Alison Clarke appointed as WA Board Chair

One of the industry’s most experienced business leaders and c-suite communications advisers, Alison Clarke will work with our leadership team to further enhance our strategic communications offer.

In addition to leading Grayling’s UK & Ireland business, Alison was President of Weber Shandwick Asia Pacific for three years, and has served as the PRCA Chair and CIPR President.

Throughout her career, she has advised some of the world’s biggest brands, including British Airways, Diageo, MasterCard, McDonald’s, Nestle, and Unilever.

She has worked with WA since January 2022 as one of the agency’s senior advisors – joining leading journalist and broadcaster Steve Richards, and former Whitehall Permanent Secretary Sir Philip Rutnam, to provide strategic client counsel across the communications landscape.

In her new role as the board chair – a newly created position – she will work with colleagues across WA to drive continued integration of our public affairs, corporate communications, digital, creative and research services, reflecting our ambitions and growth plan to be the UK’s leading independent strategic communications business.

The move is one of several recent appointments, which have seen WA invest across a range of communications disciplines and secure significant in-depth sector expertise – including Tom Frackowiak joining from H/Advisors Cicero, to expand our financial service offer; former Times journalist Philip Pank adding nearly twenty year’s transport media experience; and newly appointed Deputy Managing Director Laura Gabb boosting our expertise in strategic communications campaigns.

We were listed as one of the UK’s top three public affairs agencies in this year’s PR Week Top 150 table, and have recently been awarded integration communications briefs from brands including RWE, Pfizer, the Institution of Civil Engineers, and Chiltern Rail.

Commenting on her expanded role, Alison Clarke said:

“I’ve already worked with WA for more than two years, and have seen first-hand the industry-leading integrated campaigns they deliver every day.

Now I’m excited to be taking on a wider role – drawing on my experience driving growth and impact for some of the world’s biggest communications agencies – to help the team continue to widen the scale, scope and success of that work.”

WA’s Managing Director, Dominic Church, added:

“Alison has played a key part in our recent growth, and I’m delighted that she’s able to widen her role with WA.

I know her global experience, first-hand understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing high-profile brands, and cross-discipline communications expertise will be key to achieving our ambition of becoming the UK’s leading independent strategic communications agency.”