Our People

Michael Murphy

CEO
michael.murphy@grayling.com

Michael Murphy is CEO of Grayling. Prior to this role Michael was CEO of Trimedia International which merged with Mmd and Grayling to create the Grayling of today. Under his leadership, Trimedia was named Best European Agency at the European Excellence Awards 2008 and Best Multicountry Agency to Work For 2008 by the Holmes World Report.

With a career spanning over 30 years, Michael has considerable experience in handling global communications programmes in most parts of the world.

In 1993, Michael Murphy was appointed Head of Shandwick’s Hong Kong Office and, the following year, took over as Chief Executive of Shandwick’s Asian operations. He was later appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Shandwick Europe and then Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Shandwick International, with responsibility for Europe and Asia Pacific.

Michael was working for The Hatch Group, a small €6M UK PR company, when it was acquired by Huntsworth plc in 2003. The following year he led Huntsworth’s acquisition of Trimedia, kick-starting the fastest ever growth story in European PR.

Michael also chaired a joint study between the UK Government and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) into the future of the UK PR sector.

James Acheson-Gray

Managing Director, International
james.achesongray@grayling.com

James is Managing Director - International. He joined Grayling in London 15 years ago. He then moved to Asia to establish Grayling’s Asian businesses. James returned to London in 2008 as Managing Director of the UK PR business before taking on the new role as Managing Director – International.

A consumer, corporate and issues management Public Relations specialist, James has handled a wide range of remits and pan-regional activity on behalf of many of the group’s largest clients including TNT, British Airways, Johnnie Walker and Rolls-Royce.

James has an honours degree from Durham University. He is married with four children and enjoys playing tennis and golf.

Alfred Autischer

Managing Director, Western Europe
alfred.autischer@grayling.com

Alfred is Managing Director Western Europe with responsibility for Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. He is a specialist in litigation and dispute Public Relations, corporate communications and Public Affairs.

Alfred started his career in Salzburg where he co-founded the ikp-Institute for Communications in 1986 and expanded to Vienna in 1993. In 2005 he became CEO of Grayling Austria and then Deputy CEO of Grayling Europe in 2008.

Alfred´s education includes a doctorate from the University of Salzburg in communications science and he now lectures at the Universities of Vienna, Salzburg and Krems.

Alfred is currently President of the “PR Kreis Heidelberg/ Krems” (Circle of PR Professionals Heidelberg/ Krems).

Alfred lives in Vienna and is married with two children.

Chris Dobson

Managing Director, Central and Eastern Europe, South Eastern Europe & Eurasia
chris.dobson@grayling.com

Chris is responsible for Grayling’s operations in Central and Eastern Europe, South Eastern Europe and Eurasia.

Chris entered the world of Public Relations in the early 1990s, spending his formative career in the London consultancy world. There, he worked across a varied UK and pan-European client base, with a focus on supporting corporate clients entering the UK and European markets.

In 1999, Chris joined Mmd as General Manager of its Hungarian office. During his five years in this role, he was a founding member of the Hungarian PR Agency Association, oversaw the growth of the office into the clear market leadership position, managed a 30-plus team across a strong and varied Fortune 500 client base, and set up the now-thriving Hungarian Public Affairs division.

In tandem with his stewardship of the Hungarian office, Chris played a key role in developing the consultancy’s organic network of offices in the early 1990s. He supervised entry into a number of Central and Eastern European markets, including Bulgaria and Ukraine, and established regional business development and client management practices in response to the growing contribution from multi-country client relationships.

Chris has led a number of client relationships at national, regional and international level, across a variety of industry sectors, but with particular focus on financial services and energy. He has run in-depth Public Relations, media and crisis training programmes both internally and externally and is a regular speaker at industry events and contributor to industry journals. His experience spans all 18 countries of the region, with particular recent on Russia and the emerging markets of Central Asia.

In 2004, Chris took on a pan-regional role based in Hungary, before assuming the COO role for the region in 2005 and re-locating to Russia in early 2007. Since late 2009 he has been based in Budapest, from where he is a regular traveller throughout the region.

Chris Davies

Managing Director, Asia Pacific
chris.davies@grayling.com

Chris has over 20 years Public Relations and Public Affairs experience. He has been managing director of Grayling's Asian operations since 2008, having previously managed the London Bristol and Cardiff offices in the UK.

