After studying law at the University of Durham, Raees became involved with the Patchwork Foundation through their Speaker’s Parliamentary Gateway Scheme, as part of which he worked with the then Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer in her Parliamentary Office, followed by a placement within the House of Commons’ Policy Research and Analysis Team. Raees’ policy interests have been shaped strongly by his upbringing in Middlesbrough, where Raees experienced first-hand the socioeconomic repercussions of deindustrialisation and austerity, becoming acutely aware of the formative role public policy plays in shaping citizens’ everyday lives. Acting on this interest, Raees is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford as a Political Leadership Scholar.

Despite having worked in Parliament for almost a year, the world of political consultancy was unfamiliar territory. Whilst being a line of work that is commonly spoken about in the political field, there is often a degree of uncertainty as to the substantive role political consultancies play. 

My initial exposure to the work of Flint Global was through my mentor Andrew Barlow, assigned to me as part of my role on the Speaker’s Parliamentary Gateway Scheme, who is currently a Manager at Flint with a specialism in Policy and Political Analysis. Whilst Mr Barlow and I had discussed the work of Flint and his individual role at some length, the Insight Day provided a much more holistic view of the organisation and provided the opportunity to speak to employees ranging in breadth of experience and expertise. 

The day began with an introduction to Flint’s core purpose as a political consultancy, as established by Sir Simon Fraser in 2015. In his capacity as former Permanent Secretary of the Department for Business and the Foreign Office and Diplomatic Service, Sir Fraser had recognised the need for a body of political and regulatory experts to better advise businesses on their dealings with governments. The timing of Flint’s establishment proved prescient, as businesses increasingly sought more advice on how to navigate the political ramifications of Brexit in 2016 and later the impacts of Covid-19 in 2020. 

With Flint’s purpose in my mind, we were able to better engage with the range of panellists, beginning with the roles consultants play on a day-to-day basis. It was particularly interesting to hear from Hannah Prytherch, who explained the level of responsibility Flint placed on her, as well the range of clients that she deals with – something that she hadn’t expected as a recent university graduate. Ms Prytherch explained that this responsibility allowed her to become more adept within her field of MIA (Markets and Investor Advisory), and confident enough to converse with multinational corporations within only a few months of joining. 

This discussion was followed by a host of panellists from Director Anna Abela to Partner Kiran Horwich. Whilst Ms Prytherch had joined Flint early in her career, Anna interestingly explained that she joined Flint after an extensive international background, working as a Diplomat for Malta and later leading the UNHCR’s engagement with the European Parliament. Perhaps most interestingly, Ms Abela explained how she balances her role as Director with being a local councillor, and the ways in which Flint supports her in carrying out her duties. 

This also gave rise to an interesting discussion on the accessibility of a counselling career, particularly for young people. Partner Kiran Horwich offered a different but equally fascinating perspective, having been one of the first employees at Flint which followed a period working for the Liberal Democrats coalition government in Parliament. Ms Horwich shared several insightful explanations on how Flint uniquely supports their clients, in the midst of changing policies and evolving regulatory frameworks. This was particularly insightful in illustrating precise examples of when Flint has directly aided high-profile clients in complying with complex legislation and the valuable knowledge of Parliamentary procedure in the world of business. 

Our visit to Flint Global offered invaluable insights that demystify the world of political consultancy. It revealed how consultants, directors and partners leverage their varied political and regulatory experiences to guide businesses through an increasingly tumultuous political landscape. It demonstrated that a career in political consultancy is achievable, whether you’re new to politics, or have years working in the civil service.