Elizabeth WisbeyAssociate Consultant
Elizabeth joined Sanctuary Counsel in 2023. She graduated from Durham University with a degree in Politics, where she specialised in international governmental relations. At Sanctuary Counsel, she has conducted in-depth research into international government strategy and participated in key stakeholder engagement for high profile clients.
Maeve HarteDirector
Maeve is a corporate and personal reputation practitioner providing counsel to CEOs, brands and prominent individuals. Her experience spans crisis and litigation, stakeholder engagement, partnership strategy, narrative development and business restructuring across the US, Europe and Asia. Maeve has worked for global agencies FleishmanHillard and Ogilvy and led brand communications at McLaren.
Alison GriffithsHR & Office Manager
Much of Alison’s career has been working in Strategic and Financial Communications consultancies. She joined Sanctuary Counsel in 2021 bringing over twenty years of solid administrative and management support across a variety of roles.
Amber WakeleyPA/Office Assistant
Amber joined Sanctuary in 2022 with a Professional Business Diploma from Oxford Media and Business School. In addition to ensuring the office runs efficiently day-to-day, she provides admin support across the team and plays a key role in our Events Programming team.
Benjamin AbbottConsultant
Benjamin joined Sanctuary Counsel in 2022 as an associate consultant. At Sanctuary Counsel he has participated in international government and media stakeholder engagement strategies for high profile clients. Ben has in-depth knowledge of national and international government systems following a degree in Politics and International Relations from the LSE.
Ben UllmannChief Executive
Ben advises individuals and corporate clients and manages the day-to-day business of Sanctuary Counsel. He was previously a Managing Director at Teneo, the CEO advisory firm, and before that Director of Communications & Public Affairs for the late Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks. He sits on the board of Smart Thinking.
Richard KanareckPartner
Richard has spent over twenty-five years working for and advising leaders, brands, businesses and organisations through growth, transformation and turnaround.
He specialises in strategy, reputation management & campaigning, corporate and public affairs, employee engagement and change management, getting to the heart of the opportunity or problem and how communications can deliver meaningful outcomes.
David McDonough OBEChairman
David has been advising on strategic communications at the highest levels for over 40 years. He has advised businesses, business leaders, professional firms, foreign governments, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Heads of State and major charities. In addition to his professional commitments, he is personally very active in the charity world.
George Fitzherbert-BrockholesDirector
George has worked in communications for 8 years, based in both London and the UAE, across sectors including Defence, Energy, Industry, Insurance and Telecoms. His work spans government affairs and political risk advisory, corporate and financial communications, stakeholder engagement, crisis management, media relations, narrative construction, and organisational design.
Helen MyerPartner
Helen has delivered complex programmes, partnerships and operations in 10 Downing Street, Mansion House and Buckingham Palace, including extensive programmes of domestic and overseas events & visits, the UK Government presence at multilateral global summits, and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018 hosted by HM The Queen.
Jonathan McCloryPartner
Jonathan is a globally recognised expert on soft power, public diplomacy, foreign policy and place branding. He advises government and non-government clients on matters of reputation, policy, campaigning, and effective global engagement. Prior to joining Sanctuary Counsel, he was based in Singapore as General Manager for Asia at Portland. Jonathan began his career in the Westminster think tank world and is the creator of The Soft Power 30, a global ranking of country reputation.
Katie O'BrienConsultant
Katie works across a wide range of sectors and is a key member of our growing work in the life sciences. She leads on media engagement for several clients and has advised on communications strategies, narrative development, high-level stakeholder and political engagement, and events programmes and delivery.
Kitty RyderConsultant
Kitty works across a broad range of our UK and international clients to advise on their communications and reputation management. Kitty is an experienced media handler, acting as the press office for a number of clients, and has experience in financial communications, narrative development, political engagement and issues management work.
Olivia HarveyDirector
Olivia has provided reputation advice and strategic communications support to governments and philanthropic organisations spanning Europe, Central and South-East Asia, and the Middle East. Olivia also has experience in the academic sector, having helped set up a programme at a leading geopolitical think tank in Washington, DC.
Rachel MillerDirector
Rachel is an experienced reputation management practitioner with a background in financial and corporate communications. Rachel creates and delivers communications strategies for corporates, individuals and non-profit organisations and has extensive media relations, crisis management, financial calendar, M&A and narrative development experience. Rachel previously worked at global CEO advisory firm, Teneo.
Robert MorganPartner
Robert is a highly experienced communications adviser having worked in leading corporates and consultancies. He has particular expertise and experience advising businesses and their leaders manage high stakes reputational challenges and opportunities including M&A, crises and capital markets communications. He joined from Teneo where he was a Managing Director.
Sami Azam-AliConsultant
Sami studied Economics and International Relations at the University of St Andrews, graduating in 2021. Prior to joining Sanctuary Counsel, Sami was an international researcher to the CEO of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and has also led on special projects for a Malaysia-based Islamic FinTech.
Anna WatkinsSenior Consultant
Throughout Anna's career she has designed programmes and events to advance leaders' and organisations' reputations in their field. Anna has previously worked on global mental health campaigns and advocacy programmes; and supported private sector clients to develop their voice and thought leadership in Global Mental Health, and intersecting topics.
Sir David Green CB KCSenior Adviser
Sir David is a partner at the law firm, Cohen & Gresser. Over a long legal career, he has served as a criminal barrister, Director of Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office, and Director of the UK Serious Fraud Office. He was appointed a Recorder of the Crown Court and Queen’s Counsel in 2000. Sir David is also Chair of the Trustees of the Fraud Advisory Panel, a Visiting Professor at King’s College London’s International School for Government, and a Distinguished Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.
