Alex Aiken

Communications Advisor
UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
UAE

In February, executive director of UK government communications Alex Aiken left the Civil Service after 12 years to take up a new a role in the United Arab Emirates, as communications advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE, working to Afra Mahash Alhameli, the ministry's director of strategic communications.

After serving five prime ministers, four governments and leading communications through three elections, two referendums, a pandemic, the death of a monarch and a war, a rest from UK politics seemed in order; since he entered this world in 1992, the political comms advisor and Westminster stalwart was deeply committed to constantly improving government communications, earning him PRovoke Media Outstanding Individual Achievement award last year.

Aiken was the brains and the heart behind the 2014 launch of the Government Communication Service – the professional body for more than 7,000 communicators across the UK civil service – combining personal charm and provocative intelligence to deliver an initiative that sets the global standard for public sector communications.

He spent seven years in Conservative Central Office, including leading the press office and setting up the Conservative Party’s campaigns unit, before moving to Westminster City Council, where between 2000 and 2012 he was director of communications and strategy, leading the policy, member services and communications teams.

Can you share a moment in your career when you saw PR's direct impact on business performance?

This would have to be the response to the Covid pandemic. Effective communication and all parts of public service working together to provide the information to save lives.

What are the communications industry's biggest challenges and opportunities in the year ahead?

The challenges are to consistently provide inspiring leadership and useful measurement of effect to provide the all-round assessment of reputation to guide organizations and clients. The opportunity it to make use of emerging technology to improve evaluation and use our leaders better to provide an improved professional development offer to junior staff.

What have you most admired about the communications industry over the past year, and what has disappointed you?

The authority of chief communication officers in the boardroom and around organisations continues to grow. This is testament to the skill of directors of communication, evinced by the recent Page Society report. My frustration is the lack of consistently good leadership, systems and evaluation in the industry overall

What work from your team are you most proud of over the past year?

For the UAE as a whole, COP28 and the agreement on the UAE Consensus was a significant global achievement.

How have you switched off from work and maintained wellness over the past year?

Football and family. Still chair the Westminster Wanderers and really grateful to have been able to join the Abu Dhabi Strollers social side and played for the Abu Dhabi Greyhounds Vets, and always inspired by my family.

Which book/movie/TV show/podcast/playlist/other cultural source has helped you get through the past year or provided inspiration?

I'm reading the collected works of Lebanese author Kahlil Gibran, brilliant, moving and inspiring prose and poetry and Thucydides’ ‘History of the Peloponnesian War’, which provides worrying and relevant lessons about international relations, from nearly 2,500 years ago.

If I wasn't working in marketing/communications, I would be...

A lawyer, or a soldier.