In today’s fractured geopolitical environment, the lines between global policy, commercial operations, and stakeholder expectations are increasingly blurred. From the decoupling of global supply chains to the weaponisation of regulation and information, organisations across sectors are navigating a complex matrix of reputational risk and operational disruption.
As national interests redefine global partnerships and businesses find themselves caught at the intersection of diplomacy and commerce, reputation is no longer just a communications concern—it’s a strategic imperative.
Join us for our member-only virtual discussion, part of our Geostrategic Resilience Programme in collaboration with PwC, on Thursday, 8 May from 13:00 – 14:00 BST. Chaired by Pallavi Gulati, Director of Crisis and Resilience, PwC, the event will feature a cross-sector panel of senior leaders:
- Matt Drew, Group Security & Resilience Director, Tesco
- Kevin Money, Professor of Reputation and Responsible Leadership and Director of the John Madejski Centre for Reputation, Henley Business School; Visiting Professor, Instituto de Empresa Business School, Madrid, Spain
- Stuart Neil, Director of Strategy and Communications, International Chamber of Shipping
- Mike Witts, Director of Public Relations, GSMA
The online session will explore:
- The impact of geopolitical volatility on your corporate reputation
- How to maintain stakeholder confidence and trust during geopolitical shocks
- Practical steps to embed reputational resilience into your strategy
What to expect:
- Expert insights on safeguarding reputation in times of crisis
- Strategic and operational approaches to managing reputational risk
The moderated discussion will be followed by a live Q&A.
If you would like to attend, please get in touch with Laura Michelon at contact@resiliencefirst.co.uk.
Speakers:
Matt Drew
Group Security & Resilience Director, Tesco
Matthew is the Group Security and Resilience Director at Tesco. He has held similar positions at Dyson and Rolls-Royce over the past ten years, and he started his career as a Detective in West Midlands Police.
Pallavi Gulati
Director , PwC
Pallavi is a Director in PwC’s Crisis and Resilience Team and a crisis, issues, and reputation management specialist. She delivers complex crisis preparedness programmes, which include communications and reputation management advice to clients navigating a range of crises. Pallavi has extensive experience supporting Communications and Corporate Affairs teams prepare for and respond to high impact events. In addition to building response plans, she regularly delivers crisis communications training and exercising. She also acts as a communications advisor and chief of staff to the crisis communications team during a live crisis. Before joining PwC, Pallavi worked at a professional services firm leading complex crisis preparedness programmes and a public affairs consultancy advising clients in highly regulated sectors.
Kevin Money
Professor of Reputation and Responsible Leadership and Director of the John Madejski Centre for Reputation at Henley Business School, Visiting Professor at Instituto de Empresa Business School, Madrid, Spain
Professor Kevin Money is a Professor of Reputation and Responsible Leadership and Director of the John Madejski Centre for Reputation at Henley Business School and a Visiting Professor at Instituto de Empresa Business School, Madrid, Spain. He studies reputation, identity, corporate responsibility and stakeholder relationships, exploring trust, sustainability and pro-social behaviour and how leaders, organisations and boards can influence this. He has published books and articles in leading journals, such as the Journal of Business Research, Group and Organisation Management, the Journal of Business Ethics, the British Journal of Management and Long Range Planning, and is the former editor of the Journal of General Management.
Kevin’s work has a widespread impact on practice through its use in corporate, government and non-profit organisations (NPOs). At a corporate level, he has advised Unilever, McDonald’s and Zurich Insurance on issues such as sustainable consumption, healthy eating and customer retention and in the third sector his work is used by NPOs and the NHS to showcase and build positive societal impact. He advises the UK Government on its communications and is a member of the UK Cabinet Office Strategy and Evaluation Council. In 2024, he reviewed UK Government communications, leading to the publication of the Government Communication Service Evaluation Cycle, a mandatory communication tool used across government. In 2025, Kevin is part of a team reviewing the UK’s international communications.
Stuart Neil
Director of Strategy and Communications, International Chamber of Shipping
Stuart Neil is the Director of Strategy and Communications for the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) where he leads the communications activities of the ICS Secretariat based in London and supports the Secretary General and Board in delivering the organisations strategic agenda. He is responsible for all external and internal communications, using online, media and events to promote the work of ICS on behalf of the board. He supports the development of the Chamber’s studies, provides strategic communications counsel to the Secretary General and acts as a spokesperson for the organisation.
Stuart began his career in the British Foreign Service before moving to the private sector advising governments and international companies on communication matters. Stuart spent 9 years as a Press Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II before moving to the energy sector. Stuart has also worked for a United Nations organisation working to a Special Representative of the UN Secretary General.
Mike Witts
Senior Lecturer in Systemic Resilience Planning, University of Gloucestershire
Mike Witts is Director of Communications for advocacy at the GSMA, the organisation which represents mobile operators worldwide, and the hosts of MWC Barcelona, the world’s largest connectivity event. Mike was previously Group Head of Technology and Crisis Communications for BT PLC.
With 20 years of experience managing media relations, reputation management and crisis communications for some of the UK’s largest telecoms firms, his focus lies at the intersection between public policy and communications, using PR to drive policy change and manage challenging geopolitical issues.
He currently runs communications campaigns in Europe, MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa, amongst others, on a wide range of policy issues including taxation, regulation, spectrum and the use of mobile technology to support development and inclusion.
