Geopolitical consultancy

Strategic positioning & communications management

Etoile is a geopolitical consultancy, specialising in strategic positioning advice and communications management.

Our consultants have worked discreetly all over the world for four decades, assisting governments, companies, organisations and individual leaders to achieve their goals through effective communication that influences the way people listen, think and act.

OUR

PORTFOLIO

A body of work spanning three decades

Through a unique blend of experience, intelligence, insight, innovation, connections and global reach, we have made a real difference; we have created new markets, changed the nature of debates, and won over public opinion for the benefit of our clients.

In the last five years alone we have engaged in projects in or concerning Bangladesh, Brazil,

Chad, DRCongo, Egypt, El Salvador,France, Gaza, Germany, Ghana, Greenland, Haiti, Iceland, India,

Kenya, Lebanon, Lesotho,

Malaysia, Malta, Mozambique, Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA, Yemen, at the European Council in Brussels and at UNGA in New York.

The ebbs and flows of geopolitics have always been there; it's the pace that has changed - and the ability of individuals as well as corporations and governments to affect them

In the UK, Ronald Hepburn ran the award winning campaign to keep Sterling as the UK currency for the British Chambers of Commerce Policy Unit

Ron Hepburn and his team developed the positioning that led to the creation of Education Above All Foundation.

Etoile guided the Maltese Presidency of the EU.

Etoile team is helping UK Fisheries to preserve its rights to fish post Brexit.

Etoile provides in-depth geopolitical insight to the Global Leadership Foundation, a group of former world leaders established by Nelson Mandela and FW de Clerk.

Ronald Hepburn and Trevor Datson launched Educate a Child, which aims to help 10m out of school children into primary education. Photo credit: EAA

In Istanbul, Ronald Hepburn worked with the World Export Development Forum (WEDF), run by the UN's International Trade Centre and WTO

At UNGA in New York, Ronald Hepburn and Trevor Datson worked with Education Above All and PEIC to highlight the plight of the world's out of school children to world leaders.

Ron Hepburn advised Japan's once great Yamaichi Securities on its orderly global close down

Guy Lane advised Coca-Cola on their European anchor bottler’s successful IPO in London and subsequent corporate positioning, communications and reporting.

Ron Hepburn developed the strategic positioning for a major liquefied natural gas producer - a company responsible for one sixth of world production.

Our consultants co-wrote a critical threat assessment of Boko Haram

Martin Roche led the positioning of Wales as a destination for FDI

The Etoile team worked with the leadership of the Commonwealth of Nations to advise on the organisation's positioning in the 21st century.

Etoile helped to align an innovative in-field water system with the UN's global water campaign

Etoile founder, the late Graham Barr MBE, co-founded the Consultative Business Movement, which took a leading role in the transition process engaging with the ANC in negotiating full democracy

Mike Taylor worked with the leaders of Mercedes Benz to position the company weather a media storm.

Etoile is leading the development of social impact instruments in financial markets to help with issues from migration to basic education. Photo credit: EAA

For Cadbury, partner Trevor Datson ran the bid defence against US mega corporation Kraft, achieving $2bn of extra value

Etoile's teams have been engaged all over the world for the biggest oil majors and LNG giants in positioning and reputation management.

Ron Hepburn and team developed the positioning for a new global foundation for educational development in the toughest environments. Photo credit: EAA

For the Finnish city of Oulo partner Martin Roche gave the key advice to position the city as a hub for Foreign Direct Investment

Ron Hepburn led the team which established European Climate Exchange as the leading futures exchange for Carbon Credits.

LOW works with the European Commission on contracts based in DG GROW, DG Environment; DG ECFIN and EASME concerning enterprise promotion, eco-innovation, startup finance and satellite data

ABOUT US

At the intersection of politics, geography, demography and economics

Etoile is a geopolitical consultancy advising on and facilitating geopolitical strategies in fields as diverse as energy and natural resources planning, promoting national interests internationally, tourism development, assessing and advising on political and security risks, attracting foreign direct investment, launching environmental projects, marketing global financial centres and handling constitutional and legislative issues across multiple territories.

Geopolitical consultancy encompasses the complex cross-border interactions between nations, corporations and people of influence. It is the application of the knowledge of the relationships between politics, geography, demography and economics, especially with respect to foreign policy.

OUR

TEAM

Whatever your challenge, the Etoile team can help you

Etoile's consultants deliver multi-million pound strategic positioning campaigns from Latin America to South East Asia - developing practical solutions to challenging problems for clients ranging from heads of state, politicians and global business leaders, to entrepreneurs and NGOs.

The combined experience and contacts of Etoile’s team enables it to deliver highly sophisticated and discreet advice and breakthrough thinking wherever you are. We bring together a team of expert consultants with the right mix of strategic thinking, creativity and experience to help you achieve your objectives.

In Europe, our specialist Brussels-based team at LOWEurope gives our clients an edge in accessing insights and opening opportunities in the European Union.