OPINION BATTLEGROUNDS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- General Manager, Chelgate Romania
Mirela Meita runs Chelgate's Bucharest PR office, where her understanding of the Romanian government, EU public affairs, and the international and local media have been invaluable for clients.
Mirela joined Chelgate in 2004, working at its London office. Prior to joining Chelgate, she was an advisor for three years in the foreign affairs department of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies. Before this she headed the office of its president for four years. Mirela originally has a background in medical science, gaining a degree in medical biology and a research PhD in cellular oncology at the University of Bucharest and later becoming assistant professor of cellular biology and histology at the university.
In 2006, Mirela Meita was assigned to open Chelgate's new office in Bucharest, an office that has since grown from strength to strength. The first wholly foreign-owned PR firm in Romania, Chelgate Romania now holds major contracts from a variety of leading companies and government organisations, including with the European Commission. Chelgate Romania under Mirela's leadership has become one of Romania's leading, most professional PR firms, combining local knowledge with exacting international standards of practice.
Mirela joined Chelgate in 2004, working at its London office. The firm, recognising her expertise in media relations and international and Romanian public affairs, appointed Mirela to run its Bucharest office in 2005 where her understanding of the Romanian government and excellent relationships with the media have been invaluable for clients. More...
Jonathan Ray brings specialism in crisis handling and reputation management to Chelgate, with international experience spanning education, science, the environment, and global trade. Jonathan was Head of Communications and Deputy Director of Public Affairs at Oxford University before joining the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan as Vice President for Communications. He also served as Senior Advisor (Communications) in the Office of the Founding President at the $20b endowed King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia; and has led communications, media and public relations for Nottingham University in the UK, China, and Malaysia. More recently, Jonathan was Director of Communications for the National Parks of the United Kingdom, leading public and media engagement for all fifteen protected national landscapes.
He joined the BBC as a national news trainee upon graduation from Durham University, where he read English, and was elected to the Fellowship of Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, in 2017.
Jonathan Ray brings specialism in crisis handling and reputation management to Chelgate, with international experience spanning education, science, the environment, and global trade. Jonathan was Head of Communications and Deputy Director of Public Affairs at Oxford University before joining the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan as Vice President for Communications. More...
Chief Operating Officer Mathew Lane ha s been with Chelgate for 18 years, and has played a key role in Chelgate's continued growth and success.
Before joining Chelgate, Mathew spent 15 years working in banking where he specialised in corporate finance for media companies, particularly those involved in film and television industry. After leaving Barclays, Mathew set up a successful film finance company and produced two films both of which achieved cinematic release in UK and other major international markets.
Mathew Lane has overall responsibility for the business side of Chelgate. He oversees finance, marketing, staff, office management and all corporate activity undertaken by Chelgate. Mathew also has overall management responsibility for our business in Romania and has been at the forefront of the success achieved in this fast expanding division of Chelgate.
Since 2015, Mathew has taken an active role in developing Chelgate's public affairs activities. Working closely with Nick Wood-Dow, Mathew has launched new initiatives to develop new services for our public affairs clients, and expand Chelgate's presence at national political conferences.
Chief Operating Officer Mathew Lane has been with Chelgate for 14 years and has played a key role in Chelgate's continued growth and success. Before joining Chelgate, Mathew spent 15 years working in banking where he specialised in corporate finance for media companies, particularly those involved in film and television industry. After leaving Barclays Mathew set up a successful film finance company and produced two films both of which achieved cinematic release in UK and other major international markets. More…
Nick Wood-Dow came to Chelgate just months after its foundation with a broad experience of public relations, public affairs, and government relations across a variety of sectors, ranging from trade associations to a beer company, from food and health to a high profile local council.
A specialist in political affairs, he has special responsibility at Chelgate for local, national and European government relations, and has practical experience of politics at every level. He also has a particular expertise in environmental matters. He is deputy chairman of the Environment Council, and founder/chairman of the Tory Green Initiative. Nick has established Chelgate Environment as a business division of the company, and advises national and international organisations on air, water, land, pollution, waste; and planning matters.
He also has extensive personal experience in the political field. He has been a councillor in a county borough, serving on planning, highways and health committees, and as deputy to the leader on policy and resources.
He was parliamentary candidate in Bolton South-East in the 1992 general election. He earlier served as public relations adviser to the European Democratic Group of MEPs in Strasbourg.
A former managing director of a London PR firm, Nick is a former associate director at Burson-Marsteller, where he worked closely with Chelgate chairman, Terence Fane-Saunders. You can contact Nick by email, or alternatively by telephone on 020 7939 7909.
Nick Wood-Dow came to Chelgate just months after its foundation with a broad experience of public relations and public affairs across a variety of sectors, ranging from trade associations to a beer company, from food and health to a high profile local council. More...
Terence Fane-Saunders is widely regarded as one of the recognised global leaders of the public relations profession. A renowned expert in the management of crises and acute issues, he has worked with corporate, educational and international government clients to contain some of the most high profile and demanding crises of recent years. He has also helped many organisations - both international and domestic - put precautionary plans in place to prepare for the management of crises or acute issues.
Before founding Chelgate, Terence Fane-Saunders was chairman and chief executive of Burson-Marsteller UK, one of the three largest public relations firms in the country, and served as a member of that company's international management board. He had earlier served on the worldwide board of Hill and Knowlton Inc, at that time the world's largest public relations company. Based in New York, he managed 22 Hill and Knowlton offices in Asia, Latin America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, while also directing all international business at the world headquarters.
He had previously spent several years as managing director of Hill and Knowlton Asia Limited, during which time he also opened the first foreign public relations business in the People's Republic of China.
An Honours graduate of Cambridge University, where he studied law and English, Terence Fane-Saunders has written, spoken and broadcast all over the world on different aspects of the public relations profession. As a specialist in transnational communications and public relations, he has managed a wealth of global and international programmes for governments, multinational companies and special interest organisations.
In the prestigious 2023 Spears 500 he was listed as one of their 12 "top tier" reputation managers, the published profile stating that "Terence Fane-Saunders' career establishes him firmly in the front rank of the international PR profession".
Terence Fane-Saunders is widely regarded as one of the recognised global leaders of the public relations profession. A renowned expert in the management of crises and acute issues, he has worked with corporate, educational and international government clients to contain some of the most high profile and demanding crises of recent years. More...