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Andy Whitehouse is the founder and managing Partner of Copperfield Advisory, a boutique consulting firm that serves founder-led, owner-run businesses. Andy’s work focuses on commercial opportunities and threats relating to brand and reputation.
With more than twenty years’ experience helping lead major companies and developing government policy, Andy gives leaders the advice they need to build their businesses, navigate complex public issues, and manage crisis. He has worked with clients in sectors including financial services, private equity, tech, healthcare and philanthropy.
Before Copperfield, Andy served as the most senior communications professional in three leading companies, most recently as Chief Communications Officer of IBM (NYSE: IBM), where he led a team of 600 professionals.
Before IBM, Andy led marketing, communications and knowledge management globally for Willis Towers Watson (NASDAQ: WLTW) and Willis Group (NYSE: WSH), the global risk advisor and (re)insurance broker. In this role, he played a central part in the $18bn merger of Willis and Towers Watson, and in the acquisition of Gras Savoye by Willis.
Prior to Willis, Andy was responsible for building and protecting the reputation and brand of McKinsey & Company. He led the firm’s communications function and co-led its publishing team. Andy worked with a host of public sector and non-profit clients in his nine years at McKinsey, and also led research there on the role of business leaders in public life.
Before McKinsey, Andy was a UK government policymaker. A member of the Civil Service Fast Stream, he led teams in the Prime Minister’s Social Exclusion Unit, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, and the Department of Health. His work focused principally on tackling poverty and social exclusion in England.
Andy is a professor at Columbia University, where he teaches political communications and crisis management to graduate students. A founder member of the NationSwell Council, he is the Treasurer of the Harlem-based Reading Team and a Fellow of the RSA. He was an assistant producer on a Grammy-winning Latin jazz album.
Andy is a graduate of Oxford and Harvard universities, and a recipient of the Distinguished Friend of Oxford University award.