Managing corporate affairs across all stakeholders globally is a challenging job — especially as the world faces unprecedented challenges and transformational pressures, that offer both risks and opportunities.
We bring together a team of global subject matter experts and top advisers offering strategic advice and guidance to C-suite executives. Our Global Corporate and Geopolitical Advisory Council will support you with strategic insight required to inform business decisions, understand and shape stakeholder perceptions and achieve favorable policy and regulatory outcomes to support business objectives.
Our mission is to help leaders navigate
the increasingly complex and
uncertain global landscape
with confidence and clarity
Meet our Advisory Council Members
From corporate communications, to crisis management, public affairs, financial communications and brand strategy, the Global Corporate and Geopolitical Advisory Council aims at empowering corporate leaders with the knowledge and strategies needed to succeed in today’s environment.
Dan Doherty
Global Chair Corporate Affairs
SEC Newgate S.p.A.
Dan Doherty is the Global Chair of Corporate Affairs at SEC Newgate, where he leads the firm’s corporate, government, public affairs, and crisis specialties. A trusted advisor to high-profile executives, governments, and global organizations, Doherty provides strategic counsel on complex crises, geopolitical challenges, brand positioning, reputation management, and public policy.
With a proven track record in developing integrated public affairs campaigns, Doherty helps clients navigate critical stakeholder relationships through compelling storytelling and strategic engagement. His expertise spans the technology, consumer packaged goods (CPG), food manufacturing, chemicals, and energy sectors, with a deep focus on geopolitics, public policy, and crisis communications. He has advised leading organizations on customer, investor, community, government, and labor relations initiatives.
Doherty has worked extensively with multinational corporations on global reputation and regulatory challenges across key capitals, including Washington, Brussels, London, and Beijing, helping them navigate complex policy environments and stakeholder expectations.
Before joining SEC Newgate, Doherty held multiple leadership roles at Burson Group, including North American Corporate Affairs Practice Leader and North America Public Affairs & Crisis Practice Lead. He previously served as President of TheWadeGroup, Inc., where he oversaw agency operations, marketing, and business development while leading major public affairs and crisis communications efforts—including for an $8 billion consumer packaged goods company.
Doherty holds a B.A. in Political Science from Providence College and an MBA from the University of Maryland.
Simone Ceruti
Head of Public Affairs and Vice President
SEC Newgate EU
Simone Ceruti, Vice President and Head of Public Affairs EU, has 30 years of public affairs, communication, advocacy and ESG experience in the packaging, technology, consumer rights, health and consumer goods sectors. He has extensive insight and expertise, acquired in diverse executive roles, in developing and implementing multi-faceted internal and external consumer advocacy campaigns and strategies, building multi-stakeholder alliances, and representing strategic business interests in various international trade associations.
In 2018, Mr. Ceruti launched Digital Together, a think tank representing the voice of digitally-active EU citizens. He has held senior corporate roles at Zambon Group, Danone, BOLDT and APCO in Milan and Brussels, focused on external stakeholder relationships and advocacy across multiple sectors. Prior to joining SEC Newgate, Mr. Ceruti worked as Group VP Corporate Communications and External Affairs at Seda International Packaging Group, active across the EU and North America.
Mr. Ceruti studied Marketing & Corporate Communication at the Accademia di Comunicazione in Milan, and European Studies (CHEE) at the École Nationale d’Administration in Strasbourg.
Sam Guthrie
Senior Advisor
SEC Newgate Australia
Sam draws on 20 years of diverse experience in senior corporate, government and diplomatic roles to help clients manage challenges and realise growth. He has advised c-suite executives, boards, cabinet ministers and senior policy makers on complex stakeholder issues, policy advocacy, reputation and crisis management.
Drawing on roles within AGL’s Executive Leadership Team, and as a senior policy maker within the federal government’s Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio, Sam brings unique insight to clients navigating the challenges of the energy transition, as well as Australia’s economic security across diverse sectors from energy to agribusiness, critical infrastructure to defence technology. He develops engagement strategies to positively position corporates and industry bodies with government and the wider community, evolving Social Licence and ESG capabilities that build trust and reputation.
As a former diplomat, including Deputy Consul General and Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner in Australia’s Consulate in Hong Kong, Sam has extensive experience advising on cross border transactions and helping clients manage geo-strategic risk and resilience as they develop new export markets and diversify supply chains. He has advised on high profile transactions helping clients engage successfully with the Foreign Investment Review Board process and related national interest concerns. He has developed whole of industry market development strategies for the Australian wool, beef, pork and seafood industries and led major policy development for the Australian government’s economic engagement in key regions including Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea, India, Europe, China and North America.
