City PR firm Hanbury appoints union boss as new chief executive
City PR firm Hanbury Strategy has unveiled a senior figure at the UK’s largest trade union as its first chief executive.
Hanbury said in a Linkedin post it had appointed Emilie Oldknow, who is currently the assistant general secretary of Unison, which represents over 1.2m workers in sectors including health and education.
Oldknow previously held a senior position in the Labour party as its executive director for governance, membership and party services.
“Emilie knows the Labour Party inside out, and is ideally placed to help clients navigate the new government – especially at a time of profound change to employment law and the business environment,” Hanbury said.
Hanbury was co-founded by David Cameron’s former director of strategy, Ameet Gill, in 2016.
Other PR firms have made similar hires in a bid to build their ties with the new Labour government.
Flint Global in March announced the appointment of Sam White, Keir Stamer’s former chief of staff, as a “specialist partner.” Hawthorn Advisors, the PR firm founded by former Tory chairman Ben Elliot, hired Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones’ long-serving aide Freddie Cook, in the same month.
Hanbury also said on Wednesday it had appointed Fiona Stanton, a former Labour party director with two decades experience, as a partner.