Exclusive: Portland financial PR chief Steffan Williams steps down
The head of Portland Communications’ financial practice is stepping down to start his own venture after two years at the public relations giant.
Steffan Williams was hired in 2018 to establish Portland’s new financial comms division, which now boasts a number of high-profile clients, including Astra, Robert Walters and Ince Group.
But City PM has learnt that Williams will step down from the role at the end of the year to start his own consultancy firm.
A source with knowledge of the plans said it was “job done” for the PR guru, adding that he was now ready to “move on to do his own thing again”.
Williams, who has over two decades’ experience in communications, is a high-profile figure in the PR industry.
In 2001 he founded agency Capital MSL — now CNC — which he then sold to French media giant Publicis Groupe in 2013.
Following this he was a partner at City PR firm Finsbury and served as chief executive of Porta Communications.
He is also vice chairman of industry body the PRCA, having served three years as chair.
The departure comes at a turbulent time for the PR industry as it adapts to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
While UK marketing budgets have been slashed, many PR firms have enjoyed a surge in demand for crisis and financial communications.
Williams is expected to launch his new venture early next year.