He has led successful campaigns for Lloyds TSB, English Heritage, GE Healthcare, OMSCo (a leading organic farming group), WRAP (the UK government's recycling promotional agency), Bristol International Airport and The Royal Mint. Previous career highlights include preventing a UK government ban of aerosols, achieving the privatisation of British Technology Group and freezing tax on Scotch whisky.

As head of government relations for airport operator, BAA plc, Chris led effective lobbying efforts in support Heathrow's T5, and airport growth in London and Scotland. He was corporate affairs director for global pharmaceutical company, Bristol-Myers Squibb UK, producing a report on the future of tertiary care in the UK, and supporting programmes on oncology and cardiology care. His interest in education resulted in voluntary work as Chair of Governors for a multi-cultural inner-City school, where he helped achieve a significant rise in standards.

Chris is a member of the Board of Singapore's British Chamber of Commerce, and sits on the marketing committee of the Singapore Cricket Club.

Loretta Tobin

CEO, UK & Republic of Ireland
loretta.tobin@grayling.com

With over 20 years' experience in consumer marketing and public relations, Loretta is CEO of Grayling UK.

During her time with Grayling she has championed its expertise in devising UK-wide PR programmes that truly excel at grass-roots delivery. For this reason the agency now works for five government departments running public awareness campaigns that require a national through regional strategy. To really challenge behaviour and change attitudes you have to ‘get local’ and this is a cause Loretta regularly promotes on behalf of the consultancy.

Loretta has been with the consultancy since 1994 and in her present position from July 2008. Prior to this she was Managing Director and has also headed up the Birmingham office and the Business Development team.

Before joining Grayling, Loretta was with BroadVision Communications in Cheltenham and her in-house marketing experience includes a corporate PR secondment into Central Independent TV and a marketing role at Premier Brands UK. Since moving into the consultancy sector, her consumer brand experience has encompassed Typhoo, MGF, Rover, Comet Group plc, npower, BUPA, Showerlux UK and a number of media sector clients.

Vivien Hepworth

Chairman, UK & Republic of Ireland & Head of Global Public Affairs
vivien.hepworth@grayling.com

Vivien Hepworth’s career spans journalism, business, the NHS and the voluntary sector.

Vivien began her career as a newspaper journalist and spent seven years as a political correspondent. Previous experience also includes chairmanship of an NHS hospital trust and becoming the first director of marketing for a national epilepsy charity.

Vivien has 17 years’ experience as a consultant with Grayling. She specialises in dealing with complex communication issues requiring knowledge of the full communication mix including public relations strategy, public affairs, issues and crisis management.

Vivien has been a trustee of the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment since 2001. Vivien was a member of the UK Press Complaints Commission from 2001-2009. She is founder and president of the Nystagmus Network, a charity which supports those affected by certain visual impairments and their families.

Follow Vivien's blog: http://vivienhepworth.blogspot.com/

Dan Yardley

CFO
dan.yardley@grayling.com

Dan is a Chartered Accountant who began his career with Deloitte in London. During his 4 years at Deloitte he progressed to the role of manager in the Financial Services audit group working on clients such as The Royal Bank of Scotland, Morgan Stanley, Lazard, Marsh and Abbey.

From Deloitte he moved on to Mercer Human Resource Consulting Ltd, a Global Human Resource consultancy with revenues in Europe of $800m. Working as a Senior Financial Analyst in the European Head Quarters based in London, he had specific responsibility for Northern Europe (Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany and Netherlands – with total revenues of approx $150m) as well as working with all 19 markets in Continental Europe.

Dan moved to Trimedia International in July 2006 as International Financial Controller based in London, becoming Group CFO in January 2007. Following the merger between Trimedia, Grayling and Mmd, Dan was appointed CFO of the Grayling group in December 2009.

Rémy Debrant

CEO, France
remy.debrant@grayling.com

Rémy graduated from the European Business School (MBA), after specialising in international strategy and communication. His first career step was as head of communications for a software company.

He then founded the Public Relations agency EuroTandem when he was just 23, together with Thierry Legaud. Having concentrated on B2B and B2C new technologies, the agency entered the consumer sector in the late 1990s. Rémy acquired B2B and B2C new technologies expertise through wide reaching Public Relations campaigns for leading clients such as Xerox, Sony, JD Edwards, Computacenter, StorageTek and DowJones, with internet players such as Google, Ask.com, Lastminute.com, Opodo, SeLoger, Vente Privee and DoubleClick, and consumer products such as Casio and Innocent.

He has also gathered valuable expertise in corporate communication and crisis communication and has access to a comprehensive network of the French media.

