*Featured in Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce Magazine, December 2020*
LIONHEART Public Affairs has quickly pounced on its first major clients in the Humber following its recent launch.
The consultancy, which specialises in political engagement, PR campaigns and communications, is headed up by Richard Royal who has become a well-known face through his work with Vivergo Fuels and the Humber LEP.
After relocating back to Yorkshire after 13 years in London, Lionheart MD Richard Royal has made a name for himself in local business and political circles. As Head of Government Affairs & Communications at Vivergo Fuels, he managed the national campaign for the introduction of E10 fuel and was a prominent voice for renewables in the region, winning the highly competitive ‘Corporate Campaign of the Year’ award against stiff competition at the national Public Affairs Awards in 2017. As the former Energy lead at Humber LEP, he was responsible for the Humber Energy Strategy and organising last year’s ground-breaking Northern Powerhouse Energy & Clean Growth Conference.
Capitalising on expertise in energy and infrastructure, Lionheart is currently working with Equinor on the prominent Zero Carbon Humber campaign and the H2H Saltend project, which aim to make the Humber the first net-zero carbon industrial cluster by 2040. It also boasts a number of local commercial clients including Escape Room Hull and Mystery Mail, and is in discussions with other organisations in the energy, industry and international trade fields.
Richard has an impressive background in national public affairs, having held senior roles at major brands including Ladbrokes, Britvic, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Food & Drink Federation; as well as at a leading stakeholder engagement agency specialising in planning & licensing issues. He previously worked as an advisor to a Member of Parliament and as the Campaign Manager for a current Government Minister; and stood for Parliament at the 2015 General Election. His other ‘claim to fame’ is as a competitive open water swimmer – currently holding the World Record for the fastest swim across the River Humber, and being ‘knighted’ by the Principality of Sealand for completing the first ever swim to the UK mainland.
Richard Royal, Managing Director of Lionheart Public Affairs said: “Lionheart has a unique offering and specialised expertise at a national level across multiple key sectors, which distinguish it from other agencies in the region. It goes above and beyond the typical marketing, social media and press releases, by also providing experienced political and legislative insight, targeted stakeholder engagement and results-driven impactful campaigns. This is particularly vital to businesses that need to ‘unlock’ an issue or overcome an obstacle in order to fulfil their potential, as well as to those that are seeking to raise their profile or campaign for real change on a significant topic.”