The Little Questions

In front of a live audience, Apella Advisors' Jenny Scott sits down with Nick Clegg - former Deputy Prime Minister and former President of Global Affairs at Meta - to cut through the noise surrounding Artificial Intelligence. Fresh from his time in Silicon Valley and the release of his new book, How to Save the Internet, Nick joins Jenny to dismantle the "bonkers" valuations of the current AI bubble and the geopolitical "Grand Canyon" opening up between American innovation and European regulation. From the practical implications for corporate affairs to the societal dangers of "friendship as a service," this episode offers a candid look at whether AI is the new industrial revolution or just a very expensive search engine. Nick also offers some practical advice and explains why corporate leaders should stop treating AI as a "thing" to be installed and start playing with the tools to understand them as a general-purpose accelerant. He also touches on his future post-politics, post-Meta ambition to solve the lack of growth capital that forces European startups to flee to California. This episode is hosted by Jenny Scott, partner at Apella. Jenny is a former Executive Director of Communications at the Bank of England and former advisor to the Governor. Jenny was economics and politics correspondent for the BBC and presenter of the Daily Politics. Trustee of Pro Bono Economics. You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review. This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

Normally, we spend our days advising big organisations on how to rebuild trust, explain themselves better, and stop setting fire to their reputations. But today we've taken on a new client. A tricky one. With the sort of knotty challenge we love at Apella Towers. Legacy brand. Huge heritage. Slightly confused about what it stands for. Name of the client: Britain. It's a high-maintenance account, this one. Constant leadership churn, outdated assets, no clear narrative architecture, and absolutely no budget. So probably pro-bono then? That's before you even get into the stakeholder relations — the EU, the US, the Commonwealth, the neighbours up North. It's a crowded contact sheet. Let's see what they've sent us.  Brace yourselves.  This episode is hosted by Matt Young and Andrew Brown. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA. Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review. This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

It's topical time again. The last few weeks have seen a potential bubble emerging in the markets as tech valuations soar. This time round central bankers have jumped in to provide warnings ahead of this potential crash. In the UK, the Treasury has continued to fly taxation kites to see how the public and markets react - something that we discussed in episode 90. It has been impossible over the last few weeks not to see pictures of a glum looking Prince Andrew (or should he plain old Andrew) across our TV screens.  As usual our task, is to take a passionate, grumpy view of how things should have been handled from a PR and flaks perspective.  So, topics to discuss on this podcast include: - When and how should those with the big roles (CEOs, Governors, Chancellors and so on) give warnings about market instability? Does saying it create more instability? - If AI is going to take over the world of PR and Comms, are there some things we'd really like it to do? - As the Royals garner all the media headlines (often for the wrong reasons), how would we advise the Palace? - And why is Birmingham Council being so reluctant to rename its airport after one of the City's heroes? US cities do it all the time.  This episode is hosted by Matt Young and Andrew Brown. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.  Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.    

Are press events still a smart comms tool - or just a tired ritual some of us can't give up? Press events used to be a pinnacle of communications activation. The moment you filled a room with hacks, told your story once, and watched the headlines roll in. Or at least that's the fantasy many executives still cling to. The reality? Unless you're a prime minister, president, or possibly Elon Musk, the days of commanding an army of journos with a click of the fingers are gone. Most outlets barely have the staff to cover a presidential visit, let alone your widget factory in Walsall. In this episode we'll look at what constitutes a press event - conferences, launches, visits, stunts and more. We'll explore where they still make sense, and where they increasingly don't. We'll remind ourselves what the media actually want and need in today's disaggregated, always-on world. And we'll talk about how you deal with a leader who wants that room full of media - and you know you've not got a "scoobie doo's" chance of achieving it. We'll try not to moan and mither too much, and instead focus on a few top tips you can take back to the team. This episode is hosted by Matt Young and Andrew Brown. Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.  You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

Is traditional business media dying? What's the best approach for handling a CEO whose bedroom antics have become newsworthy? What happens when a company tells the wrong story? And what have been some of the best placed PR stories from the last few weeks. All that and more coming up on this episode of The Little Questions.  This episode is hosted by Matt Young and Andrew Brown. Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.  You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

