Meet the people
leading the
SEC Newgate Group

Fiorenzo Tagliabue is the founder of SEC back in 1989 and continues at the forefront of the development of the agency which has now turned into one of the top 20 global PR consultancy, specialized in advocacy, corporate communications and corporate affairs.

Over the years, he specialized in corporate communication, focusing on public affairs, community engagement, and crisis management.

Fiorenzo Tagliabue played a pivotal role in the internationalization process of SEC that he steered across several crucial milestones from 2013 onward, including the listing at the London Stock Exchange (AIM segment) in 2016 until 2022, the merging with PORTA plc – a PR Group focused on financial communication – that brought to the formation of SEC Newgate Group in 2019 and finally the engagement of Three Hills Capital in 2022 and Investcorp in 2023 as financial partners and shareholders of the Group.

Prior to founding SEC, Mr. Tagliabue worked as a journalist and was founder of the weekly publication “il Sabato” which he directed until 1987. He served as Managing director of NEI Spa, the company that edits the daily newspaper Avvenire (1983-1989) and he launched the start-up of the Vatican Television Centre and served as its first General Secretary (1986-1989).

He also holds numerous teaching posts in the area of communication, in particular in public communication. He was a member of the board of directors of the Fondazione Teatro alla Scala of Milan for 10 years and has been a director in the board of the Fondazione Banco Alimentare onlus. Currently he sits in the Board of IUAV (Istituto Universitario Architettura Venezia) one of the most important architectural Department of the country, based in Venice and Action Contre la Faim (ACF).

Jon Silvan is Founding Partner and CEO of GSG. GSG is regularly ranked as a top public affairs firm and was recently recognized as Public Affairs Agency of the Year by PRovoke Media. Jon has guided GSG’s growth for more than two decades from a boutique agency into a leading public affairs, communications, and research firm with an award-winning team of over 150 professionals in six offices across the U.S.

As a strategist and advisor, Jon is known for his smart counsel, sharp insights, and drive to win. Jon provides guidance to GSG’s clients on a wide range of issues including public affairs, corporate positioning, reputation management, and political strategy.

Jon’s clients include Fortune 500 companies, national issue advocacy groups, and some of the country’s top government officials. Among his numerous achievements, Jon partnered with World Trade Center developer Silverstein Properties to gain necessary stakeholder support to break ground and rebuild at Ground Zero. He has advised many elected officials over the years including New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, and NYC City Comptroller Scott Stringer.

Jon helps his clients tackle pressing issues, often at the center of the national spotlight. Some of Jon’s clients also include, Apollo Global Management, the Black Economic Alliance, Facebook, Major League Soccer, MGM Resorts, CVS Health, Port Authority of NY/NJ, the MTA, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Rockefeller Foundation, Hispanic Federation, Pershing Square Capital Management, and T-Mobile.

Jon is regularly acknowledged for his talents and expertise in his field. He was named #2 on Observer’s 2021 PR Power 50 list. He was recognized by City & State NY as one of the 100 most powerful people in New York City politics and as one of 2021’s top Political PR Professionals.

Jon is a member of the Arthur Page Society, which represents C-level communicators. He served as Treasurer of the PR Council, a Steering Committee member of A Better New York (ABNY), he is a board member of the Citizens Budget Commission, a member of the Partnership for NYC, and Vice Chair of the Storahtelling Board of Directors for Lab/Shul, a nonprofit organization that advances Jewish literacy through the arts.

A proud lifelong New Yorker, Jon lives in Tribeca with his wife Marnie Berk, a public interest attorney and their three children.

Jefrey Pollock is the Founding Partner and President of GSG. Since its inception, Jefrey has helped build GSG into a premier strategic research and communications firm that the Holmes Report previously named Public Affairs Agency of the Year (Americas). Jefrey was twice awarded “Pollster of the Year” by his peers in the bi-partisan American Association of Political Consultants and has year over year been named one of the most powerful people in New York politics by City and State.

Jefrey’s political clients include Governors John Carney (DE), Janet Mills (ME), and JB Pritzker (IL); Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Joe Manchin (WV), Ed Markey (MA), and Jacky Rosen (NV); Attorneys General Letitia James (NY), and Josh Shapiro (PA); Lieutenant Governors Bethany Hall-Long (DE), Denny Heck (WA), and Kathy Hochul (NY); State Auditor Rob Sand (IA); State Comptroller Susana Mendoza (IL); and members of Congress David Cicilline (RI), Jason Crow (CO), Val Demings (FL), Dwight Evans (PA), Bill Foster (IL), Josh Gottheimer (NJ), Jim Himes (CT), Steven Horsford (NV), Sean Patrick Maloney (NY), Don McEachin (VA), Greg Meeks (NY), Jerry Nadler (NY), Kathleen Rice (NY), Linda Sanchez (CA), Ritchie Torres (NY), and others. He has also worked for national organizations such as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Democratic Governors Association, EMILY’s List, Priorities USA Action, End Citizens United, Senate Majority PAC, and House Majority PAC.

Jefrey has conducted issue advocacy research, brand analysis, and attitudinal studies for Major League Baseball, Everytown for Gun Safety, Comcast, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Harvard University, AFSCME, Giffords, Ford Motor Company, Con Edison, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, University of Pennsylvania, and MGM Resorts.

Pollock has also served as a pollster and consultant for international political campaigns and democratic change initiatives in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Kazakhstan, Albania, Trinidad and Tobago, Georgia, and Kosovo. He was part of the research and strategy team for the successful election of former President of the Dominican Republic Leonel Fernández and previously worked for Governor Pedro Rosselló of Puerto Rico.

