Elizabeth WisbeyConsultant
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 GriffithsPeople & Operations 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 Manager
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.
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.
George Fitzherbert-BrockholesPartner
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 McCloryManaging Partner
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'BrienSenior Consultant
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.
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 MorganManaging Partner
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-AliSenior Consultant
Sami works with a range of financial services and government clients, advising on media relations, narrative and messaging, and programmatic engagement. He provides strategic media counsel to clients across a range of industries and also supports work on a series of public diplomacy programmes. Sami began his career as an international researcher to the Chief Executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
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.
Ben Andersen-TuffnellPartner
Ben has over two decades' experience of working across a diverse range of organisations and sectors providing extensive strategic communications and reputation management advice. Ben joined from Tesco, where he was UK Corporate Affairs Director. Prior to that he established the public affairs and policy capability in a financial communications agency and was the Director of Government Affairs at the British Bankers' Association.
Jos Burnett Partner
Jos is a lawyer and strategic communications adviser specialising in high-stakes disputes, crisis management and special situations. Previously at a leading international law firm, he advised high-profile individuals, corporates and family offices on complex litigation, reputation, and privacy matters. He began his career in communications before moving into legal practice at top-tier international firms based in London and Hong Kong.
Millie van MoppesOffice Assistant
Millie joined Sanctuary Counsel in 2025 after graduating from Oxford Media and Business School with a Professional Business Diploma. As a vital member of our Operations Team, she helps ensure the smooth daily running of the office and provides wide-ranging support across the business.
Sian HansenChairman
Sian holds a diverse portfolio of non-executive, advisory and trustee positions including as director of Worldwide Healthcare Trust, the Almeida Theatre, Chalke History Festival, Cerno Capital, and Compton Consultants. She was previously COO at CT Group, Executive Director of the Legatum Institute and Managing Director of Policy Exchange. Earlier in her career, she was an equity analyst and co-head of Far East sales at Societe Generale in London.
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.
Flora McCaulAssociate Director
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.
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.
Mark SmithNon-Executive Director
Mark is a non-executive director, chartered accountant (FCA) and experienced Board Director with a career spanning finance, marketing, and corporate strategy. He co-founded Chime Communications plc, leading its expansion and £375m private equity sale. In addition to his executive accomplishments, Mark serves as the non-executive Chairman of Holiday Extras, Merit Group plc, TPXimpact Holdings plc, Cognito Group and Thinks Insight and Strategy.
Amb Ford Hart (Ret)Senior Adviser, Singapore
Over a 33-year career as a U.S. diplomat, Ford was the NSC China Director at the White House; U.S. Consul General to Hong Kong; Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks; and Foreign Policy Advisor to the Chief of Naval Operations. He served abroad in China, the USSR, Taiwan, and Iraq. Ford consults on the Indo-Pacific and Chinese governance.
James CrosslandAssociate Consultant
Originally from Canada, James holds a BA (Hons) from McGill University in Political Science and Economics and a MA in Intelligence & International Security from the Department of War Studies at King's College London. Prior to joining Sanctuary, James has worked at a global mining company, a large Canadian bank and global communications consultancy.
Yasmine FowlerAssociate Consultant
Yasmine joins us upon completing a degree in Politics and Spanish from the University of Bristol and following and a corporate communications internship. Proficient in Spanish, Yasmine broadened her global perspective working with an international events team on her year abroad in Mexico.
Beatrice TimpsonDirector
Beatrice served as Deputy Press Secretary to two Prime Ministers in No.10 Downing Street during a tumultuous period for the government. She was previously a special adviser in several government departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care during the covid pandemic. She began her career in the private sector, providing strategic advice on media relations, crisis management and public affairs to corporations, high-net-worth individuals and politicians in two communications agencies.
Our People
Robert ThirlwellConsultant
Rob has worked on public affairs and strategic communications across the tech and AI, built environment and transport sectors. He has experience of project delivery for a communications and political engagement strategy for a leading global tech company and a communications campaign working closely with members of the cabinet and their parliamentary teams.
Hannah ButlerConsultant
Hannah holds an MA in Global History from the University of Sheffield where she graduated in 2022. Since then, Hannah has gained experience advising private and listed clients on corporate and financial communications strategies including media engagement, corporate narrative development, issues management and the delivery of financial results.
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
Open Positions:
Jonathan McClory
Managing Partner
Robert Morgan
Managing Partner
George Fitzherbert-Brockholes
Partner
Flora McCaul
Associate Director
Sami Azam-Ali
Senior Consultant
Katie O’Brien
Senior Consultant
Alice Pickthorn
Senior Consultant
James Crossland
Associate Consultant
Yasmine Fowler
Associate Consultant
Alison Griffiths
People & Operations Manager
Millie van Moppes
Office Assistant
Amber Wakeley
PA & Office Manager
