Portland

Portland

Portland was established in 2001 by Tim Allan, a former adviser to Tony Blair.

Portland was founded on the belief that there was a need for a high-quality consultancy that could understand and communicate complex arguments to key decision-makers and influencers.

After a period of substantial growth in the UK market, and increasing international work for our corporate and not-for-profit clients, Portland has now extended its reach with offices in New York and Nairobi.

Our strength is in understanding and communicating often controversial issues to key media and decision-makers. Equally comfortable talking to politicians or journalists, Portland is ideally placed to run campaigns with wide-ranging stakeholders.

From its earliest days, Portland has developed a special interest and expertise in communicating in, and about, Africa. We work with the high-level Africa Progress Panel and the Kofi Annan Foundation, have helped established the Ibrahim Prize for African Leadership on the global agenda and advise and support communications by NGOs, governments, multi-national companies and multilateral agencies across the continent.

To improve and expand the support and services we offer, Portland has an office in Nairobi which also manages our network of high-level African agencies throughout the continent. Our experience and

network gives Portland and its clients a unique reach across sub-Saharan Africa.

Our unique Nairobi expertise

Portland’s consultants are drawn from the highest echelons of the media, from inside government and from all sides of the political spectrum.

We are extremely selective in our recruitment, only choosing applicants with a first class academic record and a very good knowledge of politics or media. As we recruit from outside traditional consultancies, our employees bring a fresh, dynamic angle to our clients’ problems. At all levels of the company, whether it is providing monitoring or strategic advice, we are absolutely committed to the highest levels of customer service.

In particular, Portland specializes in providing advice which takes account the interplay between political decision-making and the media. We take pride in helping our clients to shape critical debates, whatever the audience.

Because Portland is entirely owned by its employees, we are fully motivated to be part of the company’s progress and vision.

Our team

Portland New York offers organizations, foundations and companies our expertise in navigating global media and public affairs debates. From our offices in New York, we offer our clients expanded media presence in North America as well as strategic counsel on public affairs issues and access to our network that reaches from New York to London to Nairobi.

Portland has demonstrated success for our clients by using our deep understanding of the intersection of politics, policy and media to deliver real results. Whether executing global issues campaigns for multinational organisations and foundations or through understanding the local issues facing global

brands, it is Portland’s people and expertise that set us apart.

Portland New York

Corporate communications We devise and implement creative communications strategies that ensure the right messages are heard by the right audiences at the right times. We manage complex media relations programs and draft news releases, articles, “op-eds”, letters, and press packs to make sure our clients’ arguments are placed firmly on the media agenda.

Public Affairs Portland puts top-level inside experience from the political and parliamentary worlds, the government machine and industry regulators at your disposal. We have a proven track record of helping our clients to communicate to key decision-makers efficiently, making effective use of time the client devotes to this work.

Opinion research Before beginning major communications operations Portland recommends spending time actually testing how messages and strategy will play out. Portland’s service includes both qualitative and quantitative opinion research - polling and focus groups which probe what consumers really think about issues affecting your business - as well as strategic analysis and advice on how to manage those perceptions.

Services

Media training We have extensive experience of providing media training for senior figures. Our team has worked with Prime Ministers, Presidents, Ministers, military and business leaders, advising on public speaking, handling TV and radio interviews, appearing before parliamentary committees and dealing with journalists. We have worked across a range of sectors including media, technology, personal finance, FMCG, transport, travel, planning, government and charity.

Writing Portland Writing has helped senior business leaders, major companies, international figures and high-profile campaigners with speeches, articles and other written material. We pioneered messaging workshops to help find, in straightforward language, the right solutions to often complex communication challenges. We then use our experience and expertise to draft a whole range of written materials to ensure these messages get heard.

Events Whether it is an intimate dinner with a few key journalists or a champagne reception at an exclusive club, our team can deliver the event that our clients need. We can advise on the format that will work best, select the perfect venue, dip into our address book to choose the right top-level guests and organize the event from beginning to end. We’ll do the hard work so clients can focus on their guests and on getting their message across to the people that matter.

Portland is trusted by the world’s largest brands, high-profile individuals and organizations to help them navigate complicated policy and media issues and debates. Whether that means helping Google communicate to the media about regulatory issues or assisting Kofi Annan in his strategic communications in his post-UN work, Portland achieves real results that make an impact.

Our client experience encompasses a wide range of sectors. Our clients range from major multi-national businesses to private citizens, from governments to NGOs, from the drinks industry to motor manufacturers. As well as our specialism in development and Africa, we have particular strength in media and technology which includes work for such major players as Apple, Bebo, BSkyB, Google, Vodafone and Facebook. Some use Portland to support their communications, others to assist their public affairs and government relations work. For many, we provide mixed teams with expertise in both areas.

Typically, our clients are those who find themselves engaged in high-profile debates, where they are challenging vested interests and the status quo. Portland brings to the table high-level experience from the worlds of the media, political campaigning and inside government and regulatory authorities, helping our clients get their message across to the audiences that matter.

Our client list

4th Floor, Laiboni Centre, Lenana RoadKilimani, KenyaTel: +254 (0)20 493 8200Web: www.portlandpr.co.uk Email: info@portlandpr.co.uk