He is an experienced political consultant and is proud to be the Executive Chair of GK Strategy, also serving on the Board.
Robin manages our relationships with the investment community and wider industry stakeholders.
Robin also supports I Have A Voice as a member of the Board.
Robin Grainger
Founder & Executive Chair
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
Felix is a political adviser in the GK Insight team. He supports our work in political and regulatory due diligence and wider political advisory, working across multiple sectors. Felix was an intern at GK, as well as the Cabinet Office.
He has a BA in Politics from the University of Nottingham and is also a reservist, serving with 1st Battalion London Guards.
Felix Griffin
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
Hugo is a Senior Adviser 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 Adviser
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
Ibrahim is a Senior Associate and has several years’ experience working in policy, public affairs and communications.
He has a specialism in healthcare and pharmaceuticals and has worked with key national and international health bodies, as well as some of the largest pharmaceutical companies on projects across a number of therapy areas, including oncology, vaccines, rare diseases, dermatology, and mental health.
Alongside his experience, Ibrahim also holds a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics in International Health Policy (Health Economics).
Ibrahim Zafar
Senior Associate
Robert supports clients across a range of sectors including technology, financial and professional services and media.
He joined GK from Dehavilland, a political intelligence provider in February 2023.
In Robert’s previous role, he supported a number of clients, helping them understand the political landscape across both the EU and UK divisions, primarily focusing on the tech, media and telecoms policy areas.
Prior to this, Robert worked in the European Parliament as Parliamentary Assistant to a senior British MEP.
Robert Blackmore
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
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
Milo joined GK following an internship he completed in November 2020, and now works across a number of different account teams.
He is heavily involved in helping clients navigate the fast-changing healthcare and education landscapes through research, policy analysis, and assisting with the delivery of strategic counsel.
Milo previously interned for a Westminster-based think tank as well as a not-for-profit focused on the regeneration of a part of central London.
Milo Boyd
Senior Adviser
Rebecca is an Adviser in our private equity - Insight - team
Rebecca joined GK as an Adviser in August 2023, following a 3-month internship supporting due diligence projects across various sectors. Prior to working at GK, she was leading a volunteering program at the Royal Free Foundation NHS Trust.
While completing her undergraduate degree in English Literature at the University of Edinburgh, she was involved with various youth-focused organisations including Uptree and Schools Unlocked, as well as a Scotland-based early years charity. She is particularly interested in the education space and is involved with IHAV’s stakeholder engagement and event organisation work.
Rebecca McMahon
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
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
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