Media First, the Berkshire-based communications consultancy and training specialist, has launched a strategic communications partnership model, with former Sunday Times associate editor Sean Ryan leading its delivery.
The company's first such partnership has been agreed with the Restorative Justice Council (RJC), a charity facilitating carefully supported restorative dialogue between people affected by the Horizon scandal and senior representatives of the organisations involved.
The Horizon scandal, brought to wider public attention by the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, resulted in hundreds of postmasters being wrongly accused and many suffering devastating personal, financial and reputational consequences.
Ryan, a former Sunday Times foreign editor and director of media and corporate communications at Save the Children, joined Media First full-time on October 1. He will run a campaign to highlight the benefits of restorative justice, a process that enables those affected by harm to communicate safely and constructively about its impact and how it can be repaired. It is used in criminal justice, education, health and community settings.
The process can help participants gain a clearer understanding of the factors that contributed to the harm and may provide some with a greater sense of resolution or an opportunity to move forward. It is separate from any attempt to seek legal redress.
The Restorative Justice Council is facilitating restorative dialogue between affected postmasters and senior representatives of the organisations involved, including the Post Office, Fujitsu and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.
The partnership gives the Restorative Justice Council access to a flexible team of senior communications advisers, former journalists, campaign specialists and content experts. Working closely with RJC’s team, Media First will provide strategic counsel and practical communications support, flexing its expertise around changing priorities, emerging issues and important moments in the programme.
James White, Media First CEO, said: “The most important communications challenges rarely fit neatly into one box. This partnership gives RJC access to different expertise as its needs develop, from senior strategic counsel and journalistic insight to campaign and content support. What makes our approach different is that we combine that support with developing the capability of internal teams, so they become stronger and more confident communicators themselves.”
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James White
CEO, Media FirstJames White leads Media First and works with organisations across the UK and internationally on communication strategy, leadership communication and spokesperson development.
He regularly advises senior leaders on how to communicate more effectively during periods of change, scrutiny and uncertainty.
James has a particular interest in how artificial intelligence is reshaping communication, training and leadership development. He is also a recognised commentator on thought leadership, strategic communication and the future of workplace learning.
Sean Ryan
Crisis Communications & Reputation SpecialistSean Ryan brings more than three decades of experience as both a senior journalist and communications leader.
Before joining Media First, Sean held senior editorial positions at The Sunday Times, including Associate Editor and Foreign Editor. He later spent ten years leading communications at Save the Children, advising senior leaders on reputation, crisis response and stakeholder engagement in some of the world's most challenging environments.
Sean is a respected commentator on reputational risk, crisis preparedness and organisational resilience.
Victoria Smith
Senior Media Training ConsultantVictoria is a highly experienced journalist who has worked for ITN, the BBC, Associated Press and Euronews, covering international news and politics. She specialises in broadcast and digital media performance and helps senior spokespeople communicate confidently and effectively.
She is available to comment on media performance, broadcasting, journalism and spokesperson effectiveness.
Elisa Colton
Senior Journalist & Media TrainerElisa has nearly two decades of journalism and communications experience spanning newspapers, radio, television and international news. During her career she has worked for the BBC, BBC Radio 5 Live and Al Jazeera English.
She now coaches senior spokespeople and leadership teams to communicate clearly and confidently. She is particularly well placed to discuss how journalists think, how stories develop and what separates strong media performances from weak ones.
Laura Bridgeman
Leadership & Management Development SpecialistLaura works with managers and leaders at every level, helping them build confidence, improve communication and create high-performing teams.
She specialises in developing practical leadership skills that help organisations improve engagement, performance and workplace culture.