Rémy became CEO of Trimedia France after EuroTandem and Trimedia Communications joined forces in early 2006 and is now CEO of Grayling France.

Peter Erikson

CEO, Sweden
peter.erikson@grayling.com

Peter Erikson is the CEO of Grayling in Sweden and the Nordic region. He also works as senior advisor to clients regarding communications strategy and positioning, crisis management and public affairs. Peter joined Grayling in 2007.

Peter was previously been CEO of Rikta Kommunikation and Group Manager of BNL Information, two of Sweden´s leading PR-firms during the 1980s and 1990s. He has also been Vice President of Corporate Communications at ASG AB, Europe´s tenth largest logistics and freight forwarding company with subsidiaries on four continents. ASG is now a part of DHL. Prior to this Peter worked as press officer at Swedish Rail.

Peter has studied behavioural science and macro economics at the universities of Lund and Stockholm in Sweden. He also has a degree in public relations from Berghs School of Marketing in Stockholm. In addition Peter has studied management and strategy at Insead, Paris; Harvard Business School, Boston and IMD, Lausanne.

Peter is Chairman of the Board of three Swedish and Danish companies.

Eduardo Fuentes

CEO, Spain & Portugal
eduardo.fuentes@grayling.com

Eduardo Fuentes is a graduate in Information Science. He also has a MA in the specialisation of Economic Communications from the Complutense University of Madrid and the Economics Information Journalist Association (APIE).

Eduardo has over 16 years experience in both media and Public Relations consultancies at international level, with a range of solid media contacts. He has also developed and advised on communications campaigns for companies and organisations such as BBVA, Caja Madrid, BT, Sun Microsystems and Akzo Nobel.

Eduardo has previously directed AxiCom, Cohn & Wolfe Spain and a pan-European communications consultancy. With considerable success, in only two years, Eduardo was able to build their portfolio of ongoing clients from two to twelve and the staff from one to seven employees. Eduardo is a specialist in corporate communications, CSR as well as in the IT, renewable energies and health industries.

Hanning Kempe

CEO, Germany & Switzerland
hanning.kempe@grayling.com

Hanning has been CEO of Grayling Germany since 2009 and has 18 years of communication experience within the Public Relations industry and politics.

Prior to joining Grayling, Hanning was Managing Director of Opcon Communication where he specialised in change communications, strategic consulting and coaching. Previous roles have included spokesperson to former minister of defence Volker Rühe, Vice President Corporate Communications of ABB Ltd in Zurich.

Hanning has a Masters in Political Science.

Russell Patten

CEO, Belgium
russell.patten@grayling.com

Russell Patten is CEO of Grayling Belgium and has specialised expertise in EU policies relating to the environmental, energy, transport, as well as agri, food and drinks policies.

A British national, Russell’s career in Brussels spans 20 years, encompassing a wide range of corporations, trade associations and European Institutions. After beginning his career at the European Commission (Telecommunications), Russell joined the law firm, Oppenheimer, Wolff & Donnelly specialising in EU telecoms competition, and trade law.

Russell subsequently moved to a British Public Affairs consultancy, IGA Europe, and in 1995 joined Hill & Knowlton where he ran the Public Affairs department of the Brussels office until his promotion to Vice-President in 2002 responsible for Public Affairs in the EMEA region.

He was secretary-general of the European Express Association from 1994 to 2003, is currently Secretary-General of Transfrigoroute International and was President of the British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium from 2005 to 2007. He is currently Vice President of the EU Committee of the Chamber.

He is a professor at the College of Europe, ISMAPP and the University of Kent and holds a degree in political sciences and languages from the University of Kent, a diploma in French politics from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and a Masters in EU Affairs from the College of Europe in Bruges.

Tanya Joseph

Managing Director, Public Affairs, UK & Republic of Ireland
tanya.joseph@grayling.com

Tanya joined Grayling in March 2003 after over four years as a senior press adviser in Downing Street. Responsible for the company’s Public Affairs services in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff, she provides senior counsel, strategic communications advice and support to diverse clients including the States of Guernsey, Fujitsu Services, and Halfords.

Her deep understanding of the workings of government and politics ensures she is able to devise programmes that allow clients to build constructive and sustained relationships with key decision makers and opinion formers.

A former journalist, she also works on the public relations side of the business.

