Kirsty Allan named head of political due diligence at Lodestone
Lodestone has appointed Kirsty Allan as head of its new political due diligence practice. CEO Martha Dalton remarked that the firm was “thrilled to have Kirsty on board”.
“Her appointment caps off a period of significant growth for the business across all levels,” Dalton added. “And I’m confident that we now have an incredibly strong team taking us forward into the future.”
Founded in 2012, Lodestone is a public affairs consultancy headquartered in London. Among its services, it offers senior counsel; crisis and reputation management; C-level training; risk mapping and mitigation; behaviour change and transformation.
As the corporate communications expert looks to expand its footprint, Kirsty Allan has taken up the leadership of its new political due diligence practice. She will work alongside Lodestone’s senior team, including non-executive director Stuart Warriner, a corporate finance specialist and former PwC partner who draws on extensive M&A experience to advise the company on political risk.
Allan arrives from WPI Strategy, and was previously a director at Hanbury Strategy, having also led due diligence practices at Global Counsel and GK Strategy. She will lead on developing, building and delivering Lodestone’s new Political Due Diligence practice, as the company continues to grow and develop the services it offers.
The appointment is the latest in a series of senior appointments to the company, which bolstered its strategic advisory council in June as the agency continued to expand its offering to clients. Senior journalist and broadcaster Sonia Sodha, Damian Lyons Lowe, founder and CEO of Survation, and Dr Susan Gilby, a senior leader within the health service, all joined former deputy leader of the Labour Party Tom Watson on the council, while journalist Adam Miller became an associate.
Allan, who is also a managing director with the firm, added, “I’m delighted to be joining the business at a time of significant and exciting growth. The current political situation presents new and unique challenges for businesses, and I’m looking forward to working with a great team as I help clients navigate the political climate.”