He was one of the original contributors on MSNBC when the channel first launched, and regularly appears as a political pundit for ABC, CNN, and FOX News Channel television programming. An accomplished author and editorialist, Jefrey’s writings have appeared on the AP wire, Philadelphia Inquirer, Campaigns & Elections magazine, Polling Report, and msnbc.com. He also has served as the moderator for focus groups with voters for ABC’s This Week. Additionally, Jefrey has testified before the United States House Ways and Means Committee to discuss American public opinion on tax reform.

Jefrey has served as an Instructor of Public Policy and Administration at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs for over 16 years. He has guest lectured at the United States Military Academy, Harvard University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Pollock holds a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration with a concentration in Advanced Statistical Analysis from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. He graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree in American History.

He is on the national board of the American Association of Political Consultants and has recently been named a member of the prestigious Council on Foreign Relations. He is also a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild SAG/AFTRA having appeared in two major motion pictures (The Place Beyond the Pines and Non-Stop).

Emma is a corporate affairs specialist, with extensive experience in crisis communications and advising boards on complex, mission-critical issues. Her career spans more than three decades, focused on building brands and protecting reputations.

She is CEO of SEC Newgate UK, Head of Western EMEA and Global Deputy CEO of the Group, with responsibility for operations in the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, as well as affiliate relationships across the region.

Emma founded and built Redleaf Communications over 18 years, before becoming Joint CEO of the Group following its acquisition in 2018. She has since led the integration of the Group’s UK agencies and played a central role at board level in its evolution into a fully integrated global communications business operating across five continents.

She began her career in 1986 at a communications agency specialising in the Government’s privatisation programme. She later held senior in-house roles including Head of Marketing and Communications at ProShare, established by the London Stock Exchange to promote wider share ownership, and Head of Investor Services at Charles Schwab.

Emma is actively involved in philanthropic and not-for-profit work. She is Deputy Chair of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Green Finance Institute, a Senior Independent Member of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (part of UKRI), and an Advisory Board Member of Help for Heroes No One Left Behind campaign. She previously served as Chair of Target Ovarian Cancer and the Barbican Centre Trust, holding both roles for nine years, and has also been a trustee of the Wiener Holocaust Library, COSMIC and Nightingale Hammerson.

She is regularly recognised in PRWeek’s UK Power Book. In 2017, she was awarded the Freedom of the City of London for services to the communications industry and is a Senior Court Assistant of the Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights.

Emma was awarded an OBE for services to philanthropy in the King’s Birthday Honours 2026.

Brian is the Chairman of SEC Newgate Australia, having previously served as its founding Managing Partner since its establishment in 2013. He is head of APAC region and Global Deputy Chief Executive Officer of SEC Newgate S.p.A, the parent company of SEC Newgate Australia. He is also a co-founder of SEC Newgate Research.

In a consulting career spanning over two decades, Brian has come to be regarded as one of Australia’s leading communications practitioners with expertise in strategic crisis and issues management, financial transactions, government relations, media management and community campaigns.

Brian has led several high profile and complex crisis and public affairs campaigns and financial transactions in the infrastructure, transport, banking, energy, agriculture, arts, media, and sports sectors.

Brian is a Director of AFL Club the Sydney Swans, the Committee for Sydney, SEC Newgate S.p.A and the Clontarf Foundation, which supports educational opportunities for young Indigenous Australians.

Prior to consulting, Brian was a political adviser to the New South Wales Government. He started his career as a journalist with The Land newspaper.

Sebastian Hejnowski has more than 20 years of experience in communications. Sebastian is heading regional offices in the Central and Eastern European countries, the Balkans and the Gulf. He was recognized as a leader of Eastern European Consultancy of the Year at EMEA SABRE Awards, three times in the last decade (2015, 2017 and 2019). Worked for 3 years in Paris headquarters of MSL. Moreover he ran the advertising agency Leo Burnett.

Managed communication strategies and leader PR and PA services for for various clients in different sectors including IT, airlines, finance, media, FMCG.

Expert and practionier in creating plans of crisis management, strategic and Public Affairs advisory. Managed public affairs campaign for fight in defence of television station TVN.Warner Bros.

He was responsible for the image the biggest clients present in the CEE region.

Sebastian is involved in current trade, social and political affairs. He served as a judge in Europe’s trade contests, such as the Golden Drum, Cristal Festival and Złote Spinacze.

He willingly shares his knowledge of public relations at media trainings and practical classes.

Member of SEC Newgate since the year of its foundation, she has been a partner and the vice president of the company since 2001 and Country Manager Italia since 2017.

A professional journalist and copywriter, she managed content management and integrated communication projects, especially in the corporate, political and public administration fields. Currently, she oversees the more complex communication’s and advocacy’s strategic plans and coordinate the teams for tenders and special projects for Clients and for the agency.

She curated exhibitions and publications about communication and Italian advertising, especially for RAI-Sipra. Between 2005 and 2008 she taught “Advertising’s Forms and Languages” at the Università Cattolica in Milan.

Having graduated in Modern Arts and obtained a doctorate in History of Italian Language and Literature, she has published several works of literary criticism, about the nineteenth and twentieth century’s important authors and movements, such as Ugo Foscolo, Alessandro Manzoni, Neoclassicism and Romanticism, Giovanni Testori.

She’s been member of the Board of Museo Poldi Pezzoli and Teatro Franco Parenti (Milan), she currenty member of the Scientific Comittee of the Centenary of Giovanni Testori and in the board of Portofranco Onlus.

