An Account Director in our London office, Matthew Gilling brings political expertise and enthusiasm for clear results to our public affairs and strategic communications offering.
Read on to learn more about Matthew’s career path, what drew him to the job and the client results that most inspire him.
Can you summarise your career journey, including at JBP?
My career path has been shaped by my interests in policy, local government and South West politics. From an academic perspective, I began by studying Politics and International Relations as an undergraduate, before a Masters in Public Policy at the University of Bath.
I joined our Bristol office in January 2022 working across our South West stakeholder engagement team and PR team as an Account Executive. I was lucky enough to transfer to our Westminster office in 2024 to develop my skills in public affairs and strategic communications across our South East property portfolio, the Rural Economy Research Group and supporting the secretariat for the All Party Parliamentary Engineering Group (APPEG).
What first drew you to a career in public affairs and communications?
I was initially drawn to JBP, and public affairs more broadly, because of its potential to translate political decision making into practical outcomes. I have since enjoyed working on projects across the built environment and low carbon sectors that have the capacity to achieve this, by helping organisations to navigate local political environments which JBP specialises in.
Is there a particular highlight during your time at JBP you’re able to share?
I would say that one of my career highlights, and one of the areas I’ve enjoyed working on most, has been our political engagement surrounding party conferences and elections, where I worked to turn national political debates and polling into useful insights for our clients.
Additionally, I find our work with APPEG particularly rewarding, bringing young engineers and schools together with parliamentarians to help break down barriers to careers in engineering, helping spark interest in the sector and shape career decisions for pupils choosing their A levels and apprenticeships.
What inspires you most on the job?
What inspires me most is what drew me to JBP in the first place – seeing how effective communications and engagement can produce positive outcomes for clients and our team. We have supported a range of projects during my time at JBP, from national critical infrastructure developments to commercial skyscrapers, large-volume residential estates and even cultural venues such as football stadiums, and it is always rewarding to see how our insight and advice can result in projects with long-term benefits.
To find out more about how JBP could help you, contact Matthew.Gilling@jbp.co.uk