The Lucid Group Award for Healthcare Communications Leader

Summary of work

Known for passion and creativity, Jane Brearley is a respected communications leader, currently driving phenomenal growth in healthcare at Portland Communications.

When Jane joined in 2014, Portland’s health team was three-strong. Year-on-year growth of 35% means the now-34-strong team – which includes colleagues in Washington, DC – is billing more than £3,800,000 annually (2018).

Jane spots and nurtures talent at all levels and has a leadership style based on trust, respect and honesty, meaning that everyone feels empowered to make a difference. She advocates for diversity and inclusion, and is leading on Portland’s agency-wide flexible-working policies, supporting mental ill-health in the workplace and helping to define its graduate programme.

She believes that by championing diversity of thinking, she has led Portland to deliver exceptional client service and results. Jane and her team have worked on complex issues including: supporting a transformative cure for cancer, equipping clients to drive policy change in Eastern Europe, raising awareness of childhood dementia and other rare life-limiting conditions, and being at the centre of one of the most vocal debates about drug pricing the UK has ever seen.

Jane also has a track record of building teams and business in previous roles at Waggener Edstrom and Publicis.

Judges' comments

Jane clearly demonstrated her passion and drive. The judges loved the openness and honesty, just saying: “this is me”. The finances and figures she presented were impressive, and the increase in team demonstrated an effective plan. Her presentation was refreshing and unexpected and the judges loved her Happy Team -> Good Work  mantra, and had no doubt that she would follow through on her word.