Nick baines / CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Nick has spent over a decade working in technology-focussed PR. A member of PR Week’s 30 Under 30 list 2023, his work has won numerous awards including a Cannes Lions Innovation Grand Prix, a Clio Award, a Fast Company World Changing Ideas award, and an Adweek Project ISAAC.
With an academic background in philosophy and business ethics specifically, Nick founded Nara in order to tell stories behind meaningful organisations.
He is a regular public speaker on topics such as PR, marketing & communications, startup growth, and agency building. He has also written for several media organisations on these themes, including this piece on AI and media for London newspaper City AM.
Nick is a published short story writer and biographer. Based in London, he has lived in Italy, Scotland, Spain, and Sweden and once cycled from Amsterdam to Budapest to raise money for the literacy charity Room to Read. He speaks bad Spanish and plays even worse piano.
Ben Bunyard / Head of Media
Ben has spent the past decade connecting tech startups, GOs & NGOs, listed corporates, and investment firms with global audiences, through PR, mixed media, and branding. He has delivered talks and consultancy to tech leaders on behalf of international chambers of commerce, EU bodies, and heritage organisations.
Before joining Nara, Ben oversaw English-language PR and narrative consultancy for global full-service agency Redgert Comms. Prior to Redgert Comms, Ben’s creative PR campaigns won awards, including a Clio Award and a Cannes Lion.
In his spare time, Ben is a writer, a footballer, and an avid history-lover.
alicia baines / Head of client services
As Nara’s first employee, Alicia has helped grow the company and its brilliant team from day one. With a background in copywriting and magazine editing, Alicia has four years of technology PR experience specifically. Her expertise spans climate, DEI, fintech, recruitment, gadgets and more, with a particular interest in impact areas such as healthcare, mental health, femtech and gender parity.
Alicia is a regular public speaker on the power of PR, startup storytelling, and raising female founders’ profiles. Having lived in London, Edinburgh, Barcelona, Melbourne and New York, Alicia is an avid traveller, reader, yogi, end-homelessness campaigner and dog aficionado.
Bill Cropper / account manager
Bill joined Nara having spent time in the UK Civil Service and higher education sectors. Specialising in B2B technology PR and investor communications, Bill has secured coverage for clients like Antler, Outward VC, and Roosh Ventures, in publications such as CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times and Barron’s. He graduated from the University of Manchester with a degree in Spanish and Mandarin Studies and has previously spent time living in Germany, Spain and China.
Bill is a supporter of Chelsea F.C. and Stockport County and is also a cycling fan. In his spare time, Bill can usually be found playing PC games or trying out a new recipe (mostly successfully) in the kitchen.
Emily Calder / Account manager
Emily joined Nara Communications after working in the publishing industry. Prior to this, she studied English Literature at the University of Birmingham, and for a Masters Degree in Publishing at City, University of London.
Having developed a keen eye for consumer-focused PR, Emily has placed clients in the likes of The Guardian, The Independent, Cosmopolitan, and PEOPLE Magazine. She has worked with relationship therapy apps, hormone-tracking platforms and various consumer fintech apps during her time with Nara.
She is an avid fan of lifestyle media and pop culture, and in her spare time, she can be found at SoulCycle, playing with her two cats, watching women’s football, or patiently waiting for the next Taylor Swift album.
frankie mcgovern / account manager
Since Frankie joined Nara, he has worked with the press across London, New York, and San Francisco, where he has lived for periods. With experience across announcements, creative campaigns, and broadcast media, Frankie has worked with clients ranging from gaming firms to climate non-profits, placing many live on Bloomberg, Sky News, and BBC News.
Having studied English Literature at Durham University, Frankie worked in freelance writing, e-commerce, and education before joining Nara.
Luke Zavrou-Blackstock / senior account executive
Luke joined Nara after graduating from Durham University with an undergraduate degree in Sociology, and University College London with a Masters in Social Policy and Social Research. Prior to Nara, Luke was undertaking a PhD, focused on the experiences of ethnically minoritised students at elite universities, before deciding that the ultimate conclusion of such research would be drawn by moving on to pastures new.
He leads on funding announcements at the agency, consistently securing coverage in major global publications such as TechCrunch, Forbes, Business Insider and Sky News.
Luke is a member of the Youth Advisory Board of the Almeida Theatre and, in his spare time, is an avid watcher of plays and films, as well as his beloved Arsenal. Luke also enjoys travelling, especially to music festivals in Europe and across the United States.
Yeona Choi / Senior Account Executive
Yeona brings her background in law and startups to her work with B2B tech and investor clients at Nara. With a specialised focus on AI, innovative technologies, and impact-driven ventures, she has successfully placed client stories in leading publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNBC, and the BBC.