Susan WaltonSenior Adviser
Susan is a senior finance and media executive with over 25 years of experience running the global institutional investment research franchises of top tier investment banks in London, New York and Hong Kong. She is an investor and entrepreneur, founding a number of start-ups in the technology and digital media space including Unherd Insight and serves as a board member and senior advisor to leading think-thanks, universities, cultural institutes, social enterprises and charities.
Sir Stephen LamportSenior Adviser
Sir Stephen is a senior career diplomat and public servant, having served on diplomatic missions and as private secretary in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. He was Private Secretary for ten years to the then Prince of Wales, and subsequently Group Director for Public Policy and Government Affairs for the Royal Bank of Scotland. In March 2023, he was appointed an Extra Equerry to King Charles III.
Professor Simon HefferSenior Adviser
Simon is a leading journalist, author and historian. He has a regular column in the Daily Telegraph and also writes for Perspective magazine and the Spectator. A former Deputy Editor of the Daily Telegraph and the Spectator, he is a Professor of Modern British History at the University of Buckingham.
Lord Cooper of WindrushSenior Adviser
Lord Cooper is a leading pollster, businessman and political strategist. He has an extensive career in politics including as Director of Strategy for the Prime Minister 2011-2013 and a business career as co-founder of the research and strategy consultancy Populus. He was made a life peer in 2014.
General Lord DannattSenior Adviser
General Lord Dannatt was a soldier for forty years concluding his military career as Chief of the General Staff. Currently he is President of the National Emergencies Trust and Chairman of the Normandy Memorial Trust. Previous roles include being Constable of the Tower of London and Chairman of the Royal Armouries. In 2011 he became an independent life peer and is a member of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy.
Sian HansenSenior Adviser
Sian holds a diverse portfolio of non-executive, advisory and trustee positions including the Almeida Theatre, Cerno Capital, Compton Consultants and Onward, a dynamic not-for-profit think tank. She was previously COO at CT Group, Executive Director of the Legatum Institute and Managing Director of Policy Exchange through its transformation into the UK’s most successful think tank.
Jacob RixDirector
Jacob has spent over a decade in strategic communications, working across corporate strategy, political affairs, and data insights. His career has focused on crisis communications and reputation management, and he has also led press offices on high-profile political campaigns both in the UK and abroad. His experience includes working at the heart of government on sensitive national security matters, further honing his expertise in managing complex communications challenges.
Alice PickthornSenior Consultant
Alice is an experienced communications professional with a diverse background in the tech, science, financial services, creative and luxury industries. Her experience spans busy press office management, narrative development as well as writing and developing strategic communication plan for corporate clients.
Jason Clerico-PharaohAssociate Consultant
Prior to joining Sanctuary, Jason worked in strategic communications consulting for international development projects. He specialised in soft power and public diplomacy following a master’s degree in Strategic Communications from King’s College London (KCL). Jason also holds an MA in Arts and Cultural Management from KCL having focused on performing arts organisations and cultural policy.
Eleanor Jordan PA/Admin Assistant
Eleanor joined in 2024 with a background in legal administration, previously supporting solicitors for a major medical indemnifier. She now provides PA and administrative support for Sanctuary Counsel, bringing her strong organisational skills to the office.
Flora McCaulSenior Consultant
Flora is an experienced corporate communications professional who has worked across sectors including financial and professional services, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and the charity sector. Her skills include delivering integrated communications campaigns, messaging and narrative development, press office coordination, crisis support, community engagement, and events.
Yves BowonnaowaruxAssociate Consultant
Yves is a strategic communications professional with a diverse background in charity sector consulting, think tank research, and government advisory. Having worked across several regions, Yves is especially focused on providing clients with communications solutions that reflect the cultural and geopolitical contexts within which they operate. Prior to joining Sanctuary Counsel, Yves worked as an APAC foreign affairs researcher at a Southeast Asia-based think tank.
Sally RushtonDirector
Sally is an experienced government affairs adviser, providing counsel to Cabinet Ministers, CEOs and corporates. She served as a special adviser in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Ministry of Justice, and the Cabinet Office, having previously worked with public affairs and corporate communications clients in the technology, pharmaceutical and financial sectors at a CEO advisory firm. Sally began her career in Westminster as a parliamentary researcher to George Osborne.
Our People
Our highly experienced and motivated team is drawn from a broad range of advisory backgrounds and capabilities including communications firms, corporates, think tanks, Governments and charities. We have a singular focus on delivering value for clients and construct teams with the right blend of skills to meet the client’s needs.
We are always on the look-out for outstanding talent, if you would like to learn more about joining our team please get in touch careers@sanctuarycounsel.com
George Fitzherbert-Brockholes
Director
Flora McCaul
Senior Consultant
Alice Pickthorn
Senior Consultant
Anna Watkins
Senior Consultant
Yves Bowonnaowarux
Associate Consultant
Jason Clerico-Pharaoh
Associate Consultant
Elizabeth Wisbey
Associate Consultant
Alison Griffiths
HR & Office Manager
Eleanor Jordan
PA/Admin Assistant
Amber Wakeley
PA/Office Assistant
Lord Cooper of Windrush
Senior Adviser
General Lord Dannatt
Senior Adviser
Sir David Green KC
Senior Adviser
Professor Simon Heffer
Senior Adviser
