Neil began his career in financial and corporate public relations at Brunswick, before moving some years later to FTI Consulting and then to Broadgate. In 2001, Neil founded his own agency and has recently started working with Paternoster Communications as a consultant.
During his 30-year career, Neil has advised publicly quoted clients of all sizes and sectors on their investment and business messaging, media handling and broader stakeholder communications. His experience includes statutory financial reporting (company financial results, AGMs, board appointments, major deals, fundraisings and share placings etc) and media and staff communications during crises and emergencies.
Neil regularly runs regular writing workshops for clients, advising executives of different seniority and experience about how to improve their business writing, including investor-focused communications such as financial results’ statements, annual reports, and deal announcements.
His courses are split into lively, short theory sessions, followed by practice sessions where lessons can be immediately applied. Participants are encouraged to think aloud and creatively, yet bear in mind the importance of consistent and compelling corporate messaging, and how sophisticated market audiences read and interpret stock exchange communications.
Outside of work Neil can often be found birdwatching on the Essex marches, or trying to finish his first novel.
Tom is one of the most experienced communications advisors in the UK, with deep experience of advising businesses and institutions in Europe, the US, the Gulf States and Asia on how to build and protect their reputations.
Having graduated from the University of St Andrews with an MA in English literature, Tom spent three years at Price Waterhouse training as a Chartered Accountant. From there he went to Brunswick - first as the press clippings boy and working up to join the partnership 6 years later.
Since Brunswick Tom has fulfilled a number of management roles in other agencies before taking the plunge to set up Paternoster. He has led teams on more than 20 IPOs in various exchanges across the globe, has completed numerous M&A projects and acts as the strategic counsel to a number of listed Boards on ongoing communications matters. He has a strong reputation as a crisis advisor and led teams on a number of high profile mandates, including the death of Alexander McQueen, a case of botulism in a major food manufacturer, a sustained campaign by activist shareholders, and the discovery of a significant accounting fraud.
He is a highly experienced advisor to independent school governors and academic institutions. As a Chairman of governors himself, he is able to offer advice on governance as well as reputation risk, and typically acts as spokesman for the school to the media.
Extracurricular interests include working on Sundays as a priest in the Church of England and as a Canon at Ely Cathedral. Tom speaks French.
Sean specialises in strategic communications in the corporate and academic sectors and has over seven years’ experience in both agency and in-house roles.
Previously a communications consultant at Seven Hills, his past clients include Cobra Beer, Simply Business, M Squared, the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the University of Sheffield.
He joined Paternoster from the press office of the British Academy, which represents the UK's leading academics in the humanities and social sciences. Here, he led the communications campaigns for research and public policy programmes tackling issues from purposeful business to the impact of COVID-19 on society.
Sean has also researched documentaries for BBC radio and, in his free time, enjoys playing the drums and watching stand-up comedy.
Ben has almost a decade of experience in communications, both in-house and agency-side. He began his career at Brunswick, where he worked across the financial communications, digital and public affairs teams. He left the firm to specialise in early-stage technology, spending stints at Firstlight PR and Seven Hills, working with startups and tech advocacy groups on market positioning, issues management and tech policy.
After Seven Hills, Ben went to Prevalent AI as the first employee, heading up marketing and communications. He joined a founding team that included former GCHQ Director Sir Iain Lobban and Andy France, DarkTrace’s founding CEO.
More recently he has worked with technology and government clients on issues management and messaging.
During his time off Ben coaches his local youth basketball team, the Southwark Legends, reads about mental models, and passionately supports Munster and Irish rugby.
Fiona has over 25 years experience of advising global companies. Both in-house, as a senior member of Corporate Affairs teams, most recently at BUPA, and as an external adviser in many of the top consultancies including Brunswick and FTI Consulting. She has a strong track record working with Boards and Executive teams on political, regulatory and reputational issues. She is experienced in navigating global issues across different regulatory and political regimes and understands the cultural sensitivities needed to ensure successful campaigns. She has experience across a wide range of sectors including financial services, education and health.
Outside of work Fiona spends her time trying to tire out her two young boys, and, when there's time a spot of fly fishing and travel.
Michelle recently joined Paternoster as office manager and administrative support. She comes from a background in Executive Search, Management Consulting, Finance and Retail. Born in Malaysia and brought up in Singapore, she completed her secondary education in Co. Wicklow, Ireland.
Michelle has a keen interest in art, travel and the world of gastro delights. When not working, she can be found indulging in one of these pastimes!
Jane has worked in publishing and communications for over 30 years, initially for the newly launched Independent newspaper and then a succession of magazines, including Publishing Director of the journalist’s journal, the Press Gazette.
Subsequent publishing roles included Wine Magazine and the International Wine Challenge, where she nurtured an already enthusiastic appreciation of the subject, before a move into the Public Sector as a Communications Director at the Department of Health, producing a couple of children along the way.
After a family move to Africa, while raising two small children, she volunteered for a local education charity before re-training as a biology and chemistry teacher and working in British curriculum prep and secondary schools. Jane left the teaching profession when her own children came to boarding school in the UK and began working as a freelance writer for a wide range of organisations, including large commercial outfits, NGOs and government agencies, before joining Paternoster as their Schools’ Lead earlier this year. She continues to travel widely, drink expensively and spend time with her horse, dogs, husband and children. In that order.
Christina has worked in the PR industry for over 20 years, beginning her experience at Cohn & Wolfe as personal assistant to the UK Chairman and European MD before moving to Edelman. She broadened her experience, taking on other operational roles at the RLF Partnership and Gardant Communications. Her experience also includes the executive search industry and marketing & comms.
Christina is also part of Paternoster's media training team.
