The team will be led by Ben Garratt – who joins Logistics UK as deputy director for public affairs – and will also include Natalie Chapman, previously head of policy for the South, who becomes head of public affairs, as well as Emily Wood, who joins as public affairs and policy advisor.
Mr Garratt brings with him a wealth of industry experience and knowledge from his time as head of stakeholder engagement at intercity train operator LNER and, before that, as head of rail communications at the Department for Transport. He will lead the development of Logistics UK’s public affairs strategy as the team advocate for Logistics UK, and the sector, in political, government and regulatory arenas.
Ms Wood joins from Westminster-based public affairs, PR and digital marketing agency PLMR and will lead on innovation policy, as well as public affairs. Her role will involve supporting the development and progress of public affairs activity at Logistics UK and shaping the content and delivery of public policy positions.
Increasing engagement
Kate Jennings, director of policy at Logistics UK, comments: “We are delighted to announce the creation of our Public Affairs team, which will undoubtedly reinforce Logistics UK’s strong position within industry and amplify its voice among senior stakeholders and government. The team’s creation will enable us to grow our political engagement at a national and local level and drive Logistics UK’s campaigning work, allowing us to achieve even more for our members.”
Mr Garratt comments: “Logistics UK is well respected across government for its evidence-based policy work, and I am thrilled to lead its new Public Affairs team. I look forward to strengthening the business group’s relationships with government and stakeholders to maximise the impact of our work, and to raise awareness of a sector supporting growth, productivity and aspiration in communities across the country.”
Further expansion
Logistics UK has also today (18 January 2023) welcomed Ellis Shelton to its renowned policy team as a policy advisor. Mr Shelton graduated from the University of Leeds with an MA in Social and Political Thought and joins from Make UK where he worked as a policy and campaigns advisor. Mr Shelton will lead on rail policy, as well as supporting Logistics UK’s air and water policy work.
Logistics UK is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With COVID-19, Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc.
Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods.