In brief …
A senior and experienced public relations manager for 25 years, Pat Roberts is an independent corporate communications consultant specialising in media and influencer relations, brand launches and protection, corporate reputation, and in issues & crisis management across many industries.
Latterly he worked with Diageo’s Scotch whisky teams and senior executives for over 10 years. He has advised Diageo on the communications dimension of numerous brand launches and brand extensions. He was frequently called upon to compose communications plans, key messages and questions & answers to deliver the desired reach and impact of these projects. In support of these strategies, he closely tracked the activities of influencers and other social media activists covering the drinks community.
Before establishing his own business in 2006, he was a Principal Consultant at the London-based PR company Kaizo. Previously he was Corporate Affairs Director (and later Deputy Managing Director) at the London office of the global PR agency Edelman, following a career in Britain’s Diplomatic Service.
Tedious detail…
After 24 years with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Patrick was for 10 years (1989-99) Corporate Affairs Director and later Deputy Managing Director in the London office of Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, where his clients included S C Johnson Wax (corporate responsibility and environmental issues), Eli Lilly and Co (public affairs and issues management related to Prozac, the world’s leading anti-depressant drug), Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (internal communications and communications audit and training projects), the Tobacco Manufacturers Association (protection of marketing freedoms and relationships with distribution channels), Case Corporation (change management and industrial relations), UPS (coordination of pan-European communications programmes), Saudi Aramco (crisis management for crude oil tanker fleet), British Alcan (change management) and the National Farmers Union (developing a new communications strategy).
In 1999 he left Edelman to join boutique PR agency Abel Hadden & Co, then in 2002 joined London agency Kaizo where his clients included Diageo plc, National Express plc, and Elsevier (the science publishing division of Reed Elsevier plc. He left Kaizo to establish his own PR business in 2006.
Ancient history …
Pat attended Rotherham Grammar School in Yorkshire and in 1965 graduated with a BA in Modern Languages at Lincoln College, Oxford. He went on to work for 24 years in Britain’s Diplomatic Service in South East Asia, Africa and Europe, with intervening postings to departments in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), working on human rights, United Nations, defence, multilateral trade, development, political, EU and economic issues. His last position, before resigning to pursue a career in public relations, was as Consul-General and Counsellor for Press & Information at the British Embassy in Paris.