Executive Vice President, Head of Issues and Crisis Communications & Joint Head of Corporate Communications

Rod Clayton is based in London where he is Head of Issues and Crisis Communications and Joint Head of the Corporate Communications practice . Over the years, Rod has dealt with a wide variety of complex issues and crises for many, diverse clients, ranging from global product recalls to extraordinary events such terrorist attacks. Matters that he handles typically include major litigation and government enforcement actions, natural and man-made disasters, environmental, health and safety issues, M&A (including proxy battles), board disputes, industrial action, product recalls and market exits, to name a few. In these and other contexts, he has dealt with a wide range of high profile, hostile print and television investigative stories.

Rod also has considerable experience training CEOs and other major figures who need to be able to answer tough questions not only from the media, but also in legislative committees, depositions and other challenging situations.

Prior to transferring to London, Rod worked in the company's Los Angeles office for almost nine years, where he was the lead for corporate issues assignments on the West Coast and, latterly, General Manager of Weber Shandwick’s Southern California operations. He spent three years beforehand in the company’s New York office working on corporate issues.

Despite his long period in the USA, Rod was born and raised in Suffolk, England, and was educated at Brasenose College, Oxford, where he read Literae Humaniores and took a doctorate in Modern History.

Contact

Rod Clayton
+44 (0)207 067 0431
rclayton@webershandwick.com

Joint Head of Corporate Communications & Director of Public Affairs

Jo-ann Robertson was a Labour party political activist and (briefly) a TV reporter before entering PR.

Her reputation as an astute political and media operator meant she was “recalled to the colours” in the UK general election of 2005, summoned to party HQ to join a tight-knit team working to Alastair Campbell, the prime minister’s most trusted media advisor.

Jo-ann joined Weber Shandwick in 2003 and proved herself quickly during sensitive assignments with companies including British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. She also helped to win work from the then little-known University of Central Lancashire – and won praise from it’s Vice Chancellor for getting him and his establishment repeatedly onto national TV & radio news, and into virtually every broadsheet newspaper.

She currently leads the Nestlé account at Weber Shandwick where she advises the company on corporate reputation, CSR, public affairs and media relations.

A graduate of Strathclyde University, Jo-ann’s other clients have included IKEA, Coca Cola, Northrop Grumman and MAXIMUS.

Contact

Jo-Ann Robertson
+44 (0)207 067 0597
jrobertson@webershandwick.com