Janie Emmerson, Managing Partner at Hanson Search, sat down with Jo Tanner, Senior Director at APCO Worldwide, to explore her career journey from journalism to politics and strategic communications, reflect on the evolution of leadership in public affairs and discuss why political thinking has never been more important at board level.
Completely by accident. My grandparents were socialists and there was always a lot of conversation about politics, especially during the Thatcher years. I didn’t understand everything, but it definitely shaped my interest. At school I had a brilliant politics teacher who made the subject come alive. That influence stayed with me and although I originally thought I wanted to be a lawyer or a journalist, I ended up pursuing journalism at City University. After graduating I worked in TV for a bit but realised quite quickly it wasn’t for me.
Almost on a whim, I applied for a political researcher role with the Conservative Party, an unexpected move given my background. I didn’t get the researcher job, but they offered me a media officer position. I wasn’t entirely sure what political communications involved at that point, but I said yes. That’s how I started working for Ann Widdecombe, quite a leap from where I came from politically, but it opened up a completely new world. I spent a couple of years in that environment, surrounded by people who would later go on to run the country or become major journalists. It gave me an incredible network and insight into how influence works.
After that, I moved into charity and business communications, including a stint at the British Chambers of Commerce, before setting up my own agency which I ran for 17 years. Here we ran high-profile campaigns including Boris Johnson’s run for Mayor of London. Eventually I joined APCO, and the experience of going from a boutique Westminster agency to a global consultancy has been a fascinating shift.
Flexibility and curiosity are essential. Public affairs leaders today need to be strategic thinkers and not just politically connected. It’s about being able to read the landscape, understanding the dynamics of influence, spotting risks early and helping clients position themselves within political narratives. It’s also about knowing when to ask the right questions. There’s always more going on behind the scenes than meets the eye — rivalries, ambitions, shifting alliances and the best leaders know how to read those undercurrents without being swayed by personal bias. The role has evolved massively. Where once many people in public affairs had political ambitions, I think we’re seeing a shift. The job now is closer than ever to corporate strategy. It’s about helping organisations understand how their actions and messages align with wider policy agendas.
One of the biggest challenges is making sure the industry remains attractive to new talent. There’s a lot of talk about AI and automation and while I think technology can help us work smarter, especially in areas like regulatory tracking or horizon scanning, the strategic, human side of the job can’t be replaced. Another challenge is making sure junior professionals get the exposure they need to learn. With more hybrid working, there’s a risk that people miss out on the kind of real-world experience that shapes judgement; being in a difficult meeting, seeing how clients respond, learning how to navigate sensitive issues. Those things matter. It’s on leaders to create space for that development. That might mean making sure teams are physically in the room when it counts, or being intentional about sharing how we work through complex problems. Public affairs is a people business, and we have to protect that side of it.
I absolutely think we should. In many organisations the political lens is still missing from senior decision-making. Corporate affairs roles tend to focus on comms and media and that’s vital, but the political dimension often gets overlooked. On numerous occasions I’ve seen crises escalate because no one considered how a politician might respond. There might be a regulatory element, or a local MP with an interest and suddenly something that was manageable becomes a headline issue. If someone politically minded had been at the table earlier, those situations could have been avoided or at least managed better. Having a political perspective at board level doesn’t mean being partisan. It means understanding how policy, regulation and political perception shape the environment businesses operate in. It means being able to anticipate change, not just respond to it.
It’s difficult to predict specifics but I do think the fundamentals will remain. Despite new tech and the shift to digital, we’ll always need people who can build relationships, understand influence and offer sound judgement. The market will likely become more regulated. There’s growing scrutiny on lobbying and political engagement and I expect that to continue. At the same time, businesses are increasingly expected to engage with public policy, whether it’s on climate, skills or economic growth. That means the demand for strategic political counsel will keep rising. I also think we’ll continue to see a blending of global and domestic issues. Public affairs is no longer just about Westminster. What happens in the US, in China, or across Europe has direct implications here. Clients expect us to help them make sense of that complexity.
The most successful public affairs professionals in the future will be the ones who can connect dots across politics, media, business and society, and help organisations navigate a very fluid environment.
Whether you’re hiring top Public Affairs talent or considering your next career move, our team would be delighted to support you.
Janie Emmerson is Managing Partner, UK & Europe and Global Public Affairs Lead.
Hanson Search is a globally recognised, award-winning talent advisory and headhunting consultancy. Our expertise lies in building successful ventures worldwide through our recruitment, interim and executive search in communications, sustainability, public affairs and policy, digital marketing and sales.
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