Simon Lewis (public relations officer)

Simon Lewis OBE
Downing Street Director of Communications
In office 16 June 2009 – 11 May 2010
Prime Minister	Gordon Brown
Preceded by	Michael Ellam
Succeeded by	Andy Coulson
Personal details
Born	Simon Lewis 6 May 1959
Occupation	Communications advisor, chief executive

Simon Lewis OBE (born 8 May 1959)^[1] is the chief executive of the Association for Financial Markets in Europe. He was formerly Director of Communications for the former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He previously held this position for the Queen, Vodafone, and Centrica. He attended Whitefield Comprehensive before studying PPE at Brasenose College, Oxford.

Lewis was awarded an OBE in the 2014 New Year Honours List for public service and services to international education through the Fulbright Commission.^[2]

His brother is former Telegraph editor-in-chief, Will Lewis.

Career history

Lewis has held down a number of positions.^[3]

• September 2010 Chief executive of the Association for Financial Markets in Europe^[4]
• 2009 Director of Communications, 10 Downing Street^[5]
• 2004 Group director of corporate affairs, Vodafone^[6]
• 2004 Director of comms and public policy, Centrica
• 2000 MD Europe, Centrica
• 1998 Comms secretary to the Queen (secondment)^[7]
• 1996 Director of corporate affairs, British Gas/Centrica
• 1992 Director of corporate affairs, NatWest Group
• 1987 Head of PR, SG Warburg Group
• 1986 Head of PR, Social Democratic Party (UK)

References

1. "Birthday's today". The Telegraph. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2014. Mr Simon Lewis, Group Director, Corporate Affairs, Vodafone plc, 2004–09; Communications Secretary to the Queen, 1998–2000, 54
2. "New Year's Honours lists 2014". Official website of the UK Government. 2 January 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
3. Thomas, Andrew (29 June 2009). "Simon says". Communicate Magazine. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
4. "Senior management team, Chief Executive, Simon Lewis OBE". Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME). Retrieved 27 April 2014.
5. Treanor, Jill (16 September 2010). "Simon Lewis goes from PM's spokesman to banking lobbyist". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
6. News (16 June 2009). "Ex-Vodafone comms chief Simon Lewis gets nod from Number 10". PR Week. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
7. Watt, Nicholas (16 June 2009). "Simon Lewis reinvented the royals - now he's working on Gordon Brown". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 April 2014.