Our team.
We are experts.
The ECF team has a track record of designing and implementing strategic communication and engagement approaches that support the community and the objectives of our clients.
We pride ourselves as communications and engagement experts with technical experience from a diverse background. Our team has accumulated over 50 years’ experience in the Property, Construction, Infrastructure, Built Environment, Healthcare and Renewable Energy sectors. We have worked on some of the most major and complex projects in the UK and Australia.
In addition to their expertise, members of our team must have several key attributes to work for ECF. They must be passionate about talking to people, they must be able to write, they must have common sense, want to create positive social impacts, and have sense of humour. Those listed below, definitely fit the bill!
Managing Director
Oliver Deed
Oliver Deed is co-founder and Director of ECF. Oliver is a talented communications and engagement practitioner with over 10 years of experience in the UK and across Australia.
His knowledge of public and political relations as well as his expertise in strategic communications provide him with the tools to design innovative solutions for a range of projects. He has worked on small and large scale residential, construction and infrastructure projects.
He has led the team in delivering on a wide range of projects for clients including BeFirst, Camden Council, CityFibre, Community Health Partnerships, Crystal Palace Football Club, Enfield Council, Haringey Council, Mid Sussex District Council, TOWN and U+I PLC.
executive chair
Kathy Jones
Kathy Jones, co-founder and Director of ECF. She is one of Australia’s leading strategic communications and engagement advisors, known for her work to help CEOs, boards and senior management staff manage crises and policy change contexts.
Since founding KJA in Australia in 2001, Kathy provides high level strategic advice, issues management, leadership and project delivery for some of the nation’s major transport and infrastructure projects, including Northern Beaches Hospital and Barangaroo.
STRATEGIC ADVISER
Sir Marcus Jones
Sir Marcus Jones, a former Housing Minister, High Streets Minister, and Member of Parliament for 14 years, brings a wealth of experience and unique insights to the ECF team. His extensive background in government has equipped him with an in-depth understanding of the intricacies and challenges of economic growth, planning, transport, and infrastructure investment.
At ECF, Sir Marcus’s ability to dissect and interpret these changes allows ECF to provide its clients with strategic advice and support, and he provides proactive support on our community and stakeholder engagement campaigns across the UK.
business development Director
Gill Marshall
Gill is a knowledgeable urban regeneration practitioner with more than thirty-five years’ experience in the inward investment and economic development arena, upwards of twenty years of this spent in east London.
Gill has a keen understanding of the disparate needs of both the private and public sectors, Gill has designed and managed bespoke consultation and engagement programmes, including the 2012 London Olympic Relocation Programme, navigating sometimes complex relationships.
More recently, Gill established relationships in the market town of Biggleswade; mapping the Community Engagement Strategy and developing the Consultation Programme for the Biggleswade Garden Community; with an initial 1,500 home scheme achieving planning in 2019.
OPERATIONS & Finance director
Debbie Street
Debbie is a highly experienced Operations & Finance Director with over 25 years’ experience developing, evaluating and implementing operational measures to make a company successful.
Debbie specialises in promoting company growth, preparing financial budgets & targets and executing plans designed to meet company goals.
Her career started in Central Government in the early 1990s, studying Business Management, Counter Fraud Management and Counter Fraud Intelligence at University of Portsmouth.
AssociAte Director
Rowan Cole
Rowan leads COALFACE, a practice focused on strategic stakeholder engagement, political insight and governance shaped risk. His work concentrates on the political, organisational and behavioural conditions that influence planning decisions. He advises developers, local authorities and public bodies on programmes where planning, politics and organisational pressures converge.
Rowan’s background spans elected Member experience, council advisory roles and senior consultancy positions on major schemes across London and the South East. This combination gives him a clear view of how planning authorities make decisions, how political signals shape outcomes and how programmes can be de risked through early engagement and practical governance insight.
ECF regularly partners with Rowan and COALFACE on communication and engagement projects.
AssociAte Director
Charlotte Jordan
Charlotte is a motivated and collaborative strategist co-creating and delivering projects on behalf of governments and international institutions in a range of sectors.
She has a track record of delivering excellence in complex environments and experience in leading teams to support clients in delivering strategy and regulatory business plans.
Charlotte helps clients to communicate complex messages to a variety of stakeholders in an engaging and meaningful way, helping to build advocacy and support for projects.
Charlotte was a service lead and specialist advisor to 101 towns for HMG Towns Fund, Levelling Up programme. She has also led the design and delivery of major client stakeholder engagement programs including Heathrow, HS2 and National Highways.
AssociAte Director
John Parrott
John Parrott is a community and stakeholder engagement consultant with 12 years experience working on major transport and infrastructure projects in the UK.
He lives in Cambridge and has previously lived and worked in New Zealand before returning to the UK in 2008. Since then John has been working in London on major projects including Crossrail, the London 2012 Games and HS2.
John’s specialist experience includes relationship management, chairing consultative groups, conflict resolution, equalities issues, media relations, supporting legislative and consent processes, advocating for measures to mitigate construction impacts, project and events management and political engagement.
AssociAte Director
Joseph Clayton
Joseph Clayton is a policy and public affairs specialist with a decade of experience on some of the biggest and most innovative infrastructure and public policy projects in the United States of America and Australia.
He specializes in transformative and visionary urban and regional projects, from precinct development to new transit systems and climate resiliency projects. With his experience in diverse communities, Joseph instinctively knows how to address community and stakeholder concerns and needs.
Joseph also brings an academic background in politics, international business law and intercultural communications.
VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS LEAD
Lawrence Barraclough
Lawrence is the Visual Communications Lead at ECF. He is responsible for creating high-quality visual communications materials to support ECF’s work, and the work of our clients. He is the producer of Grounds for Resistance and Legacy in Practice, and has created a series of pieces of visual content to help clients communicate effectively with their identified communities.
SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER
Ashni Jain
Ashni is a licensed architect (registered with the Council of Architecture, India) and urban practitioner specialising in placemaking, engagement and social value surrounding the built environment.
She has completed her master’s in City Design and Social Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science and has interdisciplinary work experience in sectors such as architecture, landscape architecture, community engagement and urban research.
Ashni’s work aims to shape everyday life by applying design and policy as a problem-solving and experience-building tool, interweaving well-being, education, and agency.
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Liam McNaught
Liam is an Account Manager at ECF with nearly 10 years of experience in strategic communications, stakeholder engagement and client advisory across property development, infrastructure, transport, utilities, retail and community projects.
Prior to relocating to the UK, Liam worked extensively across Australia in both the private and public sectors. He has led comprehensive communications and engagement programmes across the built environment, helping clients navigate complex stakeholder landscapes, manage risk and coordinate cross-functional teams to achieve successful outcomes.
Working across planning, approvals and delivery phases, Liam specialises in community engagement, issues management, reputational strategy, and government and media relations. Known for his collaborative, solutions-focused approach, he builds strong client relationships and continues to develop his expertise within the UK market.
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Abbi Grima
Abbi is currently studying English Language and Linguistics at Cardiff University and joined ECF as an Engagement Intern before progressing into her current role. She has a strong passion for working with the public and has a keen interest in community engagement.
At ECF, Abbi supports on a variety of projects, contributing to weekly monitoring, stakeholder engagement activities, and the drafting of key project documents. Her role spans both public facing engagement and project coordination.
Abbi’s background includes exprience in hospitality and volunteer work with The Dog’s Trust.
