Media and Issues Management
SEC Newgate has a strong track record working with Australian corporates to assist them with all aspects of media engagement.
This includes:
- Ensuring the media understands your business;
- Developing a compelling narrative that appeals to a wide range of stakeholders;
- Developing strategies and campaigns that are aligned with business goals and objectives; and
- Facilitating proactive/reactive media engagement, background briefings or media round tables.
The media trusts us, and we respect them. Our consultants include former journalists, media advisers and senior media executives who have impeccable contacts across print, broadcast and newswires that can be leveraged to:
- Position our clients;
- Establish and strengthen relationships; and
- Manage issues which may emerge.
We have the skills and experience to assist you with day-to-day media and issues management, which is central to protecting your company’s reputation.
We use our networks within government, business, the media and communities to advocate for your cause and have extensive experience helping our clients to:
- Define their issues and challenges;
- Understand and engage stakeholders on their issues;
- Craft communication approaches we know will have impact;
- Develop robust issues management framework;
- Establish communications protocols and
- Help bring about change where that’s required.
Crisis Management
SEC Newgate’s extensive track record in crisis management means that whatever your communications challenge, your industry, or what you are seeking to achieve, our people have almost certainly been there before, and understand the landscape.
We have managed communications responses to some of the country’s most high-profile crises involving ASX-listed companies, local and international organisations and individuals.
Our team of sought-after crisis response practitioners frequently work alongside clients in live crisis situations, helping them make decisions on contentious issues in highly sensitive scenarios.
We can rapidly provide an in-house team to support your team 24/7 when managing a crisis situation, and draw upon many years of practical experience to help:
- Develop a strategy under pressure;
- Manage key internal and external stakeholders; and
- Ensure effective, timely and sensitive media communication.
We also have vast experience in crisis preparedness.
SEC Newgate has worked to develop, test, review and advise on crisis plans and processes for many organisations and major projects.
SEC Newgate can:
- Prepare a crisis plan tailored to your organisation’s specific needs, identifying roles, responsibilities and management strategies;
- Provide workshops to identify potential issues ahead of time; and
- Facilitate real-time simulation exercises to test your communications crisis plan in realistic scenarios.
Reputation Management
SEC Newgate is your trusted source of counsel when everything is on the line – relevance, leadership and reputation.
Our team of experienced practitioners helped guide clients through some of the highest-profile public communications and reputation challenges.
SEC Newgate leverages its broad government, business and media networks to enable reputational impact to be minimised and help increase the speed of recovery.
Corporate Positioning
SEC Newgate has extensive experience working with ASX-listed companies and large organisations at the most senior levels to position their leaders and the company more broadly.
We identify opportunities to positively position your company and enhance your reputation or protect and restore it through media, political and industry engagement.
Our consultants are highly experienced corporate communications professionals with backgrounds in senior roles at ASX-listed companies, global corporations, the media and politics, enabling us to provide trusted and well-rounded advice.
We counsel Chairs, CEOs, Boards and executive teams on day-to-day corporate activities and high-stakes issues such as leadership succession, ESG-related issues, and government inquiries.
Media Training
SEC Newgate delivers highly effective and practical media training that simulates your real-world media environment and delivers strong results.
SEC Newgate’s training will help you to engage with the media in a confident and professional manner, while maintaining control of the interview agenda.
Our consultants include former journalists who have an intimate understanding of the workings of newsrooms, the 24-hour news cycle and the importance of delivering a clear message.
Our media training approach is based on conducting interviews to camera to simulate a real-life scenario. This allows us to:
- Watch you practice and improve your approach under pressure;
- Review and analyse performance;
- Identify natural strengths and weaknesses, both in content and presentation style; and
- Provide feedback in real time
We have used this approach to train Australia’s leading CEOs, Chairs and executives of listed and private companies in preparation for Royal Commissions, Senate inquiries, AGMs, or high-stakes issues which may impact reputation.
We have also trained some of the country’s most senior public servants at a range of Federal Government agencies and departments including Prime Minister & Cabinet, the Australian Taxation Office and the Department of Health.
Litigation Support
SEC Newgate has provided litigation support to public and private companies in relation to some of Australia’s most complex and high-profile cases.
We work with clients to develop a strategic communications plan that complements your legal strategy and ensures you or your company’s reputation is protected.
Specific activities include:
- Developing stakeholder and issues management frameworks;
- Preparing communication protocols;
- Undertaking scenario planning;
- Strategy development and tactics for engaging a range of key stakeholders such as media, regulatory authorities and political stakeholders; and
- Providing in-court personnel to liaise directly with media.
Our consultants comprise former lawyers, journalists, political advisers and in-house corporate affairs executives, who bring to bear a wealth of experience and expertise for the benefit of our clients.
We have an extensive track record providing advice and support to companies, corporations and executives who have been the subject of litigation, including:
- Class actions on matters of consumer and corporate governance failures;
- Corporate law prosecutions;
- Coronial Inquiries;
- Royal Commissions;
- Boards of Inquiry; and
- Other extra-judicial investigations.