Founder of CLAI, Eric is a professional in corporate communications, public affairs and sensitive and crisis communications. He advised or still advises Air Liquide, Rio Tinto, Nestlé France, AstraZeneca, Schindler, Lafarge, Lilly France, Urbis Park, e.on, Altéo, the Ansa, the Hersant Media Group, the Reyl bank, Transdev, International Papers, Bridgestone, the CESE.

President for more than 8 years of Publicis Consultants, he was in charge of many large-scale campaigns, such as the pension reform, the health insurance reform, the state reform, the establishment of the LOLF, the GDF-SUEZ merger, Alcan’s takeover bid for Pechiney and Sanofi’s for Aventis.

Honorary ‘Maître des Requêtes’ at the ‘Conseil d’Etat’, former technical adviser to the Cabinet and then director of central administration at the Ministry of the Interior from 1981 to 1986, Eric has a thorough knowledge of the decision-making processes for public actions.

A former ENA student (Pierre Mendès-France promotion-1978), Eric also has a DESS in political science, a master’s degree in private law and a diploma from Sciences Po (Public Service section, promotion 1974).

He is a published author, his books include: “Corporate communications: le manuel des strategies” (2009), PUF; “Affaires de com’” (2011), Odile Jacob; “Il y a 30 ans, l’Acte I de la décentralisation” (2012), Berger Levrault; “Pour en finir (vraiment) avec le millefeuille territorial” (2015), l’Archipel; “De l’art de faire dire du bien de soi par les autres” (2019), Ed Bourin François.

Eric has been decorated as Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour and Officer of the National Order of Merit.

Jon Silvan is Founding Partner and CEO of GSG. GSG is regularly ranked as a top public affairs firm and was recently recognized as Public Affairs Agency of the Year by PRovoke Media. Jon has guided GSG’s growth for more than two decades from a boutique agency into a leading public affairs, communications, and research firm with an award-winning team of over 150 professionals in six offices across the U.S.

As a strategist and advisor, Jon is known for his smart counsel, sharp insights, and drive to win. Jon provides guidance to GSG’s clients on a wide range of issues including public affairs, corporate positioning, reputation management, and political strategy.

Jon’s clients include Fortune 500 companies, national issue advocacy groups, and some of the country’s top government officials. Among his numerous achievements, Jon partnered with World Trade Center developer Silverstein Properties to gain necessary stakeholder support to break ground and rebuild at Ground Zero. He has advised many elected officials over the years including New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, and NYC City Comptroller Scott Stringer.

Jon helps his clients tackle pressing issues, often at the center of the national spotlight. Some of Jon’s clients also include, Apollo Global Management, the Black Economic Alliance, Facebook, Major League Soccer, MGM Resorts, CVS Health, Port Authority of NY/NJ, the MTA, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Rockefeller Foundation, Hispanic Federation, Pershing Square Capital Management, and T-Mobile.

Jon is regularly acknowledged for his talents and expertise in his field. He was named #2 on Observer’s 2021 PR Power 50 list. He was recognized by City & State NY as one of the 100 most powerful people in New York City politics and as one of 2021’s top Political PR Professionals.

Jon is a member of the Arthur Page Society, which represents C-level communicators. He served as Treasurer of the PR Council, a Steering Committee member of A Better New York (ABNY), he is a board member of the Citizens Budget Commission, a member of the Partnership for NYC, and Vice Chair of the Storahtelling Board of Directors for Lab/Shul, a nonprofit organization that advances Jewish literacy through the arts.

A proud lifelong New Yorker, Jon lives in Tribeca with his wife Marnie Berk, a public interest attorney and their three children.

Jefrey Pollock is the Founding Partner and President of GSG. Since its inception, Jefrey has helped build GSG into a premier strategic research and communications firm that the Holmes Report previously named Public Affairs Agency of the Year (Americas). Jefrey was twice awarded “Pollster of the Year” by his peers in the bi-partisan American Association of Political Consultants and has year over year been named one of the most powerful people in New York politics by City and State.

Jefrey’s political clients include Governors John Carney (DE), Janet Mills (ME), and JB Pritzker (IL); Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Joe Manchin (WV), Ed Markey (MA), and Jacky Rosen (NV); Attorneys General Letitia James (NY), and Josh Shapiro (PA); Lieutenant Governors Bethany Hall-Long (DE), Denny Heck (WA), and Kathy Hochul (NY); State Auditor Rob Sand (IA); State Comptroller Susana Mendoza (IL); and members of Congress David Cicilline (RI), Jason Crow (CO), Val Demings (FL), Dwight Evans (PA), Bill Foster (IL), Josh Gottheimer (NJ), Jim Himes (CT), Steven Horsford (NV), Sean Patrick Maloney (NY), Don McEachin (VA), Greg Meeks (NY), Jerry Nadler (NY), Kathleen Rice (NY), Linda Sanchez (CA), Ritchie Torres (NY), and others. He has also worked for national organizations such as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Democratic Governors Association, EMILY’s List, Priorities USA Action, End Citizens United, Senate Majority PAC, and House Majority PAC.

Jefrey has conducted issue advocacy research, brand analysis, and attitudinal studies for Major League Baseball, Everytown for Gun Safety, Comcast, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Harvard University, AFSCME, Giffords, Ford Motor Company, Con Edison, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, University of Pennsylvania, and MGM Resorts.

