To the Point with Portland

How charities and corporates can work best together

A series of crises of the last few years has resulted in a consistent number of people turning to the British Red Cross for help and support. In this episode of To the Point, Zoe Abrams, Executive Director, Strategy and Communications at the British Red Cross sat down with Portland Senior Advisor, David Page to discuss what it takes to grow understanding of an already high-profile charity and how charities and corporates can work best together.

 

The media as a mechanism for political currency

The Trump presidency saw significant changes in how and why news stories were covered, with the news cycle being noticeably shorter than in previous years and the rise of social media as a platform for coverage. In this episode, Ali Velshi, host of MSNBC Velshi and NBC News business correspondent, sits down with Portland's Washington DC Director Meghan Powers to discuss the fickle US media landscape, what really drives 24/7 news cycle and the media as a mechanism for political currency.

Rethinking tech policy

Lord Ed Vaizey was dubbed “The Digital Lord” by Forbes magazine, such is his interest in tech, having previously served as Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries for the full six years of David Cameron’s government between 2010 and 2016, the longest tenure of any minister in the post. In this episode he sits down with Anita Boateng, policy and public affairs partner at Portland, to discuss how the current government differs to the one Ed served under when it comes to tech policy, the positives and the perils of tech and crypto regulation, and where the great opportunities for tech growth lie.

The new importance of internal comms

The pandemic and the shift to hybrid working have raised the profile and importance of internal comms. Remote workers have different needs and can feel disconnected from their employers if communications aren’t handled right, and workers on the whole are more selective about the jobs they take and what they expect from the people they work with. In this episode, internal comms experts Sue Dewhurst, Liam FitzPatrick and Justin Talbot discuss how employers can better engage their people in times of change.

Comms in the public glare

Working for institutions that are in the media, public and political glare on an almost daily basis presents a unique set of challenges. Each morning you might be met with a stack of press cuttings the size of a doorstep, and that’s to say nothing of the thousands of social media posts about your brand. In this episode, Mike Peacock, Portland Senior Advisor and former Head of Comms at the Bank of England, sits down with Andrew Whyte, who led comms departments at the BBC, Financial Conduct Authority and the Foreign Office. They discuss the hypervigilance required when working at institutions like these, and how you sift through the noise.

The false perception of doing business in Africa

‘Twitter opens HQ in Ghana’ is a typical African tech news story that will get reported around the world, but what about the 500+ tech companies operating in Ghana who aren’t getting the headlines? In this episode, Portland Consultant Georgie Ndirangu chats with Moky Makura, Executive Director of narrative change organisation Africa No Filter. They discuss a new report that shines light on persistent, problematic narratives on doing business in Africa, as the continent’s potential continues to be neglected.

The power of language in politics

Frank Luntz is one of the biggest names in the research business, a language expert who has made the reputations of presidents and prime ministers. In the first episode of season three of 'To the Point with Portland', he sits down with partner Gabriel Milland to discuss the purpose of research, how to conduct focus groups and polling diligently and effectively, and what business can learn from politics.

What role does humour play in politics?

Humour is a long-standing tradition in the House of Commons, at times tickling the general public and at other times infuriating it. So should a politician be serious or light-hearted? For Matt Forde they can and should both. The comedian, podcaster and political commentator sits down with Portland partner Gabriel Milland to discuss the role of humour in politics, how it is employed among the Left versus the Right, and whether politicians come in for more flak than they perhaps deserve.

Lessons from the front benches, battles from the back

Politicians certainly take their lumps, to the point where one might wonder why someone excelling in a career away from politics would make the move to Westminster. David Davis did just this, becoming an MP after serving as a senior executive at Tate & Lyle. He talks to Portland senior advisor and almost-namesake David Davies about the lessons he learned in business that helped him in politics, reflects on the sea changes he has witnessed during more than 30 years in Parliament, and reveals why more power can sometimes be wielded from the back benches than the front.

How boards really operate

The boards of companies are expected to weigh in on an ever-widening range of topics and problems. But when are these new pressures good, and when do they distract from a board’s most crucial and fundamental responsibilities? Dambisa Moyo spent a decade at Goldman Sachs and World Bank, and is currently non-executive director at Chevron, 3M and Condé Nast. She discusses her time in a variety of boardrooms with financial commentator and Portland senior advisor James Ashton, and the pair consider how good, balanced boards can help corporations run better in a complicated world.