Global Chair, Crisis and Risk; EMEA Chair, Corporate Affairs 
London

Julian Payne is Global Chair, Crisis and Risk as well as Chair of Corporate Affairs for Edelman EMEA. Prior to this Julian worked for five years with the British Royal Family as Communications Secretary to Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall now King Charles III and Queen Camilla and as a strategic advisor to the wider Institution.

Julian Payne is Global Chair, Crisis and Risk as well as Chair of Corporate Affairs for Edelman EMEA. Prior to this Julian worked for five years with the British Royal Family as Communications Secretary to Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall now King Charles III and Queen Camilla and as a strategic advisor to the wider Institution.

Senior Counselor and Global Lead
Washington, D.C.

A strategic communications counselor who has served as a former government official and lawyer, Charles applies his experience to help clients navigate enterprise, reputation and legal risks to make good decisions in a complex external environment. At Edelman, he conceives and executes campaign strategies for organizations to promote and protect their reputations. He regularly counsels senior leadership and boards of directors on governance and reputation management issues. His past experience includes serving as President Ronald Reagan’s director of press advance, special assistant to Secretary of the Treasury James A. Baker III, counselor and spokesperson for the Office of Independent Counsel under Kenneth W. Starr, and counsel to Judge William Webster following the Rodney King case. His honors and accolades include PRWeek “Campaigns of the Year” in multiple categories and PRSA Silver Anvil for Public Affairs.

Executive Vice President and APAC Lead
Hong Kong

As part of the Edelman APAC leadership team, Antoine leads the firm’s Issues & Crisis practice for Asia Pacific, responsible for accelerating the firm's advisory services across the region. Bringing two decades of international communications credentials with multinational corporations, governmental organizations and global brands including Microsoft, Huawei, Qualcomm and Boeing, Antoine operates across Edelman's servicing teams to drive client value and support the agency's development in key Asian markets. Prior to joining Edelman, Antoine held leadership positions in Asia including with Burson-Marsteller, as the firm’s Hong Kong CEO, and WE Worldwide, as the agency’s China MD. Before working in Asia, Antoine was leading the Corporate Affairs department at Hennessy (LVMH) in Paris, a global role focusing on the Asian and French markets. Antoine is fluent in French and English and has working knowledge of Chinese Mandarin.

Associate Director 
London

Henry is an Associate Director in Edelman’s Crisis & Risk team in London, and a member of the global Legal Affairs team. He joined Edelman after spending over 6 years as a litigation lawyer at two leading international law firms where he specialised in commercial disputes and crisis management, particularly across the energy, shipping, and insurance sectors. 

Henry draws on this broad experience to advise B2B and B2C companies across a range of sectors and multiple jurisdictions, providing live crisis management and strategic communications, regularly involving litigation and regulatory issues. Henry’s work has covered issues such as product recalls, cyber incidents, strike actions, class-action litigations, and regulatory investigations across multiple jurisdictions.

Managing Director, Edelman Smithfield
New York City

Ira provides strategic counsel on high-stakes, event-driven situations to C-suite executives and boards of directors of leading public and private companies. Areas of focus include M&A, activism defense, ESG investing, litigation and crisis. With deep-rooted storytelling skills Ira creates compelling corporate and investor narratives. He has extensive experience producing comprehensive business case assessments in addition to producing regulatory and financial white papers. Prior to Edelman, Ira was a managing member at Arch Research, a consulting firm that produces deep dive securities research. The majority of his career has been spent as an event-driven investor generating actionable trade ideas.

Senior Vice President and West Coast U.S. Lead
Los Angeles

Jason Levin Senior Vice President and West Coast U.S. Lead | Los Angeles Jason Levin has provided high-level communications, media, crisis and issues management strategic advice and counsel to a broad range of clients in corporate, nonprofit and government settings. He has led award-winning public affairs and public relations campaigns and specializes in equipping organizations to navigate complex issues environments. Prior to joining Edelman, Jason led the Public Relations and Crisis Communications practice at Cerrell Associates, a public affairs firm based in Los Angeles, where he handled the firm’s most contentious and high-profile work. In this role, Jason conceived and executed integrated communications and issues management efforts on behalf of corporations, not-for-profit organizations, and public agencies. A veteran of government and campaigns, Jason began his career working for candidates and elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels – including time spent working at Los Angeles City Hall and in the United States House of Representatives.

