Leadership Lessons with Karl Smyth, Director of External Affairs and Strategic Policy at enfinium

Peter Ferguson, Managing Consultant at Hanson Search, sat down with Karl Smyth, Director of External Affairs and Strategic Policy at enfinium. With a career spanning public policy, infrastructure and energy, Karl shares his thoughts on what makes an effective public affairs leader, the growing importance of foresight and why breadth of experience across sectors and functions is key to long-term success.

How did you get into politics and public affairs?

I’ve always been interested in politics, but the real turning point came while I was studying economics at university. I realised that analysing numbers and trends wasn’t enough — I wanted to do something that connected policy, business and people. That led me to a master’s in Public Policy at University College London, which brought everything together – politics, policy, business strategy and public affairs. After that, I landed my first agency role.

My background in economics has been hugely helpful, especially working in infrastructure. It helps me understand how projects stack up commercially and gives me credibility when speaking with colleagues outside the corporate affairs function. Being able to connect the commercial and policy worlds has been invaluable.

What qualities do public affairs leaders need in 2025?

We’re living through a period of heightened political volatility both at home and abroad, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. For public affairs leaders, being able to anticipate what’s coming next is more important than ever, whether that’s big-picture economic trends or specific political developments that could impact your organisation. The real skill is in looking ahead six, nine or twelve months and thinking strategically about where your business needs to be. Particularly in sectors like infrastructure, where projects take years to build. It’s not just about describing what’s happening now; it’s about connecting external developments to business strategy and communicating that clearly and meaningfully to stakeholders. That’s where effective leadership really makes a difference.

What are the key challenges in your current role, and how are you navigating them?

enfinium is a great business to be part of. We sit across several sectors, including the circular economy, energy and infrastructure, which makes it a really interesting place to work. The company is only about four years old, so a big focus for my team has been on raising our profile with our key audiences and identifying where we can make the biggest impact. Because we touch so many different areas, it’s easy to want to be involved in everything. But we’ve tried to be disciplined by focusing on where we can lead, where our voice carries weight and where we see the best return on the time and resources we invest.

We’re in a strong position when it comes to national and regional government engagement. We’ve already built around twobillion pounds’ worth of infrastructure, which fits neatly with the government’s growth priorities. That naturally attracts interest from ministers and officials and the conversations are very positive. The challenge is the sheer pace of political change over the past few years. Part of our role is to stay close to that and work out how we can help government deliver on its goals, while staying aligned with our own long-term investment plans.

How important is public affairs representation at board level?

It’s absolutely vital. We’re a highly regulated infrastructure business and political risk has become much more pronounced in recent years — both in the UK and globally. You can’t make significant investment decisions committing to projects that will take years to build without factoring in external and political considerations. At enfinium, our board genuinely values that external perspective. They want to know where the political risks are, how the landscape is shifting and what that means for our investment decisions over the next five years. That level of engagement is great to see and it’s essential for any organisation making long-term commitments.

I’ve also been lucky to work in sectors where there’s a strong awareness that external factors can make or break a business model. There’s no need to justify why the function exists, it’s more about communicating what we’re seeing in a way that’s clear, relevant and actionable for senior leaders.

How do you see the public affairs market evolving over the next five years?

Public affairs has always been about people, relationships, influence and trust. Technology will evolve how we work, but it can only go so far. We’ve already seen a shift in how technology supports advocacy through targeted advertising, digital campaigns and integrated content strategies. The future is about how public affairs collaborates with communications, marketing and data teams, especially as those areas adapt to AI and automation. AI will take away some of the more administrative parts of the role, freeing people up to focus on strategic work – building relationships, developing insight and adding value where human judgement really matters.

At enfinium, we’re already seeing AI make a practical difference to our operational business. We use AI technology to scan waste entering our facilities to spot things that shouldn’t be there, like gas canisters, which can damage machinery or pose safety risks. It’s a small change that’s had a significant impact on both efficiency and safety.

What advice would you give to someone looking to build a career in public affairs?

First, try to get both agency and in-house experience early in your career. Having that mix helps you understand how the two sides work, the pressures and opportunities on each and it makes you a more effective partner. Second, don’t underestimate the value of working in government, even briefly. Having firsthand experience of how the government works gives you a better understanding of how decisions are made. Candidates who’ve spent time in central or local government tend to bring a deeper appreciation of process and political context. Third, whatever organisation you’re in, make it your business to really understand it. Know how it works, what matters to people and where the pain points are. You add far more value when you can speak credibly about your organisation’s priorities and challenges.

Ultimately, it’s about finding the balance between breadth and depth, gaining experience across different sectors, but also becoming an expert in the organisation you’re part of. That’s the combination that makes you effective in public affairs.

Whether you’re hiring top Public Affairs talent or considering your next career move, our team would be delighted to support you.

Peter Ferguson is Managing Consultant in the Public Affairs Practice. Peter advises and supports some of the world’s most renowned communications consultancies, boutique public affairs agencies and global in-house clients.

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.