Follow Tanya's blog http://tanyajoseph.blogspot.com/

Sepp Tschernutter

CEO, Austria
sepp.tschernutter@grayling.com

Sepp has been CEO of Grayling Austria since April 2006 and has been with the company as Managing Director since 2001. From 1993 to 2000 he was a Senior Consultant and member of the management board of ikp - Institut für Kommunikations-Planung Salzburg/Vienna.

Sepp also currently lectures at the Universities of Salzburg and Krems on the subjects of Corporate Communications, Strategy, Corporate Identity, Corporate Communications, Crisis Communications, Non Profit PR and Public Affairs.

Sepp holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration and he graduated in Communication and Political Sciences (MA) from the University of Salzburg.

Han Van der Zwan

CEO, Netherlands
han.vanderzwan@grayling.com

Han’s expertise is in corporate communications, business communications,

consumer programmes, destination marketing (national and international), sponsorship, media training and multimedia campaigns. He also has particular experience in the public profiling of business and government organisations, individuals, geographical areas, products and services and hot topics such as mobility and diversity.

Prior to joining Grayling, Han worked in customer environments such as Philips, VNU Business Publications, British Telecom and MCI WorldCom, as well as at

communications agencies Bex* communicatie and TBWA.

Han is a member of the Dutch American Chamber of Commerce, the South African Chamber of Commerce, the Dutch British Chamber of Commerce, the Internet Professionals Association Netherlands, the Dutch Government International Pressroom (Nieuwspoort) and Managers Network Netherlands.

He graduated with a degree in Dutch Law from Erasmus University Rotterdam and a MBA from a Dutch private institution. In addition Han completed post academic courses in Marketing and Communications.

Stephen Lock

Group Deputy Managing Director & Regional Director, Eurasia
stephen.lock@grayling.com

Stephen joined Grayling in 2004 with a pedigree, international background first in investor relations and then public affairs. Stephen runs Grayling’s businesses in Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and our offices in other Central Asian countries. Stephen has over 18 years Public Relations consulting experience (especially in crisis and financial PR) and 14 years in international public affairs and government relations management.

His financial PR track record includes over 15 IPOs (including several in Russia and Eurasia) and privatisation campaigns across six exchanges; advising stock exchanges themselves; investment banks and investment institutions. He led Grayling’s Russian team, and coordinated five other PR agencies internationally, for the largest international IPO out of Russia and the then largest IPO on the London Stock Exchange. His crisis work has included over 40 litigation PR assignments across the world; as well as advising on fatal industrial accidents; corporate fraud, financial failure and product liability. His public affairs practice includes anti-trust actions and competition law; direct legislative drafting and parliamentary lobbying; public policy consulting (in areas such as pension policy; healthcare reform and tax & foreign investment). His experience also includes a 17-country disease public awareness and public affairs campaign run across Central & Eastern Europe and the CIS countries.

Graduating in Law from Cambridge University, he began his career as an investment banker with Lazards, before entering PR in 1993. In 1997, he became founder-Managing Director of Ludgate Public Affairs, which became known for its distinctive mixture of political lobbying and crisis / litigation PR, operating from offices in London and Brussels. During the 1997 U.K. General Election Lock was also an advisor to the Labour Party at its campaign headquarters. In 2001 he was co-founder and CEO of UK lobbyists and crisis consultants, Cicero Consulting.

Stephen has experience of working with international corporations overseas, governments and EU institutions and has worked across many sectors including healthcare, banking, oil and gas and power generation, construction and building materials and IPR-defence for branded goods. Stephen has a uniquely rich experience of coordinating PR and public affairs campaigns which are fully-integrated and genuinely international; as well as working collaboratively with many different consultancy firms around the world. While living in Moscow since 2004, he has over 11 years’ experience of the region, its politics and business elites. He now divides his time between homes in Moscow and Istanbul.

Jan Simunek

Regional Director, CEE
jan.simunek@grayling.com

Jan has worked with Grayling for fifteen years and held country management positions in the Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey before assuming regional operational responsibility. Jan is a public affairs specialist, providing high-level strategic counsel focusing on government relations, supporting foreign direct investment, privatizations and M&A activities, offering clients a unique insight into governmental policy-making at the highest levels. He has worked across many sectors including telecoms, banking, energy, construction, broadcast and defence sector. Jan has also directed a number of pan regional corporate accounts focusing on government relations, reputation management, issues and crisis management and financial PR. He handled regional corporate campaigns for companies including Visa Europe, RWE Gas, Astra, ArcelorMittal, Sirius, Deloitte, Groupama, Microsoft, Gripen International and Eastern Sugar.

