consultants experienced in all levels of media, politics, business, finance, the third sector and government
We’re a heady mix of media gurus, political operators, city insiders and campaign creatives
Sacha Deshmukh
Chief Executive
Sacha Deshmukh
Sacha has been at the heart of some of the highest profile campaigns of recent years.
With a background that stretches from the corporate sector to pressure group advocacy, his work has included successful lobbying for major legal change, building business reputation and profile and launching and establishing new brands and products.
Gavin joined one of Mandate’s predecessor companies, AS Biss & Co, in 2004 following more than a decade working in the Clerk’s Department in the House of Commons. During his time in Parliament he worked in the Legislation Service and as Clerk of the Transport and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committees. He left as a senior civil servant.
Experienced in advising commercial, voluntary and public sector organisations on the highest profile health issues of the day, Mike advises clients whose organisational success depends upon influencing the health environment.
Mike was a key advisor to the Department of Health on developing the Cancer Reform Strategy and the End of Life Care Strategy, as well as the recent Richards Review on additional drugs. He also sits on a number of Department of Health advisory bodies.
A brand building specialist, Rachael’s career has spanned both agency and in-house.
Rachael has created and led campaigns for a broad base of blue-chip brands ranging from Disney to American Express.
Rachael is a firm believer in the role of planning in PR and particularly enjoys helping brands with complicated issues to address or those that need to instigate behavioural change among their audiences.
Prior to joining Mandate Fiona served as Managing Director at FD Public Affairs and before that was a Director at Bell Pottinger Public Affairs. She is a public affairs specialist but also has extensive experience of advising clients on integrated communications programmes.
Fiona started her consultancy career at Brunswick where she worked on a number of high profile transactions, advising on the politics of competition policy.
Before joining Brunswick, Fiona was Parliamentary and European officer at the CBI. She has also worked in the House of Commons for Julian Brazier MP.
Brooke has 20 years agency experience working primarily between New York and London. Her experience has been predominately focused on using strong messages and effective communications to establish, build, manage and protect consumer-facing and business brands. She has led successful domestic (UK and US), regional (Europe and the Middle East) and global campaigns for some of the world’s biggest companies including Procter & Gamble, Starbucks, Kodak, Virgin, Johnson & Johnson, British Airways and AstraZeneca.
Craig began his career in Westminster before returning to Scotland and heading up a public affairs consultancy. He worked in-house for a leading supermarket before managing the first regional office of a specialist planning lobbying practice and then establishing his own consultancy.
Robert firmly believes that meaningful change in an organisation must work from the inside out. And he's helped some of the world's largest businesses do precisely that.
An expert in stakeholder communications, Robert has extensive experience advising complex, multi-national companies on sensitive environmental and sustainability issues. He also has close relationships with many major pressure groups and campaigning organisations, making him a leader in the sustainability field.
After serving as a foreign policy advisor on Capitol Hill, Matt has spent the last decade helping foreign embassies and corporations navigate the Washington policy process. He has designed and implemented US public affairs campaigns for clients from around the world, including the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Chris Matthews is a Director of Mandate and founder and Chairman of Hogarth, with over 25 years’ experience in crisis work and financial and corporate PR.
In working with quoted and unquoted entities, Government bodies and international businesses, Chris deals with an enormous range of communications issues, including: privatisations and IPO’s; demergers, agreed and hostile M&A activity; Competition Commission, OFT and other regulatory referrals; crisis management; corporate positioning and reputation management; IR, and private shareholder communications.
