bClear Communications has made two major appointments to strengthen its mortgage PR team.
James Staunton (pictured, centre) began his mortgage PR career in 2001 when working at Tulchan – now part of Teneo. He joins from Air Cover PR, a consultancy for intermediary-focused industries that he founded in 2020.
He has previously worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers and been an equity partner at international communications consultancy Instinctif, as well as a board director and shareholder of mortgage PR specialist Wriglesworth.
He joins as a director of bClear.
Ellie Williams (pictured, right) joins from Australian consultancy Palermo and becomes the agency’s client services director. She is a strategic PR specialist with a background in B2B and B2C communications, specifically in the tech, fintech and financial services sectors.
She has spent the last 20 years working across communications in the UK and Australia. She was the owner and managing director of Palermo PR and has previously worked in Ogilvy PR Australia. She will report into bClear chief executive Debbie Staveley.
Staveley (pictured, left) said: “The appointment of Ellie and James marks the next stage of growth for bClear. They bring a blended skillset, industry knowledge, and experience of managing an extensive array of financial services, fintech and property clients.
“Ellie and James will build on our ability to provide the very best advice and add real value to our clients, while helping drive bClear’s growth over the next couple of years.
“We are lucky to have scooped up Ellie on her return to the UK. Hiring her as our new client services director is a strategic appointment that will be pivotal to further enhance our delivery of communications advice. And James is highly regarded in the mortgage industry and in the specialist media space in which many of our clients operate.
“His experience with lenders, packagers, brokers and suppliers is going to expand bClear’s ability to deliver tailored advice and deliver outstanding results for our clients – we’re fortunate to have him on the team.”
Staunton added: “I’m excited to join bClear at such a critical time in the agency’s story. The team’s commitment to providing exceptional, tailored PR across the mortgage and financial services sectors aligns with my experience and vision for how first-class comms should be delivered.
“Having worked in this space for over two decades, I’m eager to help our clients navigate an ever-evolving landscape, offering them the most relevant, innovative communications advice. It’s going to be great collaborating with Debbie, Ellie, and the rest of the bClear team as we work to elevate the firm’s impact in the mortgage market.”
Williams concluded: ““I am very happy to be joining bClear at such an exciting stage of the firm’s growth and look forward to bringing fresh perspectives and strategic insights to our clients. It’s a fantastic opportunity to work with such a talented team and partner with Debbie and James.
“Together, we’ll continue to drive success, ensuring our clients receive the highest quality of PR support, and position bClear at the forefront of the mortgage and financial services PR landscape.”