Senior Vice President, Litigation Lead, Crisis & Risk 
Miami

With over two decades of expertise in strategic communications and a solid legal foundation, Jeanmarie is a trusted advisor for high-profile public affairs, crises, and litigation cases. Her extensive experience includes leading communications for sensitive matters such as sexual misconduct cases, real estate disputes, infrastructure failures, bankruptcies, and other complex civil litigation. 

As a member of the Florida Bar, Jeanmarie brings significant expertise in environmental law, advising leading agribusinesses and utilities on issues related to water and air quality, land use, and regulatory compliance. Her ability to align communication strategies with legal objectives has proven invaluable in navigating highly regulated industries. She is particularly skilled in managing media relations during crises and litigation, ensuring clear and consistent messaging to safeguard reputations while addressing intricate challenges.

 Jeanmarie holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications and a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. This unique blend of legal and communications expertise enables her to deliver unparalleled insights and strategic guidance to Edelman’s clients. ​​

Senior Director, Issues & Crisis, APAC 
Hong Kong

Jennifer is an experienced reputation management consultant who specialises in crisis communications. She is experienced in advising clients on communications strategies regarding sensitive legal matters including criminal litigation, corporate disputes, regulatory action. 

Based at Edelman Hong Kong, she works alongside APAC’s Regional Crisis Lead to advise clients to prepare for, mitigate and respond to reputational risks. Her role involves delivering training and preparedness programmes as well as providing strategic counsel on live issues. 

Jennifer also has an international mandate, working on strategy and operations for Edelman’s global crisis practice, reporting to the Global Crisis Chair. 

Prior to joining Edelman Hong Kong in 2024, she worked in the London office for five years leading risk management workstreams for several high-profile EMEA-based clients. 

She has a strong background in high level consultancy. Prior to joining Edelman, she was a crisis specialist at global agencies including H+K Strategies (Hill + Knowlton), Omnicom and Fleishman Hillard. 

Jennifer was named as a ‘leading crisis specialist’ in PR Week’s 30 Under 30 professional rankings.

Executive Director, Crisis 
Hamburg

Lena Wulfmeyer is a seasoned expert in crisis and litigation communications with over 15 years of experience. A trained TV journalist, she brings a unique perspective to advising clients during high-pressure situations, including corporate misconduct, regulatory investigations, data breaches, and high-stakes litigation. 

Lena’s career spans senior roles in corporate and consulting environments. At Warner Music Central Europe, she served as Head of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, where she managed crises and positioned the company within the political landscape. At Tom Tailor Group, she directed communications during a major restructuring, and at ORCA van Loon, she led corporate strategy and stakeholder engagement across diverse industries. 

Her journalistic training and strategic expertise make Lena a trusted advisor, delivering results through meticulous planning, stakeholder alignment, and media-savvy approaches in crisis and litigation scenarios.

CEO, Edelman Smithfield 
New York

Lex is a seasoned strategic communications advisor and CEO of Edelman Smithfield, a global financial communications boutique specializing in high-stakes financial and legal challenges. With deep expertise in litigation communications, Lex has counseled C-suites and boards of Fortune 500 companies during pivotal disputes and crises, including shareholder activism, governance conflicts, regulatory investigations, and high-profile lawsuits. 

Lex is known for designing strategies that protect reputations and build stakeholder trust amid legal scrutiny. He has provided counsel on landmark litigation cases such as CBS’s governance dispute, Viacom’s shareholder lawsuits, and Walmart’s supply chain and regulatory challenges. Lex also supports clients in navigating contested and hostile M&A, leveraging a solutions-oriented approach to manage reputational and financial risks. 

Under Lex’s leadership, Edelman Smithfield partners with companies to navigate the intersection of legal, financial, and reputational challenges, helping clients achieve clarity, confidence, and impactful outcomes in high-pressure environments.

Executive Vice President and Head of Edelman Smithfield 
Japan

Takashi Hirono is an Executive Vice President and Head of Edelman Smithfield Japan. His expertise lies in activism defense, investor relations, and special situations including crisis management. Takashi excels at providing strategic communication counsel to C-suite executives across diverse industries. He is adept at engaging with regulators and policymakers, both in Japanese and non-Japanese organizations, to develop effective communication strategies. Takashi's career commenced at the Industrial Bank of Japan (now Mizuho Bank), the nation's development bank established by the Japanese government. During the turbulent 1990s, he worked in the bank's planning staff, addressing and resolving various crisis situations. Subsequently, he assumed advisory roles at Deutsche Bank's securities unit and UBS. He played a key role in numerous M&A and financing transactions, including acting as a lead advisor for capital markets communications during the merger of Sumitomo Metal Industries and Nippon Steel Corp. .