LONDON — Portland has appointed UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s former deputy chief of staff, Katie Lam, as chief policy adviser. Lam, who joins the agency this month, will advise clients on the key priorities of the Conservative government as the UK emerges from the pandemic.

Lam was a vice president at Goldman Sachs before joining Downing Street as a special adviser in 2019, where she served in various roles including leading business engagement and then deputy chief of staff.

Mark Flanagan, Portland’s chief executive, said: “From social care to levelling up, climate change to Britain’s place in the world, we are entering a critical time in politics and policy-making. Katie’s experience and insights will be invaluable as we help our clients navigate what could be a tricky operating environment”.

Lam added: “I'm incredibly excited to be joining Portland as we all move forward after coronavirus and look to the challenges and opportunities of the coming years. I look forward to supporting Portland's clients to understand and ultimately succeed in this fascinating period”.

The role of chief policy adviser at Portland was most recently held by Will Tanner, who moved on to be director of think tank Onward. Other recent hires at the agency include Gabriel Milland, who joined from Public First as a partner to head Portland’s research and strategy team.