Brandon Hill Communications

Meet the team

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Ian Muir - Managing Director

A communications strategist with 20 years experience, Ian has directed and implemented a broad range of programmes across the public and private sectors. He has overseen campaigns for a variety of organisations, including Business Link, the Environment Agency, Land Securities, Nortel and Whitbread. He has specialist experience forging results-driven partnerships with key stakeholders. This work has involved developing innovative consultation and engagement programmes.

Luke Brown - Associate Director

Luke has managed events comprising more than 250 delegates, over 35 international delegates, Government Ministers and even a member of the Royal family. With a keen eye for detail he leaves no stone unturned when it comes to exceptional delivery and hitting targets.

Luke has managed UK Trade & Investment events for the last four years and has built strong working relationships with numerous Sector teams, British Embassy staff across the world and leading industry stakeholders.

He has developed a true talent for managing high profile, reputational, national and international events for the Advanced Engineering, Energy, ICT, Transport and Life Sciences Sector teams and a number of UKTI country desks. Always on the go, Luke has recently delivered events in Brazil, China, Dubai, Germany, the USA and across the UK.

Dedicated to trade and investment accounts, Luke never loses sight of the objective — to facilitate business for UK companies and to measure all resulting business outcomes for our clients.

Caroline Preece - Head of Events

During the last five years Caroline has grown Brandon Hill’s events division into a well respected and trusted team of dedicated professionals, leading from the front and maintaining the agency’s excellent reputation.

With 15 years experience in events and communications, Caroline joined Brandon Hill after spending five years working for the UK Government in Chicago as Vice Consul for UK Trade & Investment, providing her with first-hand experience of the impact and effect of in-market activities across a broad spectrum of events and initiatives.

Caroline pays close attention to detail and applies meticulous planning in her commitment to deliver every event to the highest standard.

Mirelle Ball - Account Director

Mirelle is a highly accomplished event director with over five years experience working in the environmental and renewable energy sectors. For the last two years she has delivered events around the globe surrounding the promotion of the UK’s offshore wind industry on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change and UK Trade & Investment.

Mirelle has played an intrinsic role in supporting the development of the UK Government’s Energy events strategy and has helped manage the strategic positioning between UK Government and key international investors, which has led to significant investment in the UK. She has led a range of international missions, providing UK pavilions across the globe, including Europe, the USA, China and the UAE, and has established strong networks with Government, industry, and key institutions both nationally and internationally.

Along with a background in marketing and communications, Mirelle brings a commercial awareness to her work linked with a breadth of knowledge of the UK energy industry and its role in supporting the UK's 2020 Targets and the fight towards combating climate change.

Helen Hodgson - Business Development Director

Helen has an exceptional background in international trade and marketing having worked for UK Trade & Investment internationally, nationally and regionally. Her experience includes arranging and managing overseas missions and events for UK companies including the FIMAI exhibition in Sao Paulo, and a multi-sector mission to Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg in South Africa.

Helen has an in-depth knowledge of international business, most recently having worked as an International Trade Advisor for UKTI South West specifically helping UK companies to break into new markets.

Prior to that Helen was based in London working for UK Trade & Investment for five years, assuming a number of senior roles including Investment Officer for the US Midwest and Canada, and Marketing Manager for the Inward Investment and Sector teams.

Since joining the agency in April, Helen has delivered the ExploreExport South West conference and exhibition, and a high profile conference focussing on opportunities in Libya. Helen also leads the agency’s FDI Lead Generation Unit, strategically identifying FDI opportunities across a number of target sectors.

Natalie Birrell - PR Director

Natalie has worked in journalism and public relations for the past 15 years. She has managed the PR for an extensive range of professional services firms, including Clarke Willmott, Eversheds, Thring Townsend, Withy King, PricewaterhouseCoopers, HLB Kidsons, Bacon & Woodrow and Smith & Williamson, as well as a diverse range of businesses and Government-funded support agencies.