Pollock has also served as a pollster and consultant for international political campaigns and democratic change initiatives in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Kazakhstan, Albania, Trinidad and Tobago, Georgia, and Kosovo. He was part of the research and strategy team for the successful election of former President of the Dominican Republic Leonel Fernández and previously worked for Governor Pedro Rosselló of Puerto Rico.

He was one of the original contributors on MSNBC when the channel first launched, and regularly appears as a political pundit for ABC, CNN, and FOX News Channel television programming. An accomplished author and editorialist, Jefrey’s writings have appeared on the AP wire, Philadelphia Inquirer, Campaigns & Elections magazine, Polling Report, and msnbc.com. He also has served as the moderator for focus groups with voters for ABC’s This Week. Additionally, Jefrey has testified before the United States House Ways and Means Committee to discuss American public opinion on tax reform.

Jefrey has served as an Instructor of Public Policy and Administration at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs for over 16 years. He has guest lectured at the United States Military Academy, Harvard University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Pollock holds a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration with a concentration in Advanced Statistical Analysis from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. He graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree in American History.

He is on the national board of the American Association of Political Consultants and has recently been named a member of the prestigious Council on Foreign Relations. He is also a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild SAG/AFTRA having appeared in two major motion pictures (The Place Beyond the Pines and Non-Stop).

Teti is a visionary, results-driven CEO, known for her strategic foresight and ability to drive business growth in dynamic environments. With a keen understanding of complex market dynamics, she implements transformative strategies that cultivate a culture of innovation and resilience within the organization.

Under her leadership, V+O has consistently achieved remarkable results, solidifying its market presence and ensuring long-term success. Teti’s entrepreneurial mindset and innate talent for nurturing executive and staff teams empower her to effectively manage and develop V+O Greece’s diverse portfolio, which includes V+O Communication, Unlimited Creativity, Curious Ahead, and Mindhaus Tourism Strategy.
With over 24 years of experience as a trusted advisor to multinational corporations and Greek industry leaders, Teti has built a strong reputation for guiding businesses through multifaceted challenges. She collaborates closely with the business and investment community, providing expert counsel to executive teams and Boards of Directors on critical issues such as corporate communication strategies, business transformations, financial transactions, stakeholder engagement, sustainability initiatives, ESG compliance, and crisis preparedness.
Leading a multidisciplinary team of over 170 skilled communication professionals, Teti embodies V+O’s vision and values while cultivating a high-performance culture that emphasizes engagement and collaboration. Her proven track record in managing cross-functional teams highlights her capacity to navigate dynamic environments and deliver impactful results.

As V+O Greece’s leading crisis management expert, Teti has successfully guided organizations through a myriad of challenges including restructurings, relocations, delistings, change management, labor disputes, and environmental issues. Her strategic insights not only resolve crises but also fortify organizations, transforming setbacks into opportunities for growth and resilience.

Teti holds a degree in Management & Business Administration from the Athens University of Economics and Business and a Master of Arts in Marketing Communication and Advertising from Emerson College in Boston.
With experience across markets, Teti combines a global perspective and sharp market insight. Her strategic focus and ability to drive innovation have established her as a key leader in strategic communication, consistently empowering teams to deliver high-impact results.

Yiannis Olympios is a distinguished thought leader in strategic communication, renowned for his ability to navigate complex landscapes and deliver impactful solutions. With over three decades of experience, he has established himself as a trusted advisor to a diverse array of international and local organizations.

His career highlights include serving as the Spokesperson for the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1990 to 1993, where he adeptly managed media relations during a pivotal era of geopolitical transformation. Yiannis’s expertise extends across public and government affairs, corporate communications, and crisis management, making him a sought-after strategist for corporations and government entities alike.

For the past twenty years, he has spearheaded intricate public affairs programs and communication campaigns throughout Greece and the surrounding region. His proficiency in developing strategies that address multifaceted regulatory environments and crafting effective market entry plans has proven invaluable. He excels in crisis management, employing a nuanced understanding of political, economic, and societal dynamics to guide organizations through challenges.

Yiannis’s hands-on approach ensures that he is deeply engaged in every initiative, tackling the complexities of business and politics to formulate strategies that drive meaningful change. His work has not only shaped public perception but has also fostered enduring trust among businesses, communities, and policymakers.

Before joining V+O, Yiannis provided strategic counsel to leading Greek companies, significantly enhancing their communication initiatives and public profiles. His academic foundation—a Master of Arts in Comparative Development from Bristol University—equips him with insights into the role of scenarios in policy planning, further enriching his strategic capabilities.

In summary, Yiannis Olympios combines strategic insight with a profound understanding of stakeholder needs, positioning him as a leading figure in the field of strategic communication. His influence on key decisions and his commitment to creating impactful strategies make him an invaluable asset to any organization seeking to navigate the complexities of today’s communication landscape.

Emma is a corporate affairs specialist, with extensive experience in crisis communications and advising boards on complex, mission-critical issues. Her career spans more than three decades, focused on building brands and protecting reputations.

She is CEO of SEC Newgate UK, Head of Western EMEA and Global Deputy CEO of the Group, with responsibility for operations in the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, as well as affiliate relationships across the region.

Emma founded and built Redleaf Communications over 18 years, before becoming Joint CEO of the Group following its acquisition in 2018. She has since led the integration of the Group’s UK agencies and played a central role at board level in its evolution into a fully integrated global communications business operating across five continents.

She began her career in 1986 at a communications agency specialising in the Government’s privatisation programme. She later held senior in-house roles including Head of Marketing and Communications at ProShare, established by the London Stock Exchange to promote wider share ownership, and Head of Investor Services at Charles Schwab.

