He is an experienced political consultant and is proud to be the Chairman of GK Strategy, also serving on the Board.
Robin manages our relationships with the investment community and wider industry stakeholders.
Robin Grainger
Founder & Chairman
Louise is GK's CEO and provides strategic counsel to our clients, particularly high growth and private equity backed businesses.
Over the past 10 years at GK, Louise has advised on communications strategies and private equity deals across highly regulated industries and is an industry leader in providing senior political counsel and insights.
Louise Allen
Senior Partner & Chief Executive
Emma started life at GK as an intern but has risen up to lead on our new business targets
and advocacy team on a wide variety of clients, as well as representing us on industry
bodies.
Emma Petela
Senior Partner & Head of Strategy & Growth
Scott has over 15 years’ experience in public affairs, government relations and reputation management.
He has a strong network of senior political and government stakeholders in London and overseas together with skills in developing and maintaining complex relationships with parliamentary and government audiences around the world.
His cross-sector expertise has been built in senior public affairs and communications roles in-house and in advisory firms.
Scott Dodsworth
Senior Partner & Managing Director
Lizzie is a Senior Partner at GK Strategy and is an expert in policy and political risk advisory.
With over 15 years’ experience, Lizzie leads GK’s political and regulatory due diligence services, providing senior counsel to investors and management teams on the impact of political change on investment decisions.
Lizzie advises clients on policy risk, pre- and post-transaction strategy and corporate messaging, and has advised some of the world’s largest investors.
Lizzie Wills
Senior Partner & Head of Private Equity
Annabelle joined the Advocacy team as an Adviser in February 2024 after completing two internships at GK in her first and final year at university.
Whilst completing her BSc in Politics and International Relations at the University of Bristol, she was an ambassador for IHAV, co-founding an anti-fast fashion campaign and organising events.
In her final year of studies, she led communications and outreach for a foreign policy think tank, hosting roundtable events and policy masterclasses.
Annabelle now works across GK’s Advocacy clients including in the creative industries and financial and professional services sectors.
Annabelle Black
Adviser
David Laws is a strategic adviser to GK with a wealth of experience across education and skills.
Between 2001 and 2015, David served as the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Yeovil. He held various senior frontbench positions for the party in Parliament, including as its spokesperson on schools, children and families, before joining the cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury in the Coalition Government. From 2012 to 2015.
David was the Minister of State for Schools in the Department for Education. David has served as Executive Chairman of the Education Policy Institute and the Education Partnerships Group.
David Laws
Strategic Adviser
Sophie joins GK Strategy with over three years' experience in public affairs.
Before joining GK Strategy, Sophie was responsible for implementing campaigns and advising on strategy at a leading communications and public affairs agency in London.
She has worked with some of the world’s largest companies across a variety of sectors, from financial and professional services to hospitality, and has curated a particular expertise in issues related to sustainability and ESG.
Sophie Duley
Associate
David has over a decade of consultancy experience in delivering public affairs campaigns and issue management strategies for clients.
David joined the team in summer 2023 and has worked with companies in emerging industries, helping to shape their regulatory regimes, to supporting blue chip companies deliver policy changes, David has experience in sectors ranging from FMCG, energy and financial services.
David Mitchell
Associate Director
Thea is highly skilled in political risk analysis and due diligence.
Working with our Insight team to provide counsel to investors and management teams on the impact of political and regulatory change.
Thea has over a decade’s experience undertaking complex policy research, both from within and outside of Parliament. She has guided politicians and investors throughout numerous rounds of Brexit negotiations, three general elections and the COVID pandemic.
Thea Southwell Reeves
Associate Director
Hugo is a Senior Associate in our Insight team.
Hugo joined GK Strategy from the Policy Research Unit, a Westminster-based pooled research facility for Conservative MPs, in December 2022.
While at the Policy Research Unit, he briefed Conservative MPs and their staff on policy related to home affairs, defence and DCMS, as well as provided correspondence support.
Previously, Hugo worked at another public affairs agency where he focused on renewable energy projects and financing nuclear power stations.
Hugo Tuckett
Senior Associate
Will is an experienced public affairs consultant, having begun his career working in the House of Commons before entering consultancy six years ago.
He has worked across a variety of sectors, with particular experience in technology and financial services, and has experience of advising some of the world’s largest companies on their public affairs and political engagement strategies.
Will Blackman
Associate Director
Lauren is a Senior Adviser in the GK Strategy Advocacy team.
Lauren joined GK Strategy from a political intelligence company where she was responsible for several clients, helping them understand the political landscape primarily focusing on tech and telecoms policy.
