Former FTI Managing Director becomes Vested UK CEO

Elspeth Rothwell, a former Financial Services Managing Director at FTI Consulting has joined PR agency Vested, to lead the firm’s European operations. Vested aims to use Rothwell’s experience to build on its recent acquisition of Templars Communications, and continue the rapid growth it experienced during 2017.

Vested, which has offices in New York and San Franscisco, was recently named as one of the world’s fastest growing public relations agencies, and earned 12 industry awards in 2017, including the much-coveted Best Places to Work Award from PRWeek, while adding great people and top companies to its professional staff and client roster. This year, Vested announced its entry into the UK and European market, thanks to its acquisition of Templars Communications in 2018, which it used to establish a UK office.

The integrated communications firm seeks to merge deep financial expertise with creativity in order to deliver integrated campaigns for their global clientele, with a particular focus on the future of finance. This saw the group become a founding member of the Global Fintech PR Network, and also the launch of the industry’s first agency-run investment group, Vested Ventures.

Elspeth Rothwell arrives at Vested with a blend of both financial sector and PR experience. Rothwell’s most recent role saw her employed by FTI Consulting Strategic Communications, where she was Managing Director for Financial Services, and was responsible for delivering integrated communications campaigns and strategic planning for financial services clients. Prior to FTI, Rothwell was deputy managing director at Consolidated PR, part of Four Communications, where she ran the group’s financial services and B2B teams. Her client experience spans challenger brands, niche specialists, and household names in financial services, including American Express, Brewin Dolphin, HSBC, and Virgin Money. She also served as an Account Executive and Account Manager at Lawson Dodd, for three years.

Rothwell, who also holds a PgDip in PR and Journalism from the University of Wales, in Cardiff, joins the acquired Templars team and new hires in the London office. As the organisation’s new UK CEO, She will work closely with Kitty Parry, formerly the CEO of Templars, who is now an advisor to Vested, alongside the US management team.

Speaking about her new appointment, Rothwell said, “It is a privilege, honour, and delight to join the Vested team. Putting purpose and personal at the heart of how financial services firms engage with the world around them is critical and I believe that Vested’s approach is both refreshing and on the money. I’m delighted to join such an innovative and entrepreneurial organisation that is already changing the shape of financial services communications.”

Remarking on the hopes the firm has for its new team, Ishviene Arora, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Vested, added, “We acquired Templars in the UK because we recognise the opportunity a major financial market like London presents and having the right person to lead us in the region is critical. Elspeth is an accomplished professional with a track record of excellence in thinking big and delivering value to clients, and we’re thrilled that she chose to join our team to lead the firm’s European operations.”