Gergely Ábrahám

CEO, Hungary
gergely.abraham@grayling.com

Gergely Ábrahám is CEO of Grayling Hungary.

He joined the Hungary office as the director of Public Affairs in June 2008. He came directly from the government sector, where he served as senior advisor and spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy and Transport for two years. Prior to that, he worked for telecommunication companies and the Hungarian Parliament, with responsibility for communication and Public Relations activities.

Gergely started his career as a journalist, at Index.hu, one of the most popular news portals in Hungary and at the most prestigious national daily, Népszabadság.

Gergely is experienced in managing complex Public Affairs campaigns at governmental and parliamentary level and has excellent contacts and knowledge across government at both political and public administration levels.

Milan Deutsch

Country Operations Director, Czech Republic
milan.deutsch@grayling.com

Milan began his marketing career in 1991 at IP Advertising before joining the field of market research. He started his Public Relations consultancy career in 1996, when he joined Grayling.

In 1997 he co-ordinated Public Relations activities for Sybase across the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine and Russia. Following this he developed and managed communications strategies for some of the leading international brands in Central and Eastern Europe including Xerox, Nokia, Dell and Intel.

As a crisis communications expert, Milan has worked with clients such as McCain, Sybase and EDS on developing issues management strategies and implementing crisis preparedness training.

Between 2002 and 2005 Milan managed Grayling’s key client programme in Central Eastern Europe, South East Europe and Eurasia regions, overseeing quality of services and client satisfaction, cross-border communications between local teams and developing key clients into new territories. He also managed Grayling offices in Slovenia and Croatia. In 2006 Milan acted as a spokesperson of image Alpha financial group.

Currently Milan manages leaders of different specialised teams - including corporate communications, IT and telecommunications and FMCG. In his role he is responsible for client management standards, team supervision and development, staff training, new business development and key client relationship. He also co-ordinates corporate and brand-related communications campaign for IBM and Lenovo in eight countries of the Central Eastern Europe region.

In his free time, Milan lectures on PR to Czech public sector representatives.

Milan graduated from the University of Economics in Prague, studied marketing and communications at Thames Valley University London and journalism at the Charles University in Prague.

Peter Fecko

Country Manager, Slovakia
peter.fecko@grayling.com

Peter joined Grayling in 1998, the year the Bratislava office opened. Since then, Peter has worked on a variety of clients and projects, including co-ordination and execution of long-term PR campaigns for U.S. Steel, Visa International, Intel and Scania.

Peter is responsible for co-ordination of all client activity and business acquisition at the Grayling Slovakia office.

Fiona McCollum

Director, Central Practice Team, CEE, SEE & Eurasia
fiona.mcollum@grayling.com

Fiona has worked with Grayling for fifteen years and has played a core role in the development of the business across Eastern Europe. Based in the Central Eastern Europe region since 1998, Fiona has worked across most countries in Eastern Europe and was responsible for the establishment and development of Grayling’s presence across South East Europe.

During the late 1990s Fiona played a co-ordination role on key regional clients, laying the foundations for the regional co-ordination framework in place today. Particular experience in developing strategies at a European level and ensuring effective multi-country implementation includes Intel, Xerox, IBM, Holcim, British Midland and the Discovery Channel.

Fiona has also performed a high level strategic advisory role to many of the large multinationals entering and expanding their presence across the region. With particular expertise in the energy, industry, tobacco and brewing sectors, Fiona has provided corporate and public affairs consultancy to facilitate successful acquisition and privatisation, as well as core branding and issues and crisis management to companies such as E.ON Ruhrgas, U.S. Steel, Holcim, BAT and Carlsberg.

Most recently, Fiona has been involved in the development of global branding and positioning campaigns, with particular focus in the energy and heavy industry sectors. Fiona is now responsible for the management of our Central Practice Team and, within this, focuses on business development and creating communications strategies at a regional and global level.

Vladimir Melnikov

Deputy General Director, Russia and Eurasia
vladimir.melnikov@grayling.com

Vladimir Melnikov is well-known amongst business journalists in Eurasia for his work for UES CEO and President of the CIS Energy Committee, Anatoly Chubais, as well as for his work with the owner of System Capital Management, the biggest investor in Ukraine. He was also secretary of the IPO Communications ‘SWAT’ Committee at state oil firm, Rosneft, which became Russia’s largest-ever IPO ($11bn) and is still the largest IPO on the London Stock Exchange.

