Stuart Notholt -  Former Guest Speaker at the Leadership Institute

Stuart Notholt has wideranging experience in delivering corporate communications solutions to major organizations, whether in the commercial, governmental or not-for-profit sectors. He works as a freelance interim communications specialist providing support across the communications mix. He specializes in those areas that are widely regarded as among the most challenging and emotive of communications issues – risk communications, stakeholder relations and internal communications.

“It was a pleasure to work with somebody of such calibre and dedication to the task in hand. He is a highly gifted and creative communicator. He is a man of scrupulous integrity and great energy and enthusiasm. I cannot commend him to you too highly.” (Alan J. Cleary, Commissioner, United Nations Compensation Commission).

Principal areas of expertise

Strategic agility and leadership

Led co-ordination and creation of pandemic flu strategic communications plans for all ten English Strategic Health Authorities, ensuring commonality with agreed national stategy and messaging. (Department of Health)

Led, with two other senior directors, the overall direction of £110m business employing 2,800 people throughout UK. (National Autistic Society)

Created and led new communications Directorates for national organizations (Victim Support; Compassion in World Farming)

Delivered brand development projects during times of major change, winning approval at Board and throughout the organization at all staff levels. Internal survey indicated 95% acceptance of new brand proposition. (National Autistic Society)

Audited and re-designed media strategy for the Europe, Middle East and Africa Division of a major PLC to make it more cohesive and responsive to business needs. (CB Richard Ellis)

Effective people manager with highest managerial approval rating within organization, as measured by staff survey. (Financial Services Authority)

Successful tactical delivery

Ensured all NHS Primary Care Trusts had pandemic flu communications plans in position by agreed deadline. National assessment indicated that 90% had a high level of confidence in their communications planning. (Department of Health)

Joined colleagues on major incident team assembled to co-ordinate UK-wide response to swine flu outbreak. (Department of Health)

Delivered internal and change management communications for major financial product launch. (Lloyds-TSB)

Led on delivery of FSA Handbook of Rules and Guidance (in hard copy, CD and web versions) to 23,000 regulated firms, resulting in overall saving of £9m; project used by Adobe as a case study. (Financial Services Authority)

Developed integrated ‘pitch suite’ of presentations and resources aimed at enabling organization to pitch for bigger business opportunities, including successful £40m bids to United Nations. (Crawford-THG)

Political acumen

Extensive experience in complex global organizations; attuned to international cultural, legal and commercial sensitivities. (Tate & Lyle PLC, Crawford-THG, CB Richard Ellis)

Has worked across public, private and voluntary sectors, ensuring the different and diverse needs of each are met. Through work with Parliamentary and official groups, including All Party groups in the House of Commons, has operated at Ministerial and senior official level, gaining support for the aims of organization at Whitehall, Westminster, and the devolved institutions. (National Autistic Society, Financial Services Authority, Victim Support, Department of Health)

Worked on project basis with major donors (such as Vodafone) to ensure alignment of donor and charitable objectives (National Autistic Society, Victim Support)

Interim management roles (2006-10) have included…

Randstad (August 2010-December 2010)
Re-branding, merger integration communications and stakeholder marketing project for the merger of three companies into Randstad Interim Executives, part of the Randstad Holding NV group, a €15 billion HR services firm and a Fortune 500 company.

Compassion in World Farming (March 2010- August 2010)
Interim Director of Media, and a member of the Senior Management Team. Responsible for the creation of a comprehensive UK and international Media Strategy and the establishment of a new media department for this major charity, increasing media profile, moving to a pro-active media strategy and developing the organization’s relationships with press, broadcast and on-line channels including the development of the social media strategy.

National Health Service (August 2009-November 2009)
Interim Communications Manager for NHS Hillingdon. As a member of the Silver Command for dealing with swine flu, upgraded the swine flu communications plan, ensuring commonality with plans in other agencies and sectors of the NHS, and engaged in hands-on work across the communications mix, including media handling, acting as the lead contact for the voluntary sector, developing the relevant sections of the internet/intranet, and introducing new communications tools, such as a Twitter news feed. Also drafted the overall NHS Hillingdon strategic and operational communications plans.

Department of Health (May 2008-July 2009)
Communications Manager for the Department of Health Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Team, working on strategies for England-wide Strategic Health Authorities and over 300 local NHS Trusts in preparing communications countermeasures for a future pandemic influenza outbreak. A high profile project involving multiple agencies. Pandemic influenza is officially regarded as the greatest single health threat facing the UK. Worked with colleagues in responding to May 2009 swine flu outbreak.

Victim Support (July 2007-April 2008)
Director of Development, responsible for the establishment of a new division covering communications, fundraising, policy work, and volunteer development. Victim Support was merging 77 local organizations into one national body so new national systems had to be developed from scratch. Established and led divisional Senior Management Team, introducing new internal communications process, formed national fundraising team and created new training and development resource. Led on creation of three-year strategy and drafted Annual Plan.

Lloyds-TSB (May-June 2007)
Interim Head of Internal Communications for the new Wealth Management business. Corporate communications and business transformation programme arising out of merger of three advisory/sales teams to create new business. Wrote and then implemented Strategic Communications plan. Worked with individual workstreams to determine, and deliver, their internal communications requirements. Specific projects included management and organization of high-profile launch conference.

SNC Africa (October 2006-February 2007)
Developed and personally lead ‘Destination Benin 2007’. Field trip, business fact-finding and promotional programme aimed at raising the profile of Benin, in West Africa, as a tourist and business destination. Worked alongside Business Action for Africa and other programmes aimed at enhancing the reputation of Africa.

CB Richard Ellis (March-April 2006)
Development of a cohesive public relations and media strategy for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) division. Strategic report was delivered, followed by a detailed media process guide and implementation plan, which was adopted by the newly recruited EMEA PR manager.


Previous posts:

The National Autistic Society
Divisional Director, Communications & Public Affairs

Financial Services Authority
Head of Communications & Publications

Ernst & Young
Senior Marketing Manager, National Audit Division

Crawford-THG Ltd
Group Marketing Manager

Foreign & Colonial
Client Communications Manager

Tate & Lyle PLC
Editor, Corporate Communications

 

Affiliations and external appointments

 Fellow and Past President, Chartered Institute of Journalists.
 Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
 Author, Fields of Fire – An Atlas of Ethnic Conflict
 Consultant to Foreign Office ‘Know How Fund’
 Member, Royal African Society (occasional contributor to journal, African Affairs)
 Steering Committee member, Glass Slipper Appeal (Marsden Hospital appeal)
 Official Gibraltar Government Observer, Gibraltar Referendum, 2002
 Member, Parochial Church Council, St. Luke’s, Chiddingstone Causeway
 Colonel in the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels
 Contributor to RUSI risk communications publications and events


“Stuart is a highly intelligent and intellectual person. He is analytical in his approach and demonstrates sound judgement and common sense. He is a good listener. His powers of written expression are very good indeed and he can be relied on to draft clear, concise and accurate statements of policy covering a range of complex and sensitive issues.” (Vernon Beauchamp, CEO, The National Autistic Society)

 

Qualifications: MA, Geography, (2.1) University of Oxford

Contact: stuart@notholt.net
07881 944514
www.notholt.net

Skype: stuart.notholt
LinkedIn: stuartnotholt
Twitter: sanotholt

Stuart Notholt