care of the office and welcoming guests, to diary management and assisting partners with client meetings.
Basically, we’d be lost without her.
DIANA MEACOCK
personal assistant
LI-ANN CHIN
researcher
Li-Ann joined Charlotte Street Partners as a researcher in 2020, as she was completing her masters in public relations at University Arts London. Raised in Kuala Lumpur, she moved to London in 2015 to study for a bachelor’s degree in philosophy at UCL.
Shortly after graduating, Li-Ann gained a year of industry experience in her native Malaysia, working as an account executive at Zeno with the likes of Pizza Hut and FOX Group Asia. She has also completed internships with a digital agency and a private equity firm.
Earlier this year, Li-Ann volunteered for a Malaysian non-profit health advocacy organisation in supporting the national government’s Covid-19 messaging strategy.
Whatever the matter at hand, Ralitsa is always eager to find a creative solution.
Having followed her literary interests from Bulgaria to London, where she completed a degree in comparative literature at UCL, Ralitsa now works to support our client teams with meticulous research and creative insight.
While an exchange student in Austria, Ralitsa had the chance to meet and write about the latest players in the Viennese theatre scene and to gain first-hand experience in strategic partnership in the creative industry. She is passionate about topics ranging from structural and social inequality to sustainability.
RALITSA BOBCHEVA
researcher