Senior comms administrators launch consultancy for northern ‘development’ companies
Consulting firm 56 ° North has three founding partners: John Penman, Fiona Stanton and Anthony Thompson.
The trio have each been involved in corporate communications, media and political campaigning across the UK for more than 20 years.
Penman was the director of communications at Lloyds Banking Group and spent 20 years as a senior journalist and business and political editor for The Sunday Times, Business am and The Scotsman.
Stanton is a former Labor Party Senior Director, Secretary General in Scotland and Director in the North of England, and has run “over 100 campaigns” including Labor’s “Get out the Vote” activity during the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum.
Previously, Thompson led corporate affairs at Virgin Money and has experience in city, public policy and media relations in senior corporate affairs for TSB Clydesdale, Yorkshire Bank and Scottish Widows / Lloyds Banking Group.
Before that, he was Senior Director at the CBI and headed its political engagement in Great Britain and then lobbying the EU as Director in Brussels.
The new consultancy, based in Edinburgh and Newcastle, provides strategic communications, public affairs and campaign services.
The company promises “expertise in running communications and policy campaigns in parts of the country traditionally overlooked by other, often London-focused agencies”.
The consultation started with a client list that includes Oxbury Bank, consumer lender Oplo, Crosswind and the Northern Powerhouse Partnership.
“We are very happy about the start of 56 ° North. It has been clear for some time that many companies in the north of England and Scotland do not have access to the high level support and advice they should, ”said Penman.
Stanton added, “We bring a wide range of experience and specific industry knowledge and skills. We are based where our customers are, so we know the problems they face and believe we can make a difference, especially in the current context of Scotland’s constitutional future and the government’s agenda for upgrading. “