Beyond client work, Yeona advocated for Nara’s employee-supported volunteering initiative, first introduced in 2023, and regularly volunteers at after-school programmes in her local community.
She holds a Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree from the University of Oxford. When not geeking out over deep tech, you’ll find Yeona in yoga studios or bouldering gyms.
Alex Gallo / senior account executive
Since joining Nara Communications, Alex has had a particular interest in telling compelling stories for B2B technology and venture capital firms, having placed clients in the likes of Reuters, Bloomberg, BBC News and The New York Times. He has worked in sectors as varied as impact investing, electronic engineering, virtual reality and fintech. Alex brings several years of experience in research, education and writing to his work at the company.
He completed his MA in History from University College London, writing his thesis on the nascent years of the Commonwealth Games, having previously studied in York and Minneapolis. You can catch Alex in his spare time playing various sports, sourcing records, and lamenting the fortunes of Tottenham Hotspur and the Minnesota Vikings.
alex lloyd / senior account executive & events lead
Alex joined Nara in 2021, focusing on profile building and communications strategy for tech startups and scaleups. She oversees client accounts and leads Nara's events strategy, ensuring clients have a strong presence at significant industry events like Slush, Web Summit and London Tech Week. With experience in Sweden, Singapore, and New York, Alex understands the global tech industry and media, with a particular interest in emerging markets, having worked with several startups across Africa.
Before joining Nara, Alex worked in-house, with NGOs, and at law firms. She holds an LLM in International Law from the University of Glasgow. In addition to her work, Alex volunteers with Startup Grind Edinburgh, contributing to the Scottish startup community. She is also a part-time foster carer, and in her free time, she enjoys walking her dog, trying her hand at floristry, and discussing the startup scene over matcha.
Logan Rea / Senior Account Executive
Logan is originally from Aotearoa New Zealand and joins Nara with a background in the media intelligence industry, having worked with Fortune 500 companies and governments across the Asia-Pacific region on media impact and strategy. More recently, he was a Hansard Editor at the New Zealand Parliament and has been providing marketing and comms services within London's theatre scene.
Outside of work, he is a filmmaker and enthusiastic consumer of short-form documentaries.
Max Lury / senior account executive
Max graduated with an MA in creative writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to that, he studied Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, and spent a year as a cheesemonger.
Max is a published writer and is currently working on his first novel in his spare time. He recently won The Galley Beggar Short Story Prize 2023/24.
Zafirah Kesington / Account Executive
Zafirah joined Nara after graduating from the University of Warwick with a BASc in Global Sustainable Development and an MA in Global Media and Communications. Specialising in sustainability, greentech and social development, she has helped place clients in the likes of Bloomberg, TechCrunch and the World Economic Forum.
Before Nara, Zafirah was a magazine editor, worked with social impact startups and hosted her own radio show. In her free time, she enjoys travelling - she’s more than halfway through her goal of 50 countries before 50 - reading webtoons, and talking about BTS to anyone who’ll listen.
Celia Riddiough / Account Executive
Since joining the Nara team, Celia has worked with clients across diverse industries such as fintech, greentech, and future-of-work. As part of the consumer team, she’s delivered high-impact coverage like inclusion in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for a client, and coverage in Business Insider and the Evening Standard. A graduate of the University of Oxford with a BA in Classics (Lit Hum), Celia has a strong background in ghostwriting, editing and research, notably for the Sunday Times bestseller The Seven Wonders of The Ancient World.
Outside the office, Celia is an avid reader and a competitive hip-hop dancer. A dedicated England Rugby fan, she’s also proficient in speaking French and German - and currently working on her Italian. She also finds time to volunteer with children in her local community.
Floris de Bruin / Account Executive
Floris, originally from the Netherlands, grew up across Asia and Mexico before pursuing his studies in English at the University of Exeter. He brings a strong background in journalism to Nara, having earned a Gold Standard NCTJ Diploma at PA while working on the Home News and Money desks at The Daily Telegraph.
Outside of work, Floris enjoys staying active and spending time outdoors, whether playing football, running, cycling, or diving into a good book.
Mia Ford / Account Executive
Prior to joining Nara, Mia trained as a journalist at ITV, completing the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism and working across daytime shows including Good Morning Britain, This Morning, Lorraine and Loose Women. Mia has experience at growing start-ups such as Cuvva and Bloom & Wild, and has an undergraduate degree in Drama and Theatre Arts from Goldsmiths, University of London.
Outside of Nara, Mia has a keen interest in theatre and film and runs a community events organisation focused on championing women in cinema. She is an avid writer and vinyl record collector.
NATALIE SHENKