COMMUNICATIONS
FOR GROWING
FINANCIAL
BUSINESSES
PROMOTE, POSITION & PROTECT
OUR
SERVICES
At Cornerstone we offer a range of communications and media relations services that add value to your business strategy and support your goals.
Our services are many and can be used separately or in combination to suit your needs.
Not only does this offer flexibility, but also uses your time and budget most effectively.
Media Relations
Content
Crisis & Change Communications
Strategic Communications
Advice
Creative Filmed Content
Media Training
NOT JUST ANOTHER
AGENCY
What we do
Cornerstone is a communications and public relations specialist, focused on supporting the needs of growing financial services companies - helping them to build their reputation and clearly communicate their products and services.
We understand that no two companies have the same needs and a 'cookie-cutter' approach to communications and media relations simply isn't effective enough.
Cornerstone specialises in providing every client with bespoke support to help meet their needs, exceed their expectations and support their growth ambitions.
Develop Strategy
Build Media Relationships
Develop Content
Promote, Position
& Protect
SPECIALISTS
CORE DAY-TO-DAY TEAM
How we do it
Central to this is the way we operate.
Rather than relying solely on communications 'generalists', we offer clients specialists in order to ensure advice and delivery is of the highest quality at all times.
This means that all of our specialists, whether PRs, writers, videographers or media trainers are highly experienced and still active in their fields day-to-day rather than being specialists-turned-PRs.
Clients therefore benefit from a more: Flexible, Cost-effective, Creative and Targeted approach
to their communications needs
OUR
TEAM
We work with a range of seasoned experts at Cornerstone who can cater for a number of specific needs across the retail, wealth, institutional and private banking sectors.
BEN has worked in financial services for 26 years, having held various communications roles both in-house and within agencies, notably, as head of communications at Chelsea Financial Services, Account Director at Penrose (now MHP), overseeing the accounts of Credit Suisse, Investec, Axa and Henderson Global Investors. He was also Head of wealth & retail PR at J.P. Morgan Asset Management and co-head of EMEA communications at BNY Mellon Investment Management, before setting up Cornerstone in 2015.
BEN
LARTER
Director
ROBBIE is a former financial services and sports journalist. He started his career as a freelance sports writer for some local newspapers in the Essex and Hertfordshire regions before moving on to the financial services sector. He joined the WealthBriefing group of publications in April 2017 – and became assistant editor before joining International Adviser as a reporter in October 2018. He was promoted several times until he was appointed as editor of the publication in February 2023.
ROBBIE lAWTHER
Senior Account Manager
RICHARD started out as a business journalist before moving to the Consumers' Association (now Which?). After completing an MBA at Warwick Business School, he worked in public affairs at Aviva and, before setting up Cornerstone in 2015, he spent over nine years as head of corporate communications and media for Henderson Global Investors leading communications for the business divisions and the Group across Europe, Asia and the US.
RICHARD
ACWORTH
Director
ANNA is a former Sunday Times journalist and Financial Times editor. She has gone on to deliver award-winning content marketing and strategic PR to financial and professional services including The Economist Group, Saxo Capital Markets and Cambridge Institute of Sustainable Leadership. She was Editorial Director of the FT’s flagship philanthropy and impact investing annual report for four years, and recently produced and presented Typical!, a statistics documentary for BBC Radio 4. She is also a trustee and event chair for Cambridge Literary Festival. Anna holds a BSc in International Relations, and completed an executive education program with Moller Institute, University of Cambridge.
ANNA
LAWLOR
Associate
Director
DAN
FLYNN
Writer
DAN has over 10 years' experience in financial journalism. He was most recently markets & investments correspondent for the Mail on Sunday. Before that he was an asset management correspondent at Investment Week and International Adviser magazines. He regularly writes for a cross section of institutional and retail publications and newspapers. He has a 2:1 in English Literature from Southampton University.
BRADLEY is a freelance journalist specialising in finance and business. After nearly a decade in financial journalism, most recently as a Senior Business Reporter at The Daily Telegraph, he covered the UK’s largest transport and leisure firms. Prior to this, Bradley developed a deep knowledge and expertise in investments and markets during his time at the Financial Times Group. He was News Editor at both Investment Adviser and Investors Chronicle, Bradley has a Postgraduate Diploma in Newspaper Journalism from Cardiff University.
BRADLEY GERRARD
Writer
ANDY has nearly three decades of experience in financial PR, having been a spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions working with Frank Field and Alistair Darling. He also held roles at the Office for National Statistics, was head of PR for the National Association of Pension Funds (now the PLSA), and has worked with some of the UK’s largest pension funds (including USS, Railpen and the pension funds of Barclays, Unilever and Sainsbury's).
ANDY
FLEMING
Institutional
Director
ESTHER has over a decade of experience in financial services marketing and communications. She started out as a journalist, working for Money Observer, Moneywise,
Interactive Investor and Portfolio Adviser. In 2014, she joined BNY Mellon Investment Management as a founding member of its award-winning editorial team and in 2018 moved to New York to establish and run the North American content marketing function. Her content-led campaigns across audiences and client types, have won multiple industry awards. Esther has a first class honours in international relations from St Andrews University, a post-graduate diploma in journalism at Cardiff University and earned a distinction from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership at Cambridge University.
ESTHER ARMSTRONG
Associate
Director
DAVID is a communications professional with vast experience in adding enterprise value through corporate positioning, reputation management and client engagement. He specialises in financial services, having spent much of the last 22 years working within the sector. He started his career in specialist consultancies, advising companies on strategic and tactical issues, and held a number of senior roles at blue chip investment businesses, including Fidelity International and M&G Investments. He writes regularly on communications issues in financial services.
DAVID
BUTCHER
Associate Consultant
VIDEO
CONTENT
The financial services industry is highly competitive, with companies vying for client attention and loyalty.
Making an impression is crucial if financial services firms are to, not just reach, but engage with their target audience more effectively,
stand out from the pack, gain trust, and boost retention.
Motion graphics, animation and more stylised pieces to camera can resonate, capture attention and convey personality.
Cornerstone can help bring together the perfect mix of expertise and creativity to connect businesses to their client base.