Natalie started her working life as a regional press journalist before joining the ranks of three very different PR agencies. In 2001, she established her own PR agency NB Public Relations which specialised in business-to-business communications. The company ran successfully for five years until 2006 when Natalie decided to start a family and take her career in a different direction. She worked as a freelance PR consultant and media relations trainer until 2009 when she joined Brandon Hill, where she heads up the agency's B2B portfolio.

Kim Westby - Account Director

With over nine years experience in event management, Kim specialises in public sector initiatives.

Her portfolio of events for between 20 – 1200 delegates includes coordinating the SAE Global Performance Conference for the Welsh Development Agency and the National Offenders Management launch conference for the Home Office.

Since joining Brandon Hill in 2008 Kim has been dedicated to the UK Trade & Investment account, honing her skills in international trade and investment driven activity.

Kim specialises in the delivery of large-scale events as well as projects with a particularly high-profile delegate list. She has recently delivered a number of events involving the Prime Minister David Cameron, as well as Vince Cable MP and Boris Johnson.

Alexandra Beare - Senior Account Manager

Alex has an impressive background in managing conferences, seminars and hospitality events for audiences of up to 500 people.

She has delivered events around the world including in Qatar, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, France and Spain. Her previous clients have included Ernst & Young, Lehman Brothers, Thomas Cook Group and Wimbledon All England Tennis Club.

Since joining Brandon Hill in 2008, Alex has coordinated an impressive array of projects for numerous sector teams within UKTI including Life Sciences, ICT, Environment and Water, Mass Transport, Aerospace, Advanced Engineering, and Energy.

Her impeccable organisational skills and ability to multi-task make her an invaluable member of the team.

James Meredith - PR Account Manager

English Language graduate, James joined Brandon Hill Communications as B2B PR Account Manager in August 2011. He leads a range of campaigns, playing a key role in combining traditional PR tactics with social media activity. James has a special responsibility in working with Brandon Hill Managing Director, Ian Muir in developing and promoting the agency’s brand, helping shape the fast growing PR division.

Annie Jarman - Account Manager

Annie has four years experience in live events and enjoys the challenge of bringing ideas to life. She has managed an extensive range of events including a roadshow with 13 different locations over two weeks, a national conference with over 500 delegates and a series of national and international exhibitions.

Annie’s previous clients include the Home Office, Department for Communities and Local Government, Department of Health, Welsh Assembly Government, Selex, Serco, MOT2U, Pensions Regulator, Walker Morris Solicitors, Servoca and Low Carbon South West.

Since joining Brandon Hill, Annie has delivered a number of high-profile and complex events including roadshows, conferences, exhibitions, inward and outward missions – across the UK and further afield in locations including India, Germany and Brazil.

Annie’s enthusiasm and her passion for events are clearly reflected in her work.

Emma Henry - Senior Account Executive

A graduate of Bristol University, Emma joined the agency in 2009 and plays a vital role in many complex projects. Specialising in audience recruitment, delegate management, and b2b matching, she is tenacious in delivering against targets.

Most recently in 2011 she has delivered a number of projects for UKTI including UK Energy in Brazil, the Energy Roadshow, Medica, and the UK-India Technology Partnering Programme.

Anna Clark - PR Senior Account Executive

Anna joined the Brandon Hill Communications team in 2010 with a real enthusiasm for PR. After graduating with a degree in English Literature from Bristol University, Anna went on to achieve an MSc in International Public Relations in 2010.

Anna joined the team following a nine-month internship at Manchester’s Fido PR, where her clients included the RHS Show Tatton Park, the Imperial War Museum North and Vimto. Since joining Brandon Hill Communications, Anna has worked on a range of clients including Business Link, Business Link Rural and Enterprise Europe Network South West. Anna has become an integral member of the team, assisting in the delivery of large scale communications campaigns including Business Link’s Growing Business — the Big Conversation; a six month press and online campaign that aimed to encourage and inspire South West companies to grow.

Stephanie Muir - PR Account Executive

A first class honours graduate from Exeter University, Stephanie joined Brandon Hill at the beginning of September. She is developing strong social media and writing skills, supporting a range of the agency’s B2B clients.