Our senior team
Maureen Sutherland Smith
Maureen founded The Communication Group plc in January 1986. Previously she was Chief Executive of Good Relations Group Plc, the largest public relations company in the UK and the first to be quoted on the London Stock Exchange. In 2011 she was made a Freeman of the City of London and in 2012 was appointed Vice President of Coram, the UK’s oldest children’s charity and subsequently a life Governor in 2016.
Michael Holmes
Michael joined The Communication Group plc in 2001. He previously ran his own consultancy and prior to that built a marketing communications business for an international agency group. His experience includes financial services, corporate and consumer public relations as well as other aspects of marketing communications including design. He has wide experience of advising major companies at a strategic level on the development of their brands and on the marketing of their products and services.
Sally Hawkins
Sally has over 20 years’ consultancy experience in the UK and Asia, specialising in consumer and lifestyle public relations. Her client experience includes; Sun International, Jumeirah Group, One&Only Resorts, Hyatt Hotels, Ballymore, Coutts London Jewellery Week, Burlington Arcade, Masterpiece London, Regent Street, Dubai Tourism, Mardan Palace, Geneva Tourism, Canary Wharf Group, South Place Hotel, Anahita Mauritius , Nadler Hotels and Grosvenor House Suites.
Tony Thornton
Tony is a chartered accountant, with over 20 years’ experience of the public relations sector. He trained with the London office of a Big Four firm and after qualifying, undertook various roles in industry and commerce before joining The Communication Group plc.
In addition to his role as Finance Director, he is involved in specialist advisory work on behalf of various clients and oversees the Group’s compliance and legal functions.
John Mills
John is a senior public affairs practitioner, with 20 years’ experience, primarily advising clients in the property development, infrastructure and energy sectors on how to achieve their planning and regulatory objectives. His experience includes five years as a senior communications advisor within the onshore wind industry, where as chairman of industry body, RenewableUK’s public affairs group, he worked to promote the interests of the onshore industry with government in a rapidly evolving UK energy policy environment.
Bea Garwood
Bea has extensive corporate and consumer consultancy experience, specialising in property marketing and ‘placemaking’ with experience also in architecture, design, sustainability and health sectors. Her client experience includes Ballymore, Nine Elms on the South Bank, East Village, Edinburgh Marina, This Land, Morpheus, Casa Forma London, Kebony and Nightingale Hospital.
Anna Hollingworth
Anna is a destination marketing and luxury lifestyle specialist, with extensive experience in building and executing communication strategies for international hotel groups and high-profile destinations. Client experience includes Jumeirah Group, TCS World Travel, Nadler Hotels, Somabay, Cromwell Place, Ten Trinity Square Private Club, Utopian Hotel Collection, The Trafalgar St James, Geneva Tourism Board, Crowne Plaza, Barr Al Jissah and LG SIGNATURE.
Lara Buckle
Lara is a Senior Consultant and has dedicated the last decade to working in the luxury lifestyle space. Specialties include strategic counsel, creative integrated campaigns, affinity marketing, talent liaison, event delivery and management, product launches, digital marketing, news creation and press office management. Clients have included Jumeirah Hotels International, ACCOR Hotels, Melia Hotels International, Starwood Hotels, Ballymore, Beats by Dre, Technogym and Covent Garden.
Melissa Carver
Melissa works across a diverse range of sectors, enabling clients to address the needs of multiple stakeholders in an integrated and coordinated way. Her client experience includes Edinburgh Marina, Rockwell, Queensgate Investments, Kebony, Drone Major Group, Whitbread plc, AIPUT, Get Living (Elephant and Castle), Reading Football Club and the Nine Elms regeneration partnership. She previously worked at Westminster, supporting the Central Office of one of the UK’s major political parties, and brings stakeholder engagement and communication expertise.
Harriet Shearer
Harriet is a graduate in Economics from the University of Bristol. She is a communication specialist, advising clients across international programmes, including issue management, corporate strategy, economics, human rights, healthcare and lifestyle. Her client experience includes TradingView, Zedra, Scoop Asset Management, InoBat Auto, China Tribunal, Iran Tribunal, Geneva and Jumeirah Hotel Group.
Charlotte Hirst
Charlotte works across a diverse range of consumer sectors, including placemaking, travel and lifestyle. She has experience in creating high profile events, specifically for placemaking clients, and expertise in media relations. Client experience includes Ballymore, Really Local Group, APO, AllBright Club, Geneva Tourism Board, Somabay Resort and Fulton Umbrellas.
Gordon Cole Schmidt
Gordon is a media relations specialist. He is a graduate in Russian and English from the University of Exeter, and has worked across property, travel and corporate sectors with clients including Queensgate Investments, Jumeirah Hotels, The Trafalgar St. James, Utopian Hotel Collection, Crowne Plaza – London Albert Embankment, Guildford Business Park and Linton Group.