Emma is actively involved in philanthropic and not-for-profit work. She is Deputy Chair of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Green Finance Institute, a Senior Independent Member of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (part of UKRI), and an Advisory Board Member of Help for Heroes No One Left Behind campaign. She previously served as Chair of Target Ovarian Cancer and the Barbican Centre Trust, holding both roles for nine years, and has also been a trustee of the Wiener Holocaust Library, COSMIC and Nightingale Hammerson.

She is regularly recognised in PRWeek’s UK Power Book. In 2017, she was awarded the Freedom of the City of London for services to the communications industry and is a Senior Court Assistant of the Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights.

Emma was awarded an OBE for services to philanthropy in the King’s Birthday Honours 2026.

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.

Brian is the Chairman of SEC Newgate Australia, having previously served as its founding Managing Partner since its establishment in 2013. He is head of APAC region and Global Deputy Chief Executive Officer of SEC Newgate S.p.A, the parent company of SEC Newgate Australia. He is also a co-founder of SEC Newgate Research.

In a consulting career spanning over two decades, Brian has come to be regarded as one of Australia’s leading communications practitioners with expertise in strategic crisis and issues management, financial transactions, government relations, media management and community campaigns.

Brian has led several high profile and complex crisis and public affairs campaigns and financial transactions in the infrastructure, transport, banking, energy, agriculture, arts, media, and sports sectors.

Brian is a Director of AFL Club the Sydney Swans, the Committee for Sydney, SEC Newgate S.p.A and the Clontarf Foundation, which supports educational opportunities for young Indigenous Australians.

Prior to consulting, Brian was a political adviser to the New South Wales Government. He started his career as a journalist with The Land newspaper.

Sue is a Managing Partner of SEC Newgate and one of Australia’s most sought-after market and social researchers for strategic communications counsel.

She has more than 30 years’ experience advising corporates on high stakes reputation issues, public policy and regulatory affairs, financial transactions, stakeholder and community engagement.

She is passionate about helping organisations navigate complex issues that matter through building a deeper understanding of what people want, supporting them to work with stakeholders to develop collaborative solutions, and designing effective communications.

She started her career in communications consulting before moving into research, fascinated by its power in ensuring strategy and messaging is underpinned by objective fact rather than gut feel and assumption. Her strategic counsel is integral to SEC Newgate’s strategic communications offering to clients and identifying the most effective ways to engage and influence.

Sue leads an award-winning research team and has particular expertise in leading sensitive community and stakeholder research for organisations facing complex issues, as well as on key policy issues, stakeholder reputation research, message and narrative development. She leads the firm’s global research into community expectations of corporates, how they make judgements on environmental, social and governance actions, and how organisations can leverage environmental, social and governance actions to boost their reputation.

She’s also a highly sought after facilitator for stakeholder and community workshops, including co-design and deliberative processes.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Organisational Communication from Charles Sturt University and a Masters in International Communications from Macquarie University. She is a Qualified Professional Researcher (QPR), a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), has the IAP2 Certificate of Engagement and is a member of Chief Executive Women.

Angus brings a rare combination of senior corporate affairs leadership and hands‑on commercial experience, helping boards and executive teams navigate complex issues where reputation, regulation and business performance intersect. Angus has advised non‑executive directors and senior executives on high‑stakes public affairs, corporate communications and reputation challenges for over 25 years.

His value lies in connecting strategy with execution. Having held senior corporate affairs roles at GrainCorp and Insurance Australia Group, and worked in operational excellence, change management and small business environments, Angus approaches communications challenges with a deep understanding of how organisations actually operate. This allows him to design advice and campaigns that are practical, credible and aligned to commercial realities—not just messaging objectives.

Angus is known for his disciplined, trust‑based approach, grounded in clarity and authenticity. He focuses first on understanding the specific circumstances, risk profile and stakeholder dynamics surrounding an issue, then builds tailored strategies that protect licence to operate, support leadership decision‑making and deliver durable outcomes.

He specialises in corporate communications, public affairs, issues and crisis management, internal communications and change, M&A and demergers, and government relations. His experience spans agribusiness and financial services, as well as energy, transport, media and communications, fintech, sport, health and education.

Member of SEC Newgate since the year of its foundation, she has been a partner and the vice president of the company since 2001 and Country Manager Italia since 2017.

A professional journalist and copywriter, she managed content management and integrated communication projects, especially in the corporate, political and public administration fields. Currently, she oversees the more complex communication’s and advocacy’s strategic plans and coordinate the teams for tenders and special projects for Clients and for the agency.

She curated exhibitions and publications about communication and Italian advertising, especially for RAI-Sipra. Between 2005 and 2008 she taught “Advertising’s Forms and Languages” at the Università Cattolica in Milan.

Having graduated in Modern Arts and obtained a doctorate in History of Italian Language and Literature, she has published several works of literary criticism, about the nineteenth and twentieth century’s important authors and movements, such as Ugo Foscolo, Alessandro Manzoni, Neoclassicism and Romanticism, Giovanni Testori.

She’s been member of the Board of Museo Poldi Pezzoli and Teatro Franco Parenti (Milan), she currenty member of the Scientific Comittee of the Centenary of Giovanni Testori and in the board of Portofranco Onlus.

Born in 1962, Andrea began his professional career in 1981 founding C&T, one of the first Italian company dedicated to design information and communication technology systems. He got in touch in 1986 with RP Partners (later Ketchum Italy), a leading PR agency which he began to collaborate with from 1987. VicePresident in 1999 and later also CEO of Ketchum Italy.

