Douglas Alexander to be strategic adviser to Pinsent Masons

International law firm Pinsent Masons has appointed former Paisley MP and cabinet minister Douglas Alexander as a strategic adviser to the firm.

Mr Alexander served in both the Tony Blair and Gordon Brown cabinets. His ministerial positions have included Secretary of State for International Development, Secretary of State for Transport, Secretary of State for Scotland and Minister for Europe. During opposition, he has acted as Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and Shadow Foreign Secretary. He also served as the UK’s governor to the World Bank.

At Pinsent Masons Mr Alexander will work with the senior leadership team to help inform and support debate among the firm's clients on doing business responsibly, tackling poverty and inequality through investment, and developing robust business ethics and compliance practices.

He will also help Pinsent Masons and their clients develop business strategies to respond to those geopolitical issues that impact on business from time to time. In the short term this will include helping shape the firm's engagement with clients around the referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union in June. The firm is to hold a series of events to support clients in identifying the challenges and opportunities arising from change in Europe.  

Mr Alexander will continue in his roles as a senior fellow at Harvard University, visiting professor at King’s College, London and advising U2 frontman Bono.

Richard Foley, senior partner of Pinsent Masons, commented: "Douglas has a stellar reputation as one of the most capable and engaging politicians of his generation. At the heart of Douglas's remit with us is the issue of responsible business and how organisations can rebuild bridges into society at a time when public trust is low.

“In short, it will be about helping executives do business the right way and for the right reasons. He will also bring his experience to bear on some of the major issues that businesses are currently facing. First and foremost on that agenda right now is how to engage with the debate around Europe's future, and there are few better-placed to provide perspectives on that than Douglas."