Biography    

Alex Aiken joined Westminster City Council as Head of Communications in May 2000. Between 2003-5 he was also Head of Communications at the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in the first-ever communications partnership agreement between two local authorities. He has also served as interim Head of Communications at the London Borough of Hillingdon.

At Westminster his role includes internal and external communication and consultation. The work of the communications team has been recognised in a number of national PR competitions, including winning the LGC ‘Communications Team of the Year' title in 2004 and PR Week and CIPR awards for media, internal communications, public affairs and evaluation.

Before joining Westminster he held senior posts at Conservative Central Office, leading the Party's Campaigns Unit from 1999-2000 and the Press Office between 1995 and 1999.

Alex has trained politicians and officials in newly democratic states around the world in communications techniques and in the UK was a key member of the group that developed the ‘Reputation' project to improve perceptions of local government.

Abstract: Changing perceptions, managing messages

Communications properly used is a powerful tool to improve the perceptions of local libraries. Community and national profile can be build with good media relations while usage is sustained by effective marketing. This requires understanding your brand, a coherent identity and trusting the professionals with delivering a communications plan with clear outcome targets.

This page was last updated on: 20 September, 2006