Northbourne Advisory has officially launched in Qatar, offering strategic advice to leaders navigating high-pressure environments and reputational risk. Founded by regional advisor Justin Kerr-Stevens and endorsed by Media City Qatar, the firm is already active across the Gulf, Australia, and Europe.
At its core, Northbourne delivers strategy, crisis management, reputation advisory, geopolitical insight, stakeholder engagement, and capability building. The firm also works behind the scenes to help organisations assess their internal communications infrastructure and build long-term capability. This includes reviewing in-house structures, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and equipping senior teams to perform under pressure through training, simulations, and strategic planning.
“Our approach is built around clarity, challenge, and action, ensuring clients receive judgment shaped by real experience,” said Justin, Founder and CEO. “We’re not interested in being everything to everyone. Our focus is tight for a reason. We support clients when timing matters, when trust matters, and when decisions cannot be left to chance.”
“We don’t parachute in with assumptions. We listen, we challenge, and we work side by side with our clients. The goal is not just to fix problems, but to leave teams stronger and better prepared for what’s next."
Justin brings close to three decades of experience across government, corporate, and institutional communications. He previously served as CEO and Managing Director of BLJ Worldwide in Doha, where he advised government entities and worked across strategic and reputational mandates. Prior to that, he was Partner and Middle East General Manager at Portland Communications, where he helped lead the firm’s international advisory work across the Middle East, Central Asia, and Europe.
His earlier career includes over a decade in senior roles with both the Australian and British Governments. In the UK, he worked inside the Cabinet Office and across departments including Health, Education, Innovation, and Environment. His work focused on strategic communications, public engagement, and crisis response at a national scale.
Northbourne Advisory launches in Qatar
Telum Media creating connections
Get in touch to learn more
Taylor York owns new expanded role at Thinkerbell
You might also enjoy
Katie Aung has stepped up to Director of Marketing and PR at Meranti Green Steel, a green iron and steel company with offices in Thailand, Singapore, and Oman. Based in Bangkok, she leads the company’s global marketing and communications strategy, overseeing PR activities across APAC, the Middle East, and Europe.
With more than 9 years of experience across APAC, Katie has held senior marketing and communications roles spanning the agency, corporate, and technology sectors.
Independent creative communications agency, alt/shift/, has announced the appointment of AI specialist, Tommy Hyde. Having worked alongside the agency's leadership team, has been tasked with building proprietary AI tools and systems, whilst working alongside clients to identify opportunities within their teams and business.
The appointment comes as alt/shift/ launches its first propriety tool, The Culture Wire. Conceived by the agency's Head of Social and Content, Damian Davitt, The Culture Wire is an AI-powered system that analyses patterns across media, online conversation and behaviour, and identifies cultural momentum before it reaches the mainstream.
alt/shift/'s Melbourne Managing Director, Sam Vassos, said: "At a time when a lot of people are talking about the impact or opportunities AI brings, we’re proudly investing and implementing smarter, more effective ways to deliver for our clients. Tommy's expertise gives us the technical capability to genuinely capitalise on what AI can do, and we're already seeing the impact of that across the agency.
"In PR and social, timing isn't just important - it's everything. Cultural moments, news cycles, trending conversations move fast, and if you're not structured to capitalise immediately, you're perpetually reacting instead of leading. Our clients are loving the pace at which we're able to bring them genuine opportunities, not missed moments."
Action Global Communications has secured renewed PR partnerships with BEYOND Developments' GLOBE SOCCER Awards, and the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.The agency is also providing on-the-ground media support for the Phygital Games of the Future, which officially gets underway on 18th December in Abu Dhabi.
The 16th edition of the annual GLOBE SOCCER Awards will take place on 28th December at Atlantis The Royal, sponsored for a second consecutive year by BEYOND Development. The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships returns to Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium from 15th to 28th February. Action has handled PR and social media for the event since 2023 and has retained the account for 2026 following a nationwide request for proposals. The team was also appointed as the lead agency for the 2025 Games of the Future, which will take place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from 18th to 23rd December.
“When we started the sports division in 2006, the industry was still in its infancy in the region,” said Euan Megson, Action Global Communications’ Managing Director, MENA. “Fast-forward two decades and sport is not only a hugely important economic growth sector, but also a driving force of innovation as seen through the launch of new hybrid sporting events such as the Games of the Future in Abu Dhabi and the FIFAe Finals in Riyadh. We are proud to be a leading player entwined with the growth of regional sports in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and believe that this sector will continue to expand with new milestones in the years to come.”