Mark Glover

April 13, 2026

PRWeek Power Book 2026: Over Ten years at the top

Ten years at the top

Mark Glover

Public Affairs, Recognition

Key takeaway:

Mark Glover is a UK public affairs adviser and chairman of SEC Newgate UK, ranked #6 in the PRWeek Power Book 2026. He has featured in the ranking for more than ten years, reaching number two in 2017. The Power Book is PRWeek’s annual guide to the most influential PR professionals in Britain.”

I am honoured to have been ranked sixth in the PRWeek Power Book 2026 Top 10 for public affairs (agency), and to have featured in the Power Book for more than ten years.¹

For me, that recognition is not simply a reflection of my work, but also of the excellence of the teams I have worked with over a career that has now spanned more than 30 years in public affairs.

I have featured regularly in this ranking over the years, including reaching number two in 2017, and I value that continued recognition because it speaks to a sustained contribution over time.² In public affairs, longevity matters only when it is matched by relevance, judgement and the ability to adapt, while remaining anchored in clear professional standards.

I have always believed that good public affairs should be transparent, professional and rooted in substance. That belief has shaped my work throughout my career and remains central to how I see the role of lobbying and corporate affairs today. My experience on the PRCA Public Affairs Board included championing transparency as a core principle, while also making the case for effective communication between business and government.³

What effective public affairs looks like

Public affairs is the practice of helping organisations engage with government, Parliament and regulators on the policy decisions that affect them. It is often judged by who you know. I think it should be judged by what it achieves and how it achieves it. These are the six tests I apply.

Criterion	What it means	How to measure it
Policy outcomes	The client’s position is reflected in the decision	Objectives met: amendments accepted, consultation points reflected in the final policy, guidance changed
Quality of evidence	Arguments rest on data policymakers can use	Submissions cited in select committee reports, consultation responses or impact assessments
Transparency	Every client relationship is declared	100% of clients listed each quarter on the PRCA Professional Lobbying Register, and on the statutory Register of Consultant Lobbyists where required
Timing	Engagement starts while policy is still open	Share of engagement at green paper, call-for-evidence or consultation stage, rather than after a bill is published
Breadth	Relationships reach across parties and officials	Engagement with ministers, opposition, backbenchers and civil servants, not one party or one office
Trust	Clients and policymakers come back	Client retention, repeat invitations to give evidence, peer recognition

None of these needs a secret. Most can be tracked in a simple quarterly report, and the best consultancies I have worked with already do this.

The transparency test matters most to me. The UK has had a statutory register of consultant lobbyists since the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014,⁴ and the PRCA publishes its members’ lobbying clients every quarter.⁵ A profession that wants policymakers’ trust should be comfortable with that scrutiny.

A career in public affairs

The latest PRWeek profile reflects that broader professional journey. It notes my current role as chairman of SEC Newgate UK,⁶ my PRCA fellowship, my time as a former Master of the Worshipful Company of Communicators,⁷ and my appointment in 2025 as Professor in Practice for Public Affairs and Economic Development at the University of Glasgow.⁸ It also traces the path from earlier in-house roles at the British Road Federation, CITB and Lantra, through agency positions at Hanover and Chelgate, to co-founding and leading Bellenden Public Affairs as chief executive, which became Newington Communications in 2016⁹ and, later, my work with SEC Newgate UK.

What has always mattered to me is that public affairs should do more than create access. At its best, it should help bridge the priorities of policymakers and the needs of business in a way that is responsible, credible and constructive. I have long believed in the role business can play in political, social and civic life, and in the importance of creating the conditions for growth, investment and opportunity.

Looking ahead

In my Power Book interview, I reflected on the past 12 months as “challenging, ultimately successful, political”. Looking ahead, I spoke about continuing to help grow SEC Newgate’s UK and global corporate affairs offer, working closely with my CEO Emma Kane,¹⁰ making a success of my appointment at the University of Glasgow, and continuing to champion increased social mobility. Those priorities sit naturally together for me. Professional success matters, but so too does widening opportunity and ensuring that talent from all backgrounds has the chance to thrive.

The next few years will test the profession. A change of government brings new ministers, new advisers and, probably, new rules on lobbying. The consultancies that do well will be the ones that can show their value against measures like those above, not just their contacts.

I am grateful to PRWeek UK for this latest recognition. More than anything, I see it as a reflection of many years spent contributing to public affairs at a senior level, working with excellent colleagues and clients, and seeking to uphold the standards the profession should demand of itself.