In 2013 he has been appointed Global Partner of the Ketchum international network. Executive President of Omnicom Public Relation Group (OPRG) in 2017. From January 2020, Andrea is Chief Innovation Officer, Partner and Board Member of SEC Newgate Italy.

Board Member from 2015 and VicePresident from 2019 of UNA – Italian Communication Agencies Association, he’s co-founder and coordinator of PR Hub Project.

He began his career promoting nightclubs and giving consultancy to liquor brands around the world before moving to Mexico in 2002, where he founded the agency shortly thereafter.

He began his communications career at Burson Marsteller before joining Cuervo to lead the public relations team of brands such as Tequila Gran Centenario. He subsequently founded Another Company in 2004.

Industrial Engineer from the Universidad de los Andes. She served as Advisor for Presidential Management through the United Nations Development Program-UNDP and as Minister of Communications during the Government of President Andrés Pastrana. During this period she was President of the Board of Directors of Telecom and of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, as well as a member of the Superior Council for Economic and Social Policy.

Responsible for the design and implementation of the Connectivity Agenda for Colombia. She was part of the directive level of the presidential campaigns (1994 and 1998) and the campaign for the Mayor of Bogotá (1987) of Andrés Pastrana. During the Mayor’s Office of Pastrana, she held the Secretary of Finance of the District and the Management of the Telecommunications Company of Bogotá.

In the private sector, she has been Vice President of Marketing of Banco de Colombia (1991), Administrative and Financial Vice President of the Fund for the Promotion of Exports (1992), Advisor for telecommunications projects of the Luis Carlos Sarmiento Angulo Organization (1992-93) , President of the Colombian Union of Advertising Companies, which represents advertising agencies (1996-1997), Advisor to the Global Education Group (1997) and member of the Board of Directors of Nestle (1996).

She is currently a Member of the Board of Directors of the Global Education Alliance. He participates in the group convened by the Ford Foundation to build a shared vision on mining in Colombia – GDIAM.

He holds a bachelor of International Business from Westminster Business School, London. Throughout his professional career, he worked as a media assistant at the Media Planning Group in London, coordinating the Orange account at a pan-European level.

In Spain, he worked in the media planning and buying area at Arena Media Communications and the Media Planning Group, developing media and communication strategies for clients such as Nike, Grupo VAESA (Volkswagen, Seat, Skoda and Audi) and Yves Saint Laurent. In addition, he directed the Catalonia region for NeoMedia, carrying out commercial and marketing tasks to attract and develop actions aimed at the main advertisers in the country, where he worked for clients such as Peugeot, Vodafone, Opel, among others.

Later, in Colombia, he was linked to the Canadian company Eco Oro Minerals Corp. as director of communications, managing its internal and external direction. He has been linked to SecLatam for more than four years as director of the Brand PR practice and has been involved in managing high-level events such as the II IDB Pyramid Base Forum, XIII IDB – Civil Society Meeting, among others.

Founding Partner and CEO of SEC Newgate Middle East and Strategy Board Member at MEPRA

With a degree in Arabic at Ca’ Foscari University, Elena began her professional activities in communications and marketing management at Il Sole 24 ORE group in Milan, where she worked for 10 years.
After moving to Dubai with her family in 2010 she became Account Director for the Luxury and Consumer sector at MS&L (Leo Burnett Group).
In 2013, she met Twister’s partners and founded Twister Middle East. In 2021, SEC Newgate acquired a 70 per cent stake in Twister Middle East and the Dubai-based agency was renamed SEC Newgate Middle East.
Elena leads an international team of specialists, personally overseeing professional work for clients and making a rich wealth of competences and experience available to them. Recognised by PR Week’s Global Power Book as one of the most influential communications strategist in the Middle East from 2021.

Founder of CLAI, Eric is a professional in corporate communications, public affairs and sensitive and crisis communications. He advised or still advises Air Liquide, Rio Tinto, Nestlé France, AstraZeneca, Schindler, Lafarge, Lilly France, Urbis Park, e.on, Altéo, the Ansa, the Hersant Media Group, the Reyl bank, Transdev, International Papers, Bridgestone, the CESE.

President for more than 8 years of Publicis Consultants, he was in charge of many large-scale campaigns, such as the pension reform, the health insurance reform, the state reform, the establishment of the LOLF, the GDF-SUEZ merger, Alcan’s takeover bid for Pechiney and Sanofi’s for Aventis.

Honorary ‘Maître des Requêtes’ at the ‘Conseil d’Etat’, former technical adviser to the Cabinet and then director of central administration at the Ministry of the Interior from 1981 to 1986, Eric has a thorough knowledge of the decision-making processes for public actions.

A former ENA student (Pierre Mendès-France promotion-1978), Eric also has a DESS in political science, a master’s degree in private law and a diploma from Sciences Po (Public Service section, promotion 1974).

He is a published author, his books include: “Corporate communications: le manuel des strategies” (2009), PUF; “Affaires de com’” (2011), Odile Jacob; “Il y a 30 ans, l’Acte I de la décentralisation” (2012), Berger Levrault; “Pour en finir (vraiment) avec le millefeuille territorial” (2015), l’Archipel; “De l’art de faire dire du bien de soi par les autres” (2019), Ed Bourin François.

Eric has been decorated as Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour and Officer of the National Order of Merit.

Sebastian Hejnowski has more than 20 years of experience in communications. Sebastian is heading regional offices in the Central and Eastern European countries, the Balkans and the Gulf. He was recognized as a leader of Eastern European Consultancy of the Year at EMEA SABRE Awards, three times in the last decade (2015, 2017 and 2019). Worked for 3 years in Paris headquarters of MSL. Moreover he ran the advertising agency Leo Burnett.

