Robert Phillips

Activist, Blogger, Business leader, Concerned citizen, Connector, Consultant, Foodie, Idea generator, Marketer, Writer/Editor

Robert is the co-founder of Jericho Chambers – a progressive strategy consultancy described as “a much-needed antidote to McKinsey and WPP” – and a Visiting Professor at Cass Business School, London. Robert is the author of Trust Me, PR Is Dead (Unbound, 2015) and co-author of Citizen Renaissance (2008). He is a public speaker, media commentator and columnist. Through his writing and professional counsel, Robert advocates new models of Public Leadership, Public Value and Permanent Engagement. Robert advises companies at senior level on strategy, policy, communications and trust. Client experience includes: AkzoNobel, Aviva, Capital & Counties Properties PLC, Diageo, KPMG, Microsoft, O2, Shell, Sony, Unilever…. and Wonderbra. Robert was formerly President and CEO, EMEA, of Edelman, the world’s largest Public Relations firm, and Global Chair of its Public Engagement & Future Strategies group. He contributed to the annual Edelman Trust Barometer from 2007 to 2012. Robert co-founded Jackie Cooper PR in 1987, having launched his first company two years earlier, while still at university. He sold JCPR to Edelman in 2004 and was UK CEO of Edelman from 2007 to 2010, during which time the company became digitally native, grew exponentially and established a clear leadership position among its competitive set. Robert is the author of a number of articles and pamphlets on the future of communications, leadership and trust. Robert’s speaking credits include the European Roundtable, the Global Economic Symposium, the Confederation of British Industry, the British Chamber of Commerce, OECD, European Association of Communications Directors,Oxford University, London School of Economics, Cass Business School, The Institute of Ideas, the UK Treasury and Ministry of Defence – as well as various client and corporate assignments, including The Financial Times, KPMG, RBS, Sanofi and Saudi Aramco. He has spoken at major conferences and events around the world – including in London, Berlin, Moscow, Milan, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, Abu Dhabi and Dhahran. Media contributions include the BBC (radio and TV), Financial Times, Management Today, International Business Times, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal Europe, El Pais, Kommersant, Communication Director, Corporate Communications, PR Week, The Holmes Report and Campaign. Robert is a Fellow of the RSA; a Trustee of The Creative Society; an Associate at the Centre for London. He is a member of the Advisory Council of the Forward Institute and has served on the Advisory Boards of the Global Economic Symposium, the European Circle of Communicators and the CBI London Council. He is a Fellow of the Public Relations Consultants Association and founding Vice Chair of the PRCA Diversity Network. Robert is an occasional TED attendee. Robert enjoys the curious career bookmarks of being named "One to Watch" by PR Week in 1993 and again by The Holmes Report in 2015. In between, he has collected a number of prestigious awards and accolades for campaigns (Wonderbra, PlayStation, Daewoo, Snapple, O2, Xbox, Shell, among others) and outstanding business performance - including Consultancy of the Year gongs for Edelman in the UK (twice), the Middle East and across Europe. Under his stewardship, Edelman won numerous awards for its digital campaigns and leadership in EMEA. Robert is ever-present in PR Week’s annual Powerbook and is listed in the Wired 100 digital influencers. Robert is married, with two sons. He lives in London. Robert was educated at Balliol College, Oxford (rather briefly) and the University of London. His leadership mantras are “no mediocrity; no fear; no assholes ”. Robert is a lifelong Manchester United fan and does not eat fish. In another life, he would quite like to have been Bob Dylan.

Public Leadership, Public Value, Democracy, Citizenship, Constitutional Reform, Permanent Engagement, Manchester United, Bob Dylan

Trust Me, PR Is Dead - published in Spring 2015. The new model of Public Leadership is activist, co-produced, citizen-centric and society-first. #CSR is dead, too

Communications, Trust

Cooking; hanging pictures