Vladimir started his Public Relations career, after a period in state service, with the Vologda regional government where he became Communications Director. During this time he was campaign manager for Vladimir Putin's Presidential Election campaign in 2000.

Vladimir joined Grayling Russia in 2004 and has been working for a number of Russian and international clients handling financial issues management and Public Affairs. He is an experienced high-level media handler but has also worked with clients who have ‘government relations crises’, helping western clients navigate the complexities of Russian governmental and state agency structures. Vladimir’s unique talent is to share the same cultural and political DNA of the Russian state, but to combine this with the absolute best in western-style communications techniques. He is a pre-eminent crisis management counsellor.

A graduate of Vologda State University, Vladimir was awarded an MSc in economics and finance from the Russian Academy of Civil Service (Krasny Diplom) and, in 2001-2002, completed a second MSc in media and communications from the London School of Economics. He has guest-lectured on PR and media in Russia at California State University.

Jennifer Paavola

Director, Central Practice Team, CEE, SEE & Eurasia
jennifer.paavola@grayling.com

Jennifer is considered an expert in all areas of brand communications and has helped some of the world’s biggest companies solve their biggest communications challenges. At Grayling she heads the central practice team for the CEE, SEE and Eurasia region, which works with the consultancy’s regional clients and also provides top-level strategic and creative consulting.

Jennifer’s experience includes the full array of global communications work as a consultant for some of the world's top brands. Her industry experience includes healthcare, energy, technology, professional services, finance and FMCG.

Before joining Grayling, Jennifer was the CEO of Pleon London (now Ketchum Pleon) and sat on the European Board of Directors. Her remit was to lead the diversification process in London when Pleon was created from Brodeur UK. Her work resulted in a services portfolio comprising PR, strategic communications and issues management and creative services/digital. Prior to her CEO role, Jennifer was a Director and lead on the Shell account for over 4 years. She was also Interim Vice President of External Affairs for Shell Renewables, Hydrogen and CO2.

When Jennifer first moved to the UK she helped establish a partnership-based services company that worked with the country’s leading legal and corporate finance houses in supplying the full-range of integrated expertise for early-stage technology companies and the venture capitalists behind them. Capabilities include strategic business planning and corporate finance. In the US Jennifer was the Director of Marketing and Corporate Communication for iGATE (NASDAQ: IGTE) a global IT services and outsourcing company. This included overseeing the communications teams for the holding company, venture capital arm and 12 subsidiaries located in the US, India and Europe. Jennifer started her career at Ketchum.

Olivier Riviere

Regional Manager
olivier.riviere@grayling.com

Dr. Olivier Riviere joined Grayling in 2009 after a 25 year career in international marketing, communications, and business development. He is a specialist in corporate profiling, brand building and establishing synergies between communication, marketing, and sales. He also has a strong track record developing local and global organisations.

Olivier has spent most of his career in-house working with technology and business optimisation-focused global companies, including seven years at Intel.

He moved into consultancy in 2004 and since that has advised companies such as IBM, Avaya, Linde Gas as well as many medium size global companies in various sectors including e-commerce, software, telecoms, manufacturing, consumer electronics, retail, energy and financial services.

He is a speaker, author and coach on various topics related to marketing, communications but also on global account management, multi-cultural teams and organization development. A French citizen, he is fluent in English and German, lived in Munich for 14 years and is now based in Warsaw.

He holds an engineering degree of INSA Lyon, a PhD from the Ecole des Mines de Paris, and a MBA from the Institut Français de Gestion.

Adam Robinson

General Manager, Ukraine & Kazakhstan
adam.robinson@grayling.com

Adam joined Grayling in 2008 to help manage the fast expansion of our PR business in Russia. Today he provides strategic input, delivery oversight and client relationship management across a number of our key international accounts with a particular focus on broadcast media clients, consumer technology and online mandates. Adam is the Director in charge of our Social Media ‘Tiger Team’.

Adam has extensive in-house Public Relations and communications experience gained across the financial, technology, education and UK public sectors. Most recently he spent four years as Head of Marketing and PR for the London Metal Exchange (LME), the world’s largest exchange for futures trading in base metals with an annual turnover of $10,000 billion. At the LME, Adam led international PR campaigns, including global multi-agency management.

Adam’s past experience also includes three years as Corporate Communications Manager with QA, a UK-listed IT training and consultancy organisation, where he worked with McCann Erickson to develop and roll-out a new brand and develop a thought leadership programme.