Managed communication strategies and leader PR and PA services for for various clients in different sectors including IT, airlines, finance, media, FMCG.

Expert and practionier in creating plans of crisis management, strategic and Public Affairs advisory. Managed public affairs campaign for fight in defence of television station TVN.Warner Bros.

He was responsible for the image the biggest clients present in the CEE region.

Sebastian is involved in current trade, social and political affairs. He served as a judge in Europe’s trade contests, such as the Golden Drum, Cristal Festival and Złote Spinacze.

He willingly shares his knowledge of public relations at media trainings and practical classes.

“Woman to Watch in 2022” on the Forbes Women Power Rising list. The protagonist of the “Women of Success” series in the Vogue Polska magazine.

Co-founder and vice president of the agency. He has nearly 20 years of experience in communication consulting, strategy development and the implementation of PR and marketing projects.

For 10 years she held managerial positions in Publicis Groupe. She was the director responsible for business development in the Central and Eastern Europe region, opened offices in the Czech Republic and Turkey, and integrated teams in Romania, Bulgaria and Slovenia. Previously, she was the managing director of MSL, one of the largest PR agencies in Poland. For three years she was the Chief Communication Officer at Publicis Communications, where she dealt with consulting for the management board. Her professional experience also includes working for the global network agencies Edelman and Havas.

It has won over 20 prestigious awards and distinctions, including: EFFIE, Golden Drum, SABER Award, IPRA Golden World Award, European Excellent Award, Złote Spinacze, Impactory, and twice the “Social Campaign of the Year” titles. She is a juror at international creative festivals, from the Arab Emirates through France, to virtually all important competitions in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe:

Since 2017, he has been a member of the Expert Council of the THINKTANK Center for Dialogue and Analysis. She is a mentor of the Business Leaders Foundation. She conducts original classes at the University of Warsaw, and also lectured at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Lazarski University.

Passionate about operational excellence, Feriel is a seasoned association executive. She brings over 20 years of experience in managing organisations to SEC Newgate EU, 15 of which with associations, large and small, across a variety of sectors. She launched SEC Newgate EU’s association management practice.

Prior to joining SEC Newgate EU in 2011, Feriel worked for a Brussels-based association management company. She also worked for the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, providing technical assistance to EU-funded projects. She began her career as a translator-interpreter.

Feriel graduated in 1994 from the Brussels Institut Supérieur de Traducteurs et Interprètes as a French, Italian and English interpreter. She also holds an Executive Master in International Association Management from the Solvay Brussels School. Feriel is a member of ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership and has served as Chair-elect of the AMCI Global Task Force and as a mentor for the CIPE Know How programme, mentoring the Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie du Cap Bon (Tunisia).

She speaks French, English, Italian, Arabic, Spanish and Portuguese and holds Belgian and Algerian nationality

Peter Coolen is a seasoned strategic communications expert, bringing particular strength in corporate reputation, CEO positioning, crisis & issue management and thought leadership programs. During his career, he has managed programs for clients across a range of industries, including healthcare, finance, and technology, with specific initiatives including pan-European, national corporate and positioning programs for the likes of Amazon, Citibank, Novartis, Moderna and Mastercard. Peter has handled a range of issues such as labor disputes, public hearings, strikes, product recalls, health and safety issues litigation and labor accidents.

When I decided to study Business Administration, my father said “that has to do with salesmen, right? You should study Law – that’s definitely more respectable!”. Truth is that I did study Law, but when he wanted me to go further and access public notaries, I fortunately managed to convince him to do an MBA. That’s when my passion for marketing, communication and sales began. Since then, I have been working with dozens of clients, brands and above all hundreds of people. In the meanwhile, I have been able to make great friends, play tennis, paddle and golf, and build a wonderful family along the way.

Based in Hong Kong, William is an experienced corporate affairs adviser with over 20 years of experience in strategic communications, public affairs, and geopolitical advisory.  

Before joining SEC Newgate, William served as a Director at Brunswick’s Hong Kong office, and he previously worked for the consultancy Teneo and the healthcare company Bupa. Prior to working in Hong Kong, William worked for the business group CBI in the United Kingdom. 

Terence leads SEC Newgate in Singapore and Southeast Asia, and has over 25 years of experience in financial communications, corporate communications and public affairs. Since joining the public relations industry in 1999, he has been advising on long-term strategic profile-raising, reputation management and issues management programmes. He has also advised on crisis communications, litigation support, government relations and employee engagement initiatives, and also coached C-suite and operational management teams on messaging, presentation and public speaking skills. His clients have spanned a wide variety of sectors, such as financial services, food and beverage, gaming, healthcare, manufacturing, professional services, as well as transport and logistics.

Terence has an unparalleled track record of advising on successful financial communications and capital markets transactions. He has advised on numerous headline M&A deals involving some of the largest regional groups, starting with the merger of DBS Land and Pidemco Land to form CapitaLand in 2000, and the UOB takeover of OUB in 2001. Terence has also advised on about a third of the 40 largest SGX IPOs, including the US$5.5 billion Hutchison Port Holdings Trust IPO, which continues to be the largest listing in the history of Singapore.

Terence holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. He is an accredited member of the Institute of Public Relations of Singapore.

