A PROACTIVE PR AGENCY ESTABLISHED BY AN EX-NEWSPAPER JOURNALIST
JAMES CLENCH
FOUNDER
I was lucky enough to fulfil my ambition. I trained at City University alongside media stars of the future before spending 16 years working in national newspapers as a reporter and news editor, including a period as Head of News at The Sun.
Launching and running Harpswood means I can share my knowledge and experience of the media with your business to ensure its communication is effective and stands out. A contacts book built up over the best part of two decades helps with pitching stories into broadcast, print and digital media across the political spectrum. And Harpswood’s now been joined by a former Mail on Sunday and Mirror executive as well as an ex-BBC producer.
Harpswood chooses to work with exciting and disruptive businesses and organisations who are having a positive impact on society. Helping steer Octopus Energy’s communication over six years as it transformed from an ambitious startup into a £3.5bn business driving the green energy revolution has been a personal highlight.
But so has helping Sustainable Ventures successfully manage a media visit by the Prince of Wales to its iconic County Hall workspace; launching not-for-profit worker protection organisation JobsAware with an interview on BBC Breakfast; or securing more than 1,000 pieces of national coverage for transport research group New AutoMotive as it supports the uptake of electric cars in the UK.
We’ve now got a global reach too. It’s been a proud moment to open offices in Houston, Texas, and Munich, Germany, allowing us to support clients with campaigns beyond the UK.
I’m also hugely proud of the hard-working team of brilliant PR professionals at Harpswood who boast their own national media connections and proactively land positive coverage for our clients week in, week out.
“I only ever wanted to be a journalist. I was fascinated by the media and I especially loved newspapers in all their inky, chaotic glory.”
We call ourselves the can-do communications agency for a reason. We’d love to show you why.
Meet the Team
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JAMES CLENCH
Founder
James spent 16 years as a reporter and news editor in national newspapers, including a period as head of news at The Sun. He understands the news agenda, knows what journalists want and is skilled in writing compelling copy for clients.
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ABIGAIL SMITH
Director
Abi runs Harpswood with James - she joined from a top 10 UK PR agency where she worked on big-budget campaigns for household names, tech scale-ups and FTSE100 firms. Passionate about raising the profile of disruptive organisations, Abi’s expertise and energy sets the bar for the team’s excellent client service and delivery.
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STEVE MYALL
Media Director
Steve spent 20 years working for national newspapers but it is his experience as a features editor which gives him a keen eye for a good story. A skilled communicator with an excellent knowledge of the media landscape, Steve lands top-tier coverage and hosts media training workshops to help clients get their messages across.
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RYAN BOWES
Account Director
Ryan is an experienced comms lead who has led international campaigns for tech start-ups to household names and curated and attended high-profile events at the likes of Davos and COP27. He started out in publishing communications at Penguin Random House and is passionate about purpose driven PR.
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DANIELLE TODD
Senior Account Manager
Originally from New Zealand, Danielle brings over eight years’ global comms experience to Harpswood. Having worked across a diverse range of corporate and consumer brands, she has a passion for telling the stories of startups and enjoys delivering the best results for her clients.
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GRACE BROWNE
Account Manager
Multi-lingual account manager Grace is a results-driven PR pro with impressive contacts in national broadcast and print. From using her Spanish skills to help coordinate Octopus Energy’s entry to the Spanish market to landing BBC Breakfast for her client within weeks of joining the account, Grace understands her clients’ needs. -
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BRENDA KOOPSEN
US Account Manager
Brenda joins Harpswood in our new office in Houston, Texas. She is a former award-winning news anchor and investigative reporter with training from one of the best broadcast media universities in America. Brenda has already landed great results, fixing high-profile speaking engagements and networking opportunities for Octopus Energy US.
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STUART HECKFORD
Senior Account Executive
Stuart studied comms and joined Harpswood from a data-focussed PR agency. With a nose for news and having developed strong relationships with national journalists, Stuart secures impressive coverage for his clients including with The Times, Sky News, Reuters and the Evening Standard.
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EVA LIGHTFOOT
Senior Account Executive
Eva worked for six years as a Broadcast Journalist for the BBC across radio and TV, specialising in regional television news production. She has an in-depth understanding of the media and how to tell stories that cut through. Since joining Harpswood she has secured regional and national broadcast opportunities for her clients.
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ALICE APSEY
Creative Director
The brains behind the Harpswood brand, Alice has 10 years’ experience building fast-growing startups. She supports a range of innovative nonprofits and specialises in design for climate communications.
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ARPANA RAI
Account Executive
Arpana joined Harpswood from the economic water regulator Ofwat, where she worked in the comms team, gaining experience in the press, digital, and public affairs divisions. Arpana has a nose for news and enthusiasm for her clients’ stories which sees her routinely land impactful coverage.
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ROB CRAWFURD
Account Executive
Rob studied English lit and is a born storyteller. He arrived at Harpswood driven to change society for the better through purposeful PR. With an eye for a data-led hook and keen attention to detail, Rob has landed top-tier opps for his clients within weeks of joining the team.
