Cavendish strengthens Government and Media Relations team with key Labour appointments

Communications consultancy Cavendish has appointed two strategic hires to its corporate communications and government relations team. Both are ex-Labour advisors and bring a combined 20 years’ experience of working for the party.

Chris Lee joins as Cavendish’s Head of Media Strategy. With over a decade of experience in political strategy, media relations and campaign management, his most recent position was as Labour’s Head of Communications for Greater London, playing a key role in Sadiq Khan’s re-election and managing media relations for Keir Starmer. 

In his new role, Chris will lead the Cavendish Newsroom – a new media service designed to help clients navigate the shifting media landscape and generate impactful coverage. Chris brings a fast-paced, newsroom culture to Cavendish, enabling clients to engage more effectively with the press and amplify their messages across traditional and digital platforms.

Emma Barnes, whose career spans policy, politics and communications, joins the Cavendish team as an Associate Director. She spent more than six years at the Labour Party, advising shadow cabinet ministers on policy development, political strategy and media engagement. 

Having previously worked on health policy at Labour's HQ, Emma played a central role in the party's response to the Covid-19 pandemic during which she was a Political Advisor to the Shadow Health Secretary. She was also deeply involved in shaping the party’s political strategy across two general elections, and led a team in Labour’s national press office during the recent election victory. With Labour now in government, Emma will advise clients on how best to engage with policymakers and the political media, and position themselves for success under the new administration.

Gareth Morgan, Executive Director at Cavendish, said: “The appointment of Chris and Emma, and the launch of the Cavendish Newsroom, marks an exciting new chapter for us. Chris’ expertise in strategic messaging and building media strategies at both the national and regional levels will be invaluable to our clients. Whilst their combined expertise will allow us to deliver even greater value to our clients, helping to engage strategically with the new political landscape and secure top-tier media coverage. Their appointments reflect our ongoing commitment to enhancing our political strategy, media relations, and public affairs expertise, while keeping pace with the rapidly evolving media landscape.”

The Cavendish Newsroom team also includes former regional and national business editors, political media advisors, creative storytellers, and experienced PR professionals. Its mission is to create compelling stories, leverage media connections, and position clients as key voices in the news cycle. Having prepped leaders including the Mayor of London and the Prime Minister for key media engagements, Chris and Emma will also lead the Newsroom’s media training service