She also serves on the editorial board of a foreign policy think in her spare time.
Lauren holds a BSC in Politics and International Relations from the University of Bath.
Lauren Atkins
Senior Adviser
Josh provides strategic advice on political and regulatory developments
Josh joined GK’s Insight team after working as an analyst for a venture capital advisory firm, focusing on the development of Fintech and Regtech applications.
He has also worked for the APPG for BAME Business Owners to facilitate collaboration on policy matters between ethnic minority led businesses and parliamentarians.
Josh works across a range of political due diligence projects – providing counsel on private equity deals in regulated sectors such as consumer finance and social care.
Josh Owolabi
Associate
John was the inaugural Chair of the Financial Conduct Authority from 2013 to 2018.
John brings additional experience in financial services from his prior career as UK Chairman and Senior Partner at KPMG. John is a strategic advisor at GK.
John Griffith-Jones
Strategic Adviser
James conducts deep dive policy research and intelligence gathering to inform commercial insights and political risk analysis for investor clients.
James joined GK Strategy in October 2024, and leverages his experience at a leading Westminster think tank and time as a staffer in Parliament, bringing experience to the GK Insights team. James previously worked at another public affairs consultancy delivering client outcomes and supporting business growth opportunities in the transition to EVs and deployment of EV charging infrastructure amongst others.
Prior to this, James was a Research Fellow at Policy Exchange and Junior Secretary to a then Cabinet Minister. He holds an MA in Political Economy of the Middle East from King’s College London and BA in Politics from Durham University.
James Allan
Senior Adviser
Noureen is a political adviser in our Advocacy team
She joined GK Strategy in November 2022 and supports our public affairs and communications work across a range of sectors.
Noureen has previously completed an internship at I have a Voice (IHAV) as a Policy and Public Affairs Assistant. She is also part of the IHAV Youth Ambassador programme and is currently working on the ‘Politics for All’ campaign, a movement seeking to make political literacy accessible for all young people.
Noureen has a BA in Politics and International Relations from the University of East London.
Noureen Ahmed
Adviser
Phil Hope is a former MP and Minister of State for Care Services alongside various other ministerial roles.
Phil works with the GK team on all matters health and social care, including providing strategic support to investors during the investment process. While Care Services Minister, his work included development of the National Care Service White Paper, the National Dementia Strategy, the National Mental Health Strategy, and the National Autism Strategy. As an adjunct professor at Imperial College’s Global Health Institute, Phil continues to have strong relationships with leading healthcare stakeholders.
Phil is also a Director of a cross-party health Commission which is focused on Health Devolution. Furthermore, Phil helps GK clients through providing strategic advice and sharing his experiences of policy making within the Labour Party.
Phil Hope
Strategic Adviser
Sam joined GK Strategy in October 2021.
Bringing expertise in planning communications and political engagement for major infrastructure, housing and energy projects at both Westminster and local government level.
Sam’s political experience also extends to running for local councillor for the Labour Party in May 2021. Sam now supports several projects across health, education, energy and financial services, providing research, political analysis and strategic communications support to clients.
Sam Tankard
Senior Associate
Steve Brine is a Strategic Adviser at GK Strategy.
He was Member of Parliament for Winchester from 2010-2024 and served in Government as a Whip, Public Health Minister and chaired the influential Health and Social Care Select Committee.
Steve’s main interests include primary care, public health, NHS leadership and prevention of ill health as well as HIV, health tech and cancer.
He also co-hosts the successful ‘Prevention is the new cure’ podcast and lives in Hampshire. He now works in the private sector as a health advisor and speaker and is a charity trustee.
Steve Brine
Strategic Adviser
Arth is a Researcher at GK Strategy working across our Advocacy and Insights teams.
Arth initially joined GK Strategy as an intern in the summer of 2024 and has interned previously with a strategic communications firm focusing on education and apprenticeship policy.
He has also worked on projects with the Peterloo Institute as well as engaging with multiple other cross-party think tanks. His main interests include education policy, skills as well as understanding UK’s wider relationship with other emerging economies.
Arth holds a BSC in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Manchester and alongside his role at GK Strategy is currently pursuing a MSC in Political Economy of Emerging Markets from King’s College London.
Arth Malani
Researcher
Tim Chair of the Board and Strategic Adviser to GK and our clients.
Over the last 30 years, Tim has worked extensively in the private equity world, including for 3i Plc, Royal Bank Private Equity, LDC and Palatine.
Tim is also a former Chair of the British Venture Capital Association.