He began his PR career at the UK’s Teacher Training Agency, a UK Government quango, where Adam implemented its highly successful and iconic ‘Those who can, teach’ campaign across 400+ UK teacher recruitment events annually, which went on to see the largest increase in new teacher applications for almost a decade. Adam is a graduate of the University of Leeds where he gained a first class degree in Theatre Arts.

Natasa Trslic Stambak

Director, Croatia
natasa.trslic@grayling.com

With 10 years in this sector, Natasa has extensive experience in corporate reputation, financial communications, merger and acquisition and privatisation. Natasa was responsible for overseeing the coordination of public affairs campaigns and corporate communications for several foreign investors in Croatia. Her experience includes advising Russian oil company YUKOS on the Druzba Adria project, handling the merger between UniCredit and HVB on the Croatian and Bosnian markets, as well as consultancy to IKEA in their process of establishing a business in the SEE region.

In addition, Natasa is responsible for business development of Grayling’s Croatian office, growing the client portfolio and developing the team. She is also managing and coordinating a number of projects and campaigns throughout the region.

Natasa joined Grayling in 2002 from a background of in-house public relations, previously responsible for communication at a Croatian manufacturing company and a major publishing house. Natasa was also a journalist for several publications including the leading national daily, Jutarnji List.

Guy Taylor

Managing Director, Grayling Momentum, Middle East
guy.taylor@grayling.com

Guy was educated in the UK and started his career with Haymarket Publishing and later joined a specialist marcoms agency working on clients such as Kellogg’s, Heinz, Coca-Cola and Kimberly-Clark.

In 1990 he moved to Dubai and became increasingly focused on Public Relations and Public Affairs, working closely with the local media, NGOs and government ministries around the region. In 2002 Guy became a founding partner of Momentum.

Guy is Managing Director for the Middle East, based in Dubai, and is also responsible for a number of clients across a broad range of industries, from leisure real estate to corporate, and from consumer goods to charitable works.

Fred Muir

CEO, Rose & Kindel, a Grayling company, Los Angeles
fmuir@rosekindel.com

Fred Muir is CEO of the Los Angels office of Rose & Kindel, a Grayling company.

He is a three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist with more than 35 years of experience as a newsman and Public Relations consultant. His work includes senior counsel on media issues, crisis communications, community organising and Public Affairs strategies for clients in California and nationwide.

Prior to joining Rose & Kindel, Fred was Managing Director and Southern California Market Chairman for Burson-Marsteller. Earlier he founded the Beverly Hills-based Public Relations and Public Affairs firm of Fred Muir & Associates and previously was a Senior Vice President for Public Affairs with Fleishman Hillard.

As a journalist, Fred distinguished himself as both an editor and reporter at respected publications, including the Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal.

Fred is an adjunct professor of Public Relations at the University of Southern California. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Central City Association of Los Angeles, a leading business trade association, and consults on communications issues with the Los Angeles Urban League, a long-time pro bono client.

Fred graduated from Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, with bachelor's degrees in finance and journalism.

Carl London

CEO, Rose & Kindel, a Grayling company, Sacramento
clondon@rosekindel.com

Carl London is CEO of the Sacramento office of Rose & Kindel, a Grayling company.

Carl has worked for Rose & Kindel as a lobbyist since 1996. He has extensive experience in grassroots lobbying and political action committee development in the public and private sector.

He previously worked as Director of Legislative Affairs for the California Psychological Association (CPA) where he was responsible for developing and implementing legislative strategies for the 5,000-member professional association. He helped raise the association to the forefront of discussions on legislation relating to the professional practice of psychology and health care delivery in California, including the development of legislation that resulted in comprehensive changes to the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act.

In 2002, the California Psychological Association awarded Mr. London its “Distinguished Contribution to Psychology” Award at its annual convention. In 1996, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in Psychology from the Professional School of Psychology for his work to enhance the profession’s standing and in 1995 he received an award for “Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Psychology by a Non-Psychologist” by the Santa Clara County Psychological Association.

Carl holds a Bachelors Degree in Government and Journalism from California State University-Sacramento.

Anne McBride

Chairman, Investor Relations, New York
anne.mcbride@grayling.com

Anne McBride brings more than 30 years of experience in the capital markets to Grayling. She has responsibility for all Investor Relations activities undertaken in the US on behalf of both domestic and international clients.