Sergio has more than 15 years of broad experience in financial audit of national and international clients, for both statutory and group reporting purposes under Italian GAAP, IFRS and US GAAP; as Audit Manager, he has worked for 3 years in the United States, where he was the coordinator of the Italian Desk in New York. He also performed long-term assignments providing financial analysis and consulting services in Amazon Italy and other international clients.

From 2017 to 2020 he worked as Finance Manager in a digital company providing software solutions for the automotive industry in Europe, based in Milan, and recently listed on Euronext Amsterdam.

Sergio joined SEC Newgate on 1 June 2020 as Group CFO.

He has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Italy’s leading university Bocconi in Milan, and he is qualified in Italy as a Certified Public Accountant.

Michele is a business executive with a long and solid experience in Professional Services gained in multinational contexts for more than 30 years.

He spent 25 years in Accenture as Managing Director where he matured significant capabilities in managing Transformation initiatives for Telco, High Tech, Chemical and Automotive clients.

After three years in the Customer Care BPO sector as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Comdata S.p.A, in 2018 Michele joined RGI Group, ISP (Independent Software Provider) leader in the EMEA Insurance market, with the role of COO.

Over the years he proved significant ability in managing and evolving corporate operations to sustain company performances in term of profitability, process effectiveness and industrialization. He’s strongly skilled in developing long term relationships with Clients based on results, value delivered and trust.

He values building collaborative work environments in complex situations, leveraging on diversity, teamwork and engagement of talented people to deliver outstanding outcomes.

Michele joined SEC Newgate in 2022 as Chief Operating Officer.

Cara has more than two decades of communications industry experience working with global Fortune 500 companies and U.S. federal agencies. Her work spans multiple market sectors, including Energy, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Automotive and Technology, with a particular focus on supporting organizations working in regulated industries on corporate affairs, policy, and reputation strategy.

Cara joined SEC Newgate on 1 April 2024 as Chief Growth Officer, Global and Americas.

A proven leader with a successful track record of implementing strategies that increase sales, business performance and agency reputation, Cara has spent her career at two of the world’s leading multinational communications holding companies, WPP and Omnicom. Most recently, Cara spent five years with BCW, a WPP company, leading growth for the agency’s largest region in alignment with the company’s objectives, market conditions, and industry trends. She previously spent a decade at Ketchum, an Omnicom company, where she led business development and strategy for the Washington, D.C. market, in addition to several industry sectors for North America.

Cara lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and their four children.

Maurizio Maione has spent nearly 20 years advising organizations in different segment of communications, from crisis to issue management, from sustainability to community relations. During his career Maurizio has dealt with different models of the advisory business from local boutique heavy specialised firms to national players to eventually global multinationals in a continuous travel back and forth. He has also lived different experience as far as his role was concerned, being an advisor, a partner and a manager in different contexts.

He has a deep understanding of several industries including energy, chemicals, automotive and infrastructures. Over the time he has developed a sheer interest in training activities and currently he is engaged in media training and public speaking sessions, nationally and internationally.

Maurizio currently serves has Chief of Staff of the Group CEO a position where he can deliver his first hand knowledge of the progressive construction of the Group as he was engaged in the internationalisation process from the very beginning in 2013, along with previous know-how from being part of WPP before joining SEC Newgate in 2009. Part of his daily work in related to coordinating and overseeing the build up of international teams from across the Group when pitching global prospects.

Aged 55, Maurizio holds a degree in Macro economics and Politics and a Master in Mass media and Journalism. He is based between Milan and Rome.

Kaitlyn Brown is a skilled communications professional with a strong track record in driving global business growth, enhancing client service, and integrating teams across a variety of sectors, including technology, healthcare and consumer industries. As a results-focused and strategic leader, she has consistently demonstrated her ability to execute growth strategies that deliver measurable outcomes. ​

In April 2024, Kaitlyn joined SEC Newgate as SVP, Global Growth. Known for her ability to create synergies within teams, she thrives in dynamic environments where strategic thinking and operational processes can be leveraged to drive impactful results.​

Before joining SEC Newgate, Kaitlyn spent nearly a decade at BCW, a WPP company. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in shaping the agency’s business strategy, with a particular emphasis on new business, marketing, and client development. Kaitlyn also contributed to BCW’s internal growth by leading learning and development initiatives for the largest global region and managing operations for a Fortune 100 WPP client.​

Earlier in her career, Kaitlyn worked in the hospitality industry, holding key roles with Commune Hotels and Hyatt Hotels. There, she developed and executed internal and external communications strategies, as well as business development plans that aligned with the organizations’ overall objectives.

Irene is a marketing leader with over 15 years of experience in global brand strategy, go-to-market execution, and digital transformation across top-tier organizations on two continents.​ 

As Vice President of Marketing and Partnerships at SEC Newgate, Irene coordinates cross-functional and cross-regional teams to deliver measurable business impact, driving corporate growth through innovative, data-driven marketing and stakeholder alignment. She joined as Group Marketing Manager in July 2021, spearheading the launch of the SEC Newgate ESG Monitor that same year, while collaborating with teams to strengthen brand equity.

Her career spans consulting for B2B and B2C companies in automotive, omnichannel retail, food & beverage, and SaaS, with expertise in strategic marketing, branding, market research, and CRM.​ 

Irene holds a Bachelor in Conference Interpreting from SSIT (Milan), a Bachelor in Modern Languages from Università degli Studi of Milan, and an Executive Master in Marketing and Sales from ESADE Business School and SDA Bocconi. A former lecturer at IULM University, she mentored through Bocconi University and Young Women Network programs,

In addition to her native Italian, Irene speaks English, French, German and basic Spanish.