James Hill
Managing Partner
SEC Newgate Greater China
James has 20 years’ experience in advising leading Asian and international organisations and individuals on complex reputation briefs, brand building, cross border M&A, crisis management and investor relations. Prior to Newgate, James was the General Manager of Sandpiper Communications (formerly MHP Communications) in Hong Kong. He has almost a decade of experience in Asia, having formerly been a Partner at Finsbury, where he helped launch the firm’s first Asia office in Hong Kong in 2011.
James has advised private and listed companies across the financial services, professional services, energy and TMT industries. Key highlights in Asia include advising China Gas on its successful US$2.2 billion hostile bid defence from Sinopec; Foxconn Technology on shareholder unrest and ESG; the Qatar Investment Authority on its US$10 billion JV fund with Citic and US$600 million stake acquisition in Lifestyle International Holdings; BlackRock on its maiden activist project in Hong Kong; AGIC Capital on profile raising to support fundraising and European deal flow; Sun Hung Kai Properties on the Hong Kong High Court Trial of its Joint Chairmen; Moody’s Investors Services on its appeal following censure from the SFC in Hong Kong; and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board on its expansion in Asia.
Alistair Kellie
Practice Head, Communications
SEC Newgate UK
Alistair has over 25 years’ experience in corporate positioning and financial communications, advising a wide range of organisations both in the UK and internationally.
Clients have ranged from start-ups, HNWIs, boutiques and family businesses to PE houses, large multinationals, banks and global asset managers, to business advisory firms, industry trade bodies and government departments. Alistair has supported the launch of several businesses, helping to shape and articulate social purpose; he has advised on fundraising strategies, has advised on high profile domestic and cross-border transactions; provided crisis and issues management; advised on rebranding strategies and has led a number of award-winning media and policy campaigns.
As well has leading the Communications Practice of SEC Newgate UK, Alistair runs the Pensions Advisory practice, which provides strategic consultancy to the Trustee Boards of FTSE100 pension schemes. He started his career in public affairs before moving into corporate and financial communications. He has been listed in Spears500 as one of the UK’s leading reputation managers for the last four years.
Thyago Mathias
Vice-president of Advocacy and Public Affairs
SEC Newgate Brazil
Thyago Mathias
Vice-president of Advocacy and Public Affairs
SEC Newgate Brazil
Thyago has over 20 years of experience in advocacy campaigns, crisis and stakeholder management, market intelligence and government relations in various sectors, with emphasis on healthcare, infrastructure, aviation, mining and energy. He has led local and regional operations for multinational consultancies, leading projects and operations in Argentina, Peru, Chile and Mexico, among others. In the public sector, he has worked at the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro and in the department of special projects area of Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV), where he participated in stakeholder management and sustainable development projects for the Brazilian Federal Government and the governments of several states in the country. Previously, he worked as a correspondent for TV Globo’s G1 portal in the Middle East, based in Egypt, and as a special political reporter for the UOL portal.
Jim Papa
Partner
Global Strategy Group
Jim Papa runs GSG’s Washington, D.C. office, guiding operations and strategy for its public affairs, communications, and research practices. He advises CEOs and other C-suite executives as they grapple with public affairs challenges and opportunities across multiple industries, including health care, financial services, defense, technology, education, and the environment. Some of his current and former clients include General Motors, Global Foundries, H&R Block, LEGO, Micron, Pershing Square Capital Management, PhRMA, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Earthjustice, League of Conservation Voters, FWD.us, and People for the American Way.
Prior to joining GSG, from 2009-2012, Jim was Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs in the Obama White House. There, he handled a range of issues that included energy, health care, technology, transportation, the environment, and economic development. He played a role in the enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Affordable Care Act, Dodd-Frank financial regulatory reform, middle class tax cuts, the repeal of Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell, several Free Trade Agreements, and the reauthorization of the FAA. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said about Jim, “Papa is someone you want in the trenches with you.”
Prior to serving in the White House, Jim earned a reputation as a top flight communications and political strategist on Capitol Hill. He served as a senior advisor to Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff to Rep. Rush Holt, one of the only three scientists serving in Congress at that time, staff director and press secretary to Rep. Rosa DeLauro, and deputy staff director of Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle’s communications and technology leadership committee. As senior advisor to Emanuel, Jim managed the 2006 class of Democratic House freshmen, providing locally-tailored guidance on message development, crisis communications, stakeholder outreach, legislation, and media. 90% of those Members were re-elected in 2009, bucking the historical trend of losses following sweeping electoral gains.
Jim is an experienced spokesman and media trainer who has prepared clients for broadcast appearances ranging from Meet the Press to 60 Minutes. He has guest lectured at Georgetown University, George Washington University, and American University.
Jim has a J.D. from Georgetown Law and an undergraduate degree from Cornell University. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife, Katie, and their two children.
