Open Road

BMRA APPOINTS OPEN ROAD AS PUBLIC AFFAIRS ADVISERS

November 1st 2007

Open Road has been appointed as the retained public affairs consultancy for the British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) after a competitive pitch.

Open Road will be working with BMRA on its response a range of major UK and EU environmental legislation and regulation including End of Life Vehicles, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste regulations, the Waste Framework Directive and the Environment Agency’s Environment Permitting Programme.

The UK metals recycling industry has a turnover of £4 billion and recycles 15 million tonnes of metal every year.  Recycling metals reduces the pressure on landfill, reduces the demand for new raw materials, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps the UK to meet EU recycling and environmental targets.

The industry recycles two million cars a year, more than any other EU country, five billion food and drink cans and three and a half million white goods.  40 per cent of the steel and aluminium used in the UK is made from metal recovered from these and other sources. The industry also makes a significant contribution to UK exports. 60 per cent of recovered metals are exported, with markets throughout the world.

Lindsay Millington, Director General of the BMRA, said:

“The industry has been recycling for over a hundred years, long before the UK and the EU started to focus on recovering materials from waste.  We are making a massive contribution to meeting UK and EU environmental and recycling targets.  But we are caught by too much one size fits all legislation and regulation and we believe that recycled metals should not be classified as waste but more accurately as a valuable secondary raw material.

“We wanted an agency that understands environmental issues and that can work on both UK and EU issues.  We were impressed by Open Road’s credentials and approach and look forward to working together.”

Graham McMillan, chief executive of Open Road, said:

“BMRA faces a huge range of challenges with both UK and EU environmental legislation and regulation.  We look forward to helping them develop their public affairs across the board and in particular their relationships in the UK and European Parliament.”

Open Road is a corporate communications consultancy specialising in public relations, public affairs and corporate responsibility.  It was founded in January 2007 by Graham McMillan, Victoria Tate, Martin Le Jeune and Nick DeLuca.  Its other clients include HSBC and Sky.

For further information and / or photographs please contact Graham McMillan on 020 7812 6841 or 0772 0772 909 or Lindsay Millington of BMRA on 01480 455249 or 07970 769979.

http://www.theopen-road.com

http://www.recyclemetals.org

APPC Membership Release

February 12th 2007

The APPC are delighted to welcome yet another new member into its membership – Open Road.  This brings the total membership of the APPC to 39 with more potential members on their way.

Open Road is a new independent consultancy specialising in corporate communications, public affairs and corporate responsibility. Its founders are: Nick Deluca, former MD of APCO UK who helped to develop APCO’s European and transatlantic business; Graham McMillan, former Head of Public Affairs at Fishburn Hedges and winner of Consultant of the Year at the Public Affairs News awards of 2005; Victoria Tate, former Head of Public Affairs at the Spirit Group and former board director and Head of the Consumer Issues practice at Fishhburn Hedges; and Martin Le Jeune, former Head of Public Affairs at Sky, former director and Head of Corporate Responsibility at Fishburn Hedges and former Cabinet Office civil servant.

Graham McMillan, chief executive of Open Road said:

“The APPC is the leading representative and self-regulatory body for public affairs consultancies in the UK.  It has always led the way in raising standards in the industry and in ensuring high ethical standards.  As a new consultancy that has an ethical approach to public affairs, we were always determined to join and are delighted that we are now members.”

APPC Chair, Gill Morris, said:

“This is a new company formed by consultants who have previously worked within the APPC Code of Conduct and their early decision to join demonstrates the value of the Code.  I could not be more pleased with the current trend and, as always, I would urge others consider the benefits and to join us.”

Open Road

Open Road Appointed by Streetcar

February 12th 2007

New strategic communications consultancy, Open Road, has been appointed after a competitive pitch to develop a London-focused stakeholder campaign for the leading car club scheme, Streetcar.