Is comms becoming a bit too corporate? We still spot trouble before it hits. We still know what plays in the media, what won't land with the public, and how to read the room better than anyone else on the ExCo. But when it comes to doing something bold and out there? When it comes to cutting through, not just smoothing over? Are we going a bit soft? Swapping instinct for process. Gut feel for governance. Provocation for pre-reads. Maybe — just maybe — all the time spent hanging around with our colleagues in Risk and Legal, we're starting to become a little too risk-averse ourselves. So, are comms professionals becoming internal diplomats first and foremost — helpful, trusted, and entirely forgettable? Are we trying too hard to get along, not stand out? Corporate affairs needs edge. Courage. Creativity. Spark. This episode is hosted by Apella Advisors partners Andrew Brown and Matt Young. Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.  You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

For our summer special, we've assembled a list of what we believe to be the most important things effective Corporate Affairs practitioners need to know – blending practical lessons, shared wisdom from talented colleagues, and insights that only time and experience can bring.   Some of the points are practical, others are more philosophical, but whether you're at the beginning of your career or leading a global function, there's something here for everyone.   We will be posting all 101 thoughts over the next five weeks of summer on our Apella Advisors LinkedIn Page. So search and follow us there, meanwhile, hear some of our favourites on this episode.   This episode is hosted by Apella Advisors partners JennyScott, Andrew Brown, and Matt Young.   Email us at podcast@apellaadvisors.com we'd love to hear your thoughts - which resonated with you… and what have we missed? Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Jenny Scott; Former Executive Director of Communications at the Bank of England and co-lead for Bank wide strategy. Advisor to the Governor, sat on the Bank's executive committee and risk committee. Formerly economics and politics correspondent for the BBC and presenter of the Daily Politics. Trustee of Pro Bono Economics.  Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA. You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  Find out more at apellaadvisors.com. This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.  

Welcome to another meander through the stories, people and events that have caught our attention in the past few weeks. From creating new world championships, to doctored sweets, and the lambasted lollipop man, plus the odd politician or two making an utter idiot of themselves. Our aim here is to discuss the small stuff, in the world of communications and sometimes beyond. That proverbial chat over a pint after a long day manning the soundbite manufacturing line. These are our critical 'little questions'. This episode is hosted by Apella Advisors partners Andrew Brown and Matt Young. Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.  You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

The Beatles once sang that money can't buy you love. However, spent in the right way, and on the right thing, it would seem it can buy you the attention and potentially even adoration of thousands, nay millions, of people around the world.  How? Sponsorship. Once the process of getting your logo on a shirt, today it's all about stadiums, series, songs, influencers, even causes.  Sponsorship is now a critical, strategic marcomms channel — used for everything from encouraging engagement, to winning hearts, as well as burying some frankly dodgy reputational baggage. Allegedly. It is perhaps no surprise then that last year in the UK alone, £4.6bn was spent on sponsorship, up 10% on 2023, with this year looking like it will enjoy similar healthy growth. So what is sponsorship and how does it work?  Where are the opportunities, the traps and how can you tell the difference? What is the role for us corporate communicators, especially if and when things go south it's us that has to rush around with the dustpan and brush?  We'll look at examples that made headlines, ones that built empires, and a few that made us bury our heads in our branded tote bags. This time, Apella Advisors partners Andrew Brown and Matt Young chat through the challenges. benefits and failures of this ever growing part of the industry.  Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.  You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

On this edition of The Little Questions we're joined by Simon French, Chief Economist and Head of Research at Panmure Liberum.    In a wide ranging conversation, we discuss how recent macro-economic events are impacting corporate reputation. Topics we cover include how corporate affairs teams should approach navigating such an uncertain environment; why you still need to listen to your maths teacher and "show me the workings out" and why comms has such an important role to play when all about are losing their heads. Simon also gives us his analysis for what's coming next.   This episode is hosted by Jenny Scott and Anthony Silverman, Partners at Apella Advisors.   Jenny Scott is former Executive Director of Communications at the Bank of England and co-lead for Bank wide strategy. Advisor to the Governor, sat on the Bank's executive committee and risk committee. Formerly economics and politics correspondent for the BBC and presenter of the Daily Politics. Trustee of Pro Bono Economics.   Anthony Silverman has over 25 years advising global boards and executive teams with complex reputational needs. Recent clients include Aquiline Capital, Atlas Merchant Capital, Selfridges Group, and Pension Insurance Corporation.   You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review. More information can be found on our website. This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

The world is in turmoil, so it feels like it's the right time for the PR professionals to get involved. It also feels like the right time to use Lenin's famous quote – "there are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen". We have plenty of ground to cover on this edition of The Little Questions including Birmingham's bins, British steel, dead things (you'll find out why), the latest AI trend we're not sure about and what has to be the best PR of the month involving a Tunnocks teacake. Hosting this one is Matt Young alongside fellow Apella Advisors partner, Andrew Brown. Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.  You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

