Tom Ashby

Founder and CEO

Tom is a strategic communications advisor with a background in global media. He has experience in a wide range of government and business sectors, including royal courts, sovereign wealth funds, private equity, capital markets, real estate, financial services, defence and the global energy industry. He is an expert in providing strategic counsel, building and leading communications functions, creating strategies and designing campaigns, especially at times of crisis and change. He is an expert writer and editor and sits on the Board of the Middle East Public Relations Association.

Tom has been involved in several successful startups in investor relations, communications and technology. In 2018, he completed a Certificate in Big Data and Social Analytics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and also successfully completed the Oxford Fintech Programme at the Said Business School at the University of Oxford.

Before Ashbright, Tom was a Partner at Consulum, the international strategic communications consultancy. From 2012 to 2014, he was Group Vice President, Corporate Communications at Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA).

Tom began his career as a journalist, spending 15 years with Reuters, the global news agency, where he held leadership roles in the UK, South America and West Africa. He moved to the Middle East in 2008 to establish The National newspaper in Abu Dhabi, where he spent four years as Business Editor. He graduated with honours in French with African and Asian Studies from the University of Sussex.