Our people combine decades of experience in PR, advocacy, social marketing, branding and design with a deep working knowledge of the issues and forces which drive social change.

We're a diverse group of communications professionals, united around a strong set of values and a bottom line which measures success through social and environmental impact as well as business results.

Leadership team

Namely, our senior staff, responsible for the core functions of the business and for cross-cutting skills and services.

Jilly Forster

As a Main Board Member at The Body Shop International, Jilly was a central force in shaping public perceptions and internal culture at one of the world’s most successful ethical brands. Jilly is a founding Director of The Big Issue, a trustee for Children on the Edge and The Royal Parks Foundation and a Patron of The Forgiveness Project. With over 30 years experience of working across the corporate, business, public sector and consumer arenas, Jilly has a fair idea of what works and what doesn’t when it comes to social change communications. Jilly has a consuming interest in responsible business, ethical consumption and social enterprise. As CEO she spends more than half her time on strategic consultancy for Forster’s clients.

Athena Lamnisos

Athena has been working in public interest communications, advocacy and organisational development for over 20 years. A former Director of Communications and Fundraising at Friends of the Earth, Athena has been at Forster for 10 years and has extensive experience of high-level operational and strategic planning and advising on controversial sustainability and social inclusion issues. She has sat on advisory and trustee boards for the International Broadcasting Trust, Community Service Volunteers and Forum for the Future. Athena provides strategic consultancy and heads up our issue expertise functions.

Amanda Powell-Smith

Amanda has over 18 years marketing and PR experience and specialises in developing communications strategies for clients across private, public and non-profit sectors.  Previously head of corporate responsibility at Harrison Cowley, she has particular expertise in stakeholder engagement around sustainability issues, and in developing corporate community investment programmes.  At Forster, she also leads our client evaluation services. She has sat on the CSR Committee for Better Bankside is currently part of the Communications Advisory Group for SightSavers International.

Peter Gilheany

Peter has 14 years of marketing and communications experience across the voluntary, public and commercial sectors, specialising in work with charities and around CSR.  Before joining Forster, Peter was a Director of Geronimo Communications, where he spent four years and was responsible for developing its CSR and charities division from scratch.  His previous client portfolio inccludes Barclays Global Community Investment programme, Deloitte, RBS Group, DCSF, the Home Office, DWP and the Cabinet Office.

Rob Lamond

Rob has extensive business management and development experience forged from a wide variety of business environments, ranging from the financial sector to franchising, retail, transport and tourism. More recently he has applied this experience to the charitable sector through his work with The Forgiveness Project and The Helen Bamber Foundation. Rob is COO at Forster.

Simon Fanshawe

Chairman of the Economic Partnership, and Chair of the University of Sussex, Simon is also a broadcaster, writer, public speaker and social activist – as well as an award-winning comedian. He is passionate about diversity and has been active in gay rights for 30 years. Simon is a non-executive director at Forster and works with us to provide focus, provocation and debate across a range of social and environmental issues.

Amanda Duffy

Amanda has 12 years PR and media experience with Guinness, Belfast Telegraph, UNICEF, and the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education. At Forster she leads our 10-strong social equality practice team and specialises in developing large scale media and community relations campaigns, often aimed at hard to-reach and youth audiences.

Andrew Pate

Andrew has 17 years experience in design and art direction and has worked for COI Communications, Marks & Spencer, The Design Council and RSCG Conran Design before joining Forster. Andrew leads the Forster CREATIVE team, specialising in inclusive design, sustainable production and brand articulation.

Ben Jackson

Ben has over 15 years policy and communications experience on international development issues, housing and public affairs.  His previous posts include Head of Campaigns at the World Development Movement and Director of Action for Southern Africa and Director of Communications and Campaigns at Shelter.  At Forster he specialises in campaigning and communications strategy, focusing on international development, ethical consumption, youth audiences and sustainability and regeneration.