The campaign will target London boroughs, the GLA, TfL and central government to raise awareness of the contribution that car clubs can make to reducing emissions and congestion.  It also aims to win support in promoting car clubs in London and beyond to achieve the environmental benefits that they bring as quickly as possible.

Streetcar owns 250 cars across 160 locations in London, Brighton and Southampton.  The scheme currently has around 10,000 members and this is expected to rise to over 20,000 by the end of the year.  It was the first company of its kind in the UK to become profitable.  A high proportion of Streetcar members give up their car or do not buy one, they drive less after joining the scheme and they use public transport more frequently.

The western extension of the congestion charge on 19th February and the consultation on variable charging for the scheme will provide a major impetus for activity.  Open Road plans to raise awareness of the benefits of car clubs to a wide audience, working closely with Streetcar media relations and marketing agency, Loop Communications, on an integrated push.  Later in the year, Streetcar plans a major London-wide marketing campaign involving advertising, PR and direct mail. 

Andrew Valentine, Chief Executive of Streetcar, said:

“Since Streetcar was set up it has attracted thousands of members, replacing 28 privately owned cars with every Streetcar.  In 2007, we estimate that we will help to save over 3,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.  Decision making in London can be complex and multi-layered and we want to reach everyone with our message.”

Graham McMillan, Chief Executive of Open Road, said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity to work with a young growing company that has a great future and can make a major contribution to reducing emissions and congestion.  Car clubs have enormous potential and Streetcar is projecting significant growth in the next few years.  We are keen to help them get their message across consistently and effectively to all of the key decision makers and policy makers in London and beyond.”

For further information please contact:

Graham McMillan: (o) 020 7812 6841, (m) 0772 0772 909

Victoria Tate: (o) 020 7812 6846, (m) 07973 519088

Open Road Launch

January 8th 2007

Major New Corporate Communications And Public Affairs Consultancy Launched

Nick Deluca, Graham McMillan, Victoria Tate and Martin Le Jeune are launching a new independent consultancy in January 2007 called Open Road.

Open Road will offer:

• Corporate reputation management
• Corporate PR
• Public affairs
• Issue and crisis management
• Corporate responsibility
• Public sector communications.

It will serve clients in both the private and public sectors in the UK and the European Union.  The agency will move into new offices in the West End of London in mid-January.

The founder directors are:

Nick Deluca: Former founder and Managing Director of APCO UK. Nick helped develop APCO’s global and European business.

Graham McMillan: Former Head of Public Affairs at Fishburn Hedges.  Graham helped to found the Fishburn Hedges public affairs practice which was awarded Best UK Consultancy at the Public Affairs News Awards 2005.  Graham was awarded Consultant of the Year at the same awards. 

Victoria Tate: Former Head of Public Affairs at the Spirit Group and board Director at Fishburn Hedges where she was head of the Consumer Issues Practice.

Martin Le Jeune: Head of Public Affairs at Sky, and former board director and Head of Corporate Responsibility at Fishburn Hedges.  Martin was a civil servant in the Cabinet Office for over a decade and is a former Head of Public Policy at NatWest.

Each of the founders has over fifteen years of experience in corporate communications, public affairs and corporate responsibility.

The consultancy’s launch clients include:

• Sky
• Novus Leisure
• Riley’s
• Pre-school Learning Alliance.

Nick Deluca, Chairman of Open Road, said:

“Increasingly clients are looking for not just for the best in corporate communications, public affairs and corporate responsibility.  They want senior people who can advise and deliver in an integrated way.”

Graham McMillan, Chief Executive of Open Road, said:

“We have seniority and a mixture of both consultancy and in-house experience.  We are about substance and long term relationships, not spin and hype.  We will help our clients to improve their communication and their relationships with their key stakeholders.  We believe that strategy should be simple, focused and powerful.  We will offer straightforward and challenging advice to clients, joined-up thinking and excellence in delivery.”

For further information, please contact:

Nick Deluca – 07802 773971
Graham McMillan – 0772 0772 909
Victoria Tate – 07973 519088
Martin Le Jeune – 07740 257170