By rights, the fly-on-the-wall workplace documentary should have died a death the moment The Office became a hit. At that time, BBC shows like Airport, set in Heathrow, and Life of Grime about environmental health workers attracted cult followings with their often banal interviews, wobbly camerawork and acerbic voiceover narrations. Ricky Gervais' masterpiece took these stylistic devices and turned them up to 11 with the fictional Slough-based paper company Wernham Hogg, where "life is stationery". Since then almost every conceivable place of work has been considered – from registrars to zookeepers and cruise ships to police stations. Airlines, banks, butchers and bakers even a candlestick maker. Their appeal lingers. It's not hard to imagine why: we all work somewhere, we're inquisitive (ok nosey) animals. We want to peer into others' lives, and imagine what it is like, or thank our lucky stars we don't work there.  A question to ask then might be: who in their right mind would invite a camera crew into their business, with unhindered access? With minimal, if any, meaningful editorial control? Quite a few firms it would seem.  Clearly the Corporate Affairs Directors who signs off on this (or perhaps even came up with the idea in the first place) see more upside than down. So. Why would you? And why would you not? And if you do manage to persuade your boss, and your ExCo and your board what do you need to think about? What controls need to be in place? What might cause you sleepless nights?  These questions are answered, and more, on this edition of The Little Questions. Hosted by: Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.  You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

Until the late 1980s, if the subject of engagement was raised at work, it was usually to sign a card and chuck in a quid for Terry in Accounts who'd just popped the question to Mandy in the typing pool. This all changed in the mid 1990s when workplace academics began to opine on the idea that people could become engaged in their work. Fast forward a few years and a whole plethora of large consultancies and HR thought leaders had jumped on the bandwagon. The theory goes that people will invest more physical, cognitive, and emotional energy when their work feels meaningful, safe, and supportive. This boosts productivity, lowers turnover and cultivates a better, positively reinforcing culture. They should also become strong external brand ambassadors. What's not to like? There are clearly critical areas that we corporate communicators can and should be playing. Are we responsible, or important enablers? Where should we focus? How do you drive good engagement? What can we learn from when its gone wrong? Is it something you can measure? These questions are answered, and more, on this edition of The Little Questions. Hosted by: Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.  You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  Find out more at apellaadvisors.com. This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

Trump is back. And back with a bang. Be it old age or the fog of Covid but Little Questions had forgotten quite how discombobulating the stream of consciousness from the 47th President of the United States really is.  From waking up in the morning wondering, what has he said or done now, to then trying to work out what he meant, and if the latest u-turn was a u-turn or not. All before the coffee has properly kicked in. There can be no question that his return has encouraged a wider shift to more conservative social and political stances and a celebration of capitalism. Across many sectors, businesses are either doing away with, watering down or simply trying to hide their DEI and ESG programmes – the find and replace function in Windows has surely never been busier.  Some business leaders have gone further, speaking out on previously controversial issues, no longer afraid of being cancelled. For some the shift is a breath of fresh air. For others a return to darker times. How on earth do we Corporate Communicators, the last bastions of common sense in an increasingly mad and angry world, respond? Are we ducking and covering hoping for things to return to normal in four years? Do we pragmatically and gently reposition? Do we rail against the dying of the light and to hell with the commercial consequences? Or do we drill baby, drill? This episode is hosted by Andrew Brown. Formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review. And this time we're joined by Apella colleague James Kirkup, former DG at the Social Market Foundation. James spent over 20 years in high-profile Westminster roles including Political Editor of the Daily Telegraph and Director of the Social Market Foundation. Extensive experience of thought leadership and advocacy work, with a particular focus on the relationship between business, politics and public policy. Find out more at apellaadvisors.com. This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

You can picture the scene - you have spent the last three months speaking to your ExCom and corporate finance team about your company's biggest acquisition to date. This will fundamentally transform the shape and operations of the company, you are raising a large equity and debt package to finance the deal, and your leaders are excited about this next stage for the company. Then, the dreaded happens - you take the call from the journalist, and they have the story. You feel weeks of planning slipping through your fingers, with limited time to respond and stakeholders panicked.  We know from experience that leaking is part and parcel of the communications world. So, where exactly do they come from? And what can you do to make sure – if they do occur – you are best prepared to deal with them? This is what we're unpacking on this episode of The Little Questions.  This podcast was hosted by: Elizabeth Mobed, who joined Apella as a Senior Associate in November 2023. She spent the last three years at Teneo advising clients on a range of reputation and communications mandates. She has extensive capital markets and financial communications experience, advising on international M&A transactions and IPOs with FTSE 100 and private equity firms. She has also advised clients on ESG, issues campaigning and crisis communications. She joined Teneo in 2021 from FTI Consulting's Energy and Natural Resources communications team. She holds an BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.  Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review. Find out more at apellaadvisors.com. This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

