Robert Watkinson Email & Phone Number

London, England, United Kingdom

Working in a freelance capacity, I provide strategic counsel and communications advice to a range of organisations and individuals. Current work includes:• Developing a capacity building programme for a west African government• Supporting a Tanzanian NGO with communications and resource mobilisation • Providing strategic communications counsel to leadership within two foundations

I directed all aspects of the foundation’s communications, including advising the chairman and board members on media opportunities, managing communications for the 2021 Ibrahim Governance Weekend, and promoting the foundation’s research and thought leadership on Africa’s response to COVID-19. Having led extensive research, including stakeholder interviews and benchmarking studies, I developed a new communications and engagement strategy for the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, a major data… Show more I directed all aspects of the foundation’s communications, including advising the chairman and board members on media opportunities, managing communications for the 2021 Ibrahim Governance Weekend, and promoting the foundation’s research and thought leadership on Africa’s response to COVID-19. Having led extensive research, including stakeholder interviews and benchmarking studies, I developed a new communications and engagement strategy for the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, a major data project assessing African governance performance. Show less

London, United Kingdom

Over 14 years at Portland I played an instrumental role in the agency's international expansion and led the award-winning Global Impact team. I was asked to join Portland to inject Africa insight and expertise into a small but fast growing agency which had won a pitch to launch the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. Building on the success of this project, I worked with a colleague to establish a specialist team to provide clients with international communications counsel. The Global Impact team… Show more Over 14 years at Portland I played an instrumental role in the agency's international expansion and led the award-winning Global Impact team. I was asked to join Portland to inject Africa insight and expertise into a small but fast growing agency which had won a pitch to launch the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. Building on the success of this project, I worked with a colleague to establish a specialist team to provide clients with international communications counsel. The Global Impact team quickly became a significant driver of Portland’s growth and service offer, and was a key part of the agency’s prospectus when it was acquired by Omnicom in 2012. While at Portland, I won work with, and then advised, a wide range of foundations, corporations, governments, multilateral bodies and high-profile individuals, including: Africa Progress Panel, Alwaleed Philanthropies, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa, The Elders, Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking, Government of Somaliland, Kofi Annan Foundation, Omidyar Network, Prudential, The Rise Fund, The Rockefeller Foundation, SABMiller, Syngenta, UBS Centre for Philanthropy, UN Economic Commission for Africa, Walk Free Foundation, and World Wide Web Foundation.As a Partner, I managed a team of 25 consultants and oversaw multiple recruitment rounds. I was selected to represent Portland in an initiative promoting collaboration across the Omnicom network.In 2009, I relocated to Kenya to establish Portland Nairobi as a hub to grow the agency’s Africa-focused work and coordinate the Portland Africa Network, a network of partner agencies and consultants on the continent. From 2009 to 2013, I served as Director of Communications for former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in Kenya, coordinating communications for a series of high-profile visits.I designed and led a number of thought leadership projects at Portland, including the first ever study on Twitter in Africa 'How Africa Tweets'. Show less

In this pro bono role, I assisted the Trust, which supported the professional development of leading journalists from East Africa, with profile raising and donor engagement. Through my networks, I brokered several relationships that helped to extend the Trust’s work. I maintain close relationships with a number of the award winners.

As a founding member of this Africa-focused consultancy, I advised a range of multinational investors with operations on the continent, including Coca-Cola, Visa International and Nestle, on their communications. Working for Diageo Africa, I designed and led a portfolio of projects aimed at promoting a more balanced view of Africa’s business environment, including roundtable discussions, media visits, and the Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards.

Over a period of 18 months, I worked as a volunteer mathematics and physics teacher in two secondary schools in Tanzania, and as the NGO’s regional coordinator in Morogoro.