Stephen Hardwick Email & Phone Number

Recent contracts include (with more detail below):- an EU-based AI start-up- SpareRoom.co.uk- Equality and Human Rights Commission- Bradford Children and Families Trust- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council- Mid and South Essex NHS Health and Care Partnership- Government of Jersey (pro bono)

I devised a political engagement campaign for SpareRoom that persuaded the Chancellor to reduce unfair differentials in tax reliefs between holiday let and residential landlords by £650 million in the March 2024 mini-Budget. The campaign included developing an evidence-based case in extensive stakeholder briefings and letters across government departments, political parties, MPs and parliamentary committees.

United Kingdom

I wrote the new Trust’s core narrative, business plan, communications and engagement strategy and their day one internal and external communications for taking over Bradford Council’s failed children’s services on 1 April 2023.

London, England, United Kingdom

I bridged a senior capacity gap at a time of intense reputational pressure concerning the EHRC’s position on trans and disability rights. I led the media approach, developed a new communications strategy and supported the incoming Communications Director’s induction. I returned twice to rehearse the Chair and CEO for important parliamentary committee hearings.

I provided strategic communications advice and support to the leadership of an emerging NHS Integrated Care System, specifically: created the new organisation’s narrative; wrote its Communications and Engagement Strategy; devised the structure and ways of working of a new communications and engagement team; and supported the Director of Communications and Engagement’s professional development.

Bournemouth, England, United Kingdom

I was appointed to establish a new executive Director of Communications and Marketing role for BCP Council (the tenth-largest urban authority in England); review and redesign the communications and marketing function; lead the creation of the council’s first Communications Strategy and Plan; and write its new ‘Big Plan’ narrative, setting out the council's ambition to compete as a world-class city region for investment, status and reputation. I recommended an internal promotion to the Director role and mentored and supported the new Director in her role as I completed and implemented some strategic priorities. I continue to mentor her pro bono.In November 2021 I was asked back to draft Bournemouth's bid for city status.

I supported the Chief Minister, Chief Executive and incoming Director of Communications to handle the first wave of Covid-19, with strategic advice and by drafting and editing communications materials, especially for the first lockdown and economic support measures. I did this pro bono, reflecting my personal commitment to my former team, CEO and Chief Minister in extraordinary circumstances.

Jersey, United Kingdom

Initially recruited as part of a senior transition team, I was appointed to help accelerate the pace of transformation and modernisation of Jersey’s public service though effective communications. Ministers and the new Chief Executive are creating one government, which works together for the interests of all islanders, out of the silos of a dozen separate departments. As part of this, I created a new, unified communications team to implement a joined-up communications strategy and plan, in support of the ‘one government’ approach to delivering quality, value-for-money public services and a growing, internationally-competitive economy. I recruited extensively, brought design and marketing in house, created an internal comms team, strengthened Press Office and appointed comms heads to each government department to support Ministers and the senior leadership teams. I worked directly to the Chief Executive, was a member of his senior leadership team, and I advised the Chief Minister and other Ministers on communications and reputation. I was also responsible for drafting and/or editing major speeches and publications, including the Government's four-year plan and the Annual Report and Accounts.I left after two and a half years to return home to London, once a permanent successor was appointed.

