Manara Global was honoured to host a dinner for the UK Governments top communicator who visited Dubai on a whistle-stop tour of the region. Alex Aiken, Executive Director of Government Communications for the UK Government was accompanied by Matthew Moody, who leads Strategic Communication for the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Having worked closely with Alex over the years in my previous role in the UK Prime Minister’s Office in 10 Downing Street, I know how inspirational a leader he is. After all, this is the man who has introduced a number of wide ranging initiatives that has both revolutionised how government communications operates in the UK and abroad, but also further elevated its professionalism through the (UK) Government Communication Service to be a recognised, rightly so, as a world leader in the art form.
Having seen Alex work at first hand, this has been achieved through hard work, setting of standards and building a collaborative organisation consisting of some 4,000 communication professionals brings together over 4,000 professionals across 25 ministerial departments, 20 non-ministerial departments and over 400 agencies and public bodies who are all pushing for continuing excellence.
Over dinner, we discussed a range of topics from geo-politics, the UK participation at Dubai Expo 2020, Brexit, managing reputation, through to highlights from this year’s UK Government Communication Plan that was recently launched (on 10 April 2019).
At Manara Global, one of our mantra’s is that we love meeting interesting people, doing interesting work, and having fun whilst doing it. Alex, himself also exemplifies this, he is certainly an interesting person, certainly talking insightfully on interesting topics, and he is certainly doing interesting work. In the same week as his regional tour, he had already visited Finland to speak with their top government communicators and addressed an OECD Forum.
The UK Government Communication Plan for 2019 includes this year, three challenges that Alex has set all communicators in the UK to ensure they are fit for the future, which is the following:
Raising our standards through an ambitious portfolio of improvement programmes
Strengthening our democracy through our activity to maintain the Union, tackle disinformation and strengthen electoral integrity.
Delivering for our communities through our major campaigns for the year ahead that are necessary to meet the challenges the nation faces in the year ahead
The Plan for this year is split into the following topics which sets out the direction of efforts for the UK Government communicators. These are:
Raising our standards:This section covers the wide range of measures to support government communicators in ensuring they remain professionally equipped to respond to new and emerging challenges and ways of operating. This professional development will address some of the rapid changes in digital technology, social media, as well as changing public perception and demographic shifts.
Strengthening Our Democracy:The highlight of this section is the work underway to tackle misinformation and the spread of it. “The democratisation of information, and the means to exploit it, allows multiple sources to exert disproportionate influence, often in competition with the public interest. Trusted and traditional sources of information, and institutions of authority, are being called into question. In response to this, we have launched a new approach to give the public increased confidence in information they use to make their own decisions”.
Delivering For Our Communities:This section covers the work underway for the UK exiting the European Union as well as the planned campaigns of the GREAT campaign, Global Britain, economy and Industrial Strategy including the cost of living campaign, education and skills, housing and homelessness, health and wellbeing, social mobility, protection and prevention, diversity, inclusion and equality, and working for the public sector.
With all of the challenges facing a government, its reassuring to know that its communications are in good hands with Alex and with the challenges/opportunities of Brexit, it will be a big year for government communications.
Meeting Alex continues be a joy, be insightful and an opportunity to learn more and be inspired at both his knowledge and continued zeal for public service communication.