2025 marks our 4th year providing hopefully useful snippets of wisdom for all things Comms, Corporate Affairs and PR-related. Given the New Year, we decided to look forward and consider who has some of the trickiest Comms challenges in 2025 and given, we're also solution-focused, how we'd go about fixing them. Some of the organisations and subjects in our Little Questions crosshairs this time include HM Government, NATO, Hollywood, UK housebuilders and infrastructure, Net Zero and ESG, car makers and the London Stock Exchange.  This podcast was hosted by: Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA. You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review. Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Find out more at apellaadvisors.com. This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

Welcome to the third annual Little Questions PR heroes and villains. This is our excuse to look back over the year that almost was and consider who nailed their comms and who jumped straight into the proverbial pile of steaming. In previous years we've considered caterpillar shaped cakes, Union leaders, ferries taking on German auto giants, some famous pieces of stone, the odd city, a book shop and a veritable confusion of politicians. Indeed, I'm sure you're already wondering – will Matt Hancock make it three years in a row?!  Joining me to consider and cogitate are Father and Mrs Christmas of Apella, Matt Young and Jenny Scott.  This podcast was hosted by: Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Jenny Scott; Former Executive Director of Communications at the Bank of England and co-lead for Bank wide strategy. Advisor to the Governor, sat on the Bank's executive committee and risk committee. Formerly economics and politics correspondent for the BBC and presenter of the Daily Politics. Trustee of Pro Bono Economics.  Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA. You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  Find out more at apellaadvisors.com. This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

Well into our fourth year of podcasting here at The Little Questions, we've been fortunate to have some excellent guests visit our virtual broom cupboard and share with us a little of their wisdom. From FTSE100 CEOs to Climate Campaigners, neuroscientists and actors, it's been an extensive and eclectic group. Deliberately so, for ours is nothing if not an eclectic trade. Or is it a profession? Scroll way back to our first ever episode to hear our debate on that little question.  What it does give us of course is a licence to get involved in everything, everywhere.  And yet, while our guests have been as different as different can be, when it comes to our chosen specialist subject – comms – we're beginning to notice some strong themes that connect them.  So, this episode is an attempt to highlight some of those themes for you. Or is it just an excuse for Matt and Andrew to reuse some of those brilliant interviews? You decide. If you're enjoying this episode please consider leaving us a review to help other like minded individuals find us. This edition of The Little Questions is hosted by Apella partners Andrew Brown and Matt Young.  Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA. You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  Find out more at apellaadvisors.com. This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

In this episode we consider why it's so difficult to define a working person (as our government is finding out) and we consider if the days of PRs doing 'dodgy' desk research is over. We'll discuss the praise Macdonald's has been enjoying in the way it handled the visit of one Donald Trump and how Airbnb has been going into Comms battle with the residents of Primrose Hill, or as it's better known 'the place where Paddington Bear lives'. And of course, it would be remiss of us not to tackle this Autumnal topical episode without mentioning the Budget. Has this Budget been a process that has been more heavily trailed, discussed, dissected, and fought over than any before? This edition of The Little Questions is hosted by Apella partners Andrew Brown and Matt Young.  Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA. You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  Find out more at apellaadvisors.com. This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

It would seem that many of the ills which today befall the UK are apparently linked to how productive or otherwise we are at work, individually, and collectively as a nation. Apparently we're just not as good as we used to be. With this in mind, we've devoted this episode of The Little Questions to how we as corporate communicators and corporate affairs professionals can ensure we attain and remain at peak productivity. We discuss some of the best tools and sources of information available to us and of course we will touch on artificial intelligence, although this is not an episode specifically about AI.   We talk about the clunky world of PR in the 80s and 90s – including using couriers to deliver press releases! We reminisce about journalist databases, news feeds and go to news sources, some old school productivity hacks, and the best one of all... meeting for a coffee. This edition of The Little Questions is hosted by Apella partners Andrew Brown and Matt Young.  Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA. You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  Find out more at apellaadvisors.com. This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.