Anne began her career as a Security Analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston and Morgan Stanley, focusing on special situations and undervalued stocks. She also brings more than eight years of in-house Investor Relations experience, having served in senior roles for UK-listed companies Saatchi and Saatchi Plc and Beazer Plc. Anne was the key driver behind both companies’ listings on the NYSE.

Some of Anne's clients have worked with her and the team for over 15 years and these span the worldwide globe. Clients like the leading utility in Brazil, Cemig, Russia's largest independent oil and gas producer, Lukoil, the leading technology and research candidate in alzheimer's, Prana Biotechnology and the US leading investment bank and pipe financial provider Rodman & Renshaw are examples of the her diverse experience and skills.

She has also worked for Sify Technologies, who she helped become the first Indian company to list on Nasdaq, and world-class Chinese companies such as Nepstar Chain Drugstore, Origin Agritech and China Yuchai International.

In addition to being on the board of The New York Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association and a Member of the Strategic Advisory Committee of Exclusive Resorts, she consults regularly to international associations involved in Investor Relations, writes regular features and columns and recently spoke at the NYSE during Mexico Day on the Best Practices of Investor Relations.

Jacinta Gauda

Chair Corporate Communications, New York
jacinta.gauda@grayling.com

Jacinta Gauda oversees a global communications practice that offers a full spectrum of corporate internal and external communications services. With over 22 years of experience, Jacinta focuses on reputation management, with a specialisation in crisis management. Her skills include providing litigation support in high profile cases and developing issues management programs for multinational companies.

Relied upon in high-stake situations, Jacinta has served as a strategic communications advisor to Boards of Directors, CEOs and executive leadership teams in the US and worldwide. She works across sectors, having provided communications services to an impressive list of domestic and international clients, including Marsh McClennon Companies, the Certified Financial Board of Standards, the Coca-Cola Company, Motorola, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Aegon, Toyota, Capital One, Teva, and John Deere. Other clients have included the University of Phoenix Online, Amgen, St. Lawrence Cement, Clinique, DaimlerChrysler, McDonald’s, MasterCard International, Monsanto, Lysol, Bessemer Trust, Post Cereal, Bear Creek, Sprint, Texas Instruments, Ernst & Young, and the CSX Corporation.

Jacinta is an executive coach and expert communications trainer. She has developed talent acquisition and global corporate diversity programs for leading corporations. She has been a featured speaker at law conferences and at numerous business forums. A seasoned facilitator, her expertise includes post-merger corporate cultural integration strategies and developing consensus-building programs.

Jacinta is on the faculty of the Fast Company’s 30 Second MBA where she is featured among global business leaders addressing timely business issues. Jacinta was appointed by the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri to the 22nd Missouri Judicial Bar Committee. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Urban Fellows and the Advisory Board for the Quality Education for Minorities (QEM) Network. She has served the Advisory Board of The Points of Light Foundation. She holds a degree in education from Harris College, St. Louis, Missouri, and has been certified by the MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program.

Under the leadership of Jacinta, Grayling has developed a top-tier practice with a proven track record for conducting and analysing best practice research, developing and implementing effective internal and external strategies, and helping organisations through times of crisis.

Mark Irion

CEO, Dutko Worldwide
mark.irion@dutkoworldwide.com

Mark has led the executive management team of Dutko Worldwide since 1996, building out the first truly integrated global public policy strategy and management firm.

Mark began his political career in the mid 1980’s in the United States Senate serving as a legislative assistant for energy and environmental issues. After joining Dutko Worldwide, Mark helped build and managed Dutko’s Energy and Environment practice, which remains a significant core practice area of the firm. Mark has devoted time and served in leadership roles on the Democratic Leadership Council, the New Democrat Network, and the Third Way - and continues to work with individual political leaders that share a dedication to the politics of community, opportunity and personal responsibility.

Mark has a degree in Theology from St. John’s University, and an M.A. in Public Affairs from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. He is married to Mary Stuart Irion (formerly McCamy) and they are raising their four children.

Chris Boehlke

CEO, Grayling Connecting Point
chris.boehlke@graylingcp.com

Chris has more than 30 years experience in corporate positioning, branding, marketing and crisis management, and her integrated marketing expertise helps clients build revenue along with image and reputation.

Chris has helped pioneer categories such as digital and Internet video, Internet shopping and entertainment, online fraud protection, virtual conferencing, mobile and wireless computing and customer relationship management.

Chris spent the first portion of her public relations career representing some of the most respected consumer brands in the world, including Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss, Mattel, MGM, Oscar Mayer and a variety of Procter & Gamble products.