London, United Kingdom

I was a member of the Executive Committee, advising Ministers, the CEO and Board. I led a team of 220 in national and regional media, reputation management, social media, marketing, design, stakeholder relations, internal communications, corporate publications, corporate responsibility and HMRC’s Building our Future culture change programme, managing annual budgets of up to £20 million.I was HMRC’s environment champion and a member of the cross-Government Communications Board, chaired by the Cabinet Office Minister and other cross-government forums. I was also a broadcast spokesperson (Radio 4 Today and Moneybox, 5 Live).Achievements:- turned around HMRC’s external reputation by repositioning it as a transparent and effective organisation, robustly handling controversies over customer service, corporate tax avoidance and tax evasion (HSBC Suisse and Panama Papers), through proactive and confident media and stakeholder engagement, improving perception scores across all audiences- influenced senior leadership decision making, speaking up for stakeholders and reputation when challenging and advising on business strategy and operations- transformed HMRC’s approach to employee engagement, creating a compelling and honest narrative about the future and driving a programme of 2,200 leader-led face-to-face events that reached 65,000 staff multiple times over five phases. This helped avoid industrial action over the past three years, despite office closures and thousands of voluntary and compulsory exits- restructured communications to reduce cost and headcount while increasing influence and impact, and developed a campaigns-based strategy, aligning communications to business objectives, with clear measurement and evaluation of all aspects of communications and engagement- improved communications professionalism, led cross-government capability improvement projects, and established HMRC as an outstanding performer in government communications.

London, United Kingdom

A policy, public affairs and communications consultancy, providing high-level, integrated, strategic advice and support to clients on business-critical public policy, regulation and reputation-critical issues.I advised UK and international clients, including Diageo, Global Infrastructure Partners, Gatwick Airport, the Prime Minister of Hungary, the Speaker of the South African Parliament, the United Food and Commercial Workers’ Union of North America and Uni Global Union. My work included PR and lobbying campaigns, thought leadership and policy, media handling for M&A, Parliamentary Committee rehearsals, communications strategy and communications restructuring.

Budapest, Hungary

In the 18 months that BAA owned the airport, I was a member of the Executive Committee and Board, responsible for national and local government relations, media, stakeholder relations, internal communications and environmental policy and compliance. I helped avert an all-out strike on day 1 of our ownership and we never lost a day’s work through industrial action during our tenure, despite significant job cuts and the divestment of subsidiary businesses.I led extensive community and aviation industry consultations to achieve 35 changes to air traffic and ground regulations, reducing the airport’s impacts on communities and public opposition to growth and securing local authority planning approvals. I also helped secure government approval for the early sale of the airport, managing the media communications jointly with the Prime Minister’s Office.

London, United Kingdom

BAA was the UK's biggest airports group, at the time owning Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Southampton, Budapest and Naples Airports, before it was taken over by the Spanish company, Ferrovial, after which all but two airports were divested.I implemented national and EU public affairs strategy and lobbying campaigns; advised the CEO and Executive Committee in developing company policies; wrote policy papers, speeches, articles and formal submissions to government and Parliament; and was a national and local radio and television spokesperson, conference speaker and witness at Parliamentary Select Committees. Achievements: - I led the political, public affairs and media campaign in Hungary for the successful £1.5 billion privatisation bid for Budapest Airport in 2005, as well as drafting and editing all bid documents- I drafted critical submissions to government and Parliament on aviation and environmental policy, including airport capacity and aviation emissions trading for the 2003 Air Transport White Paper- I led BAA’s successful EU-wide campaign to secure an EU Directive to bring aviation into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, in order to win UK Government support for airport expansion- I was Director of Communications for Stansted Airport for nine months alongside my group role, joining Stansted’s Executive Committee, leading the launch of plans to build a new runway and the consultation and launch of a controversial voluntary property purchase scheme.

Cape Town, South Africa

Two-year advisory position, supporting South Africa's first democratic Government under Nelson Mandela in Parliamentary transformation. I ran the political operation of the Chief Whip's office, and supported the media operations. Position was funded by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy.

London, United Kingdom

I was chief policy adviser, press officer and speechwriter on transport, regional economy and employment issues, and worked on his successful Deputy Leadership campaign.

London, England, United Kingdom

Researcher and writer on employment and industrial relations issues.

Trowbridge, England, United Kingdom

Ba (Hons), Iii In Economics And Economic History

Zertifikat Deutsch (Intermediate, With Grade 1 Pass), A Four-Month Intensive Language Course In German

National Council For The Training Of Journalists Preliminary Exams, Covering Journalism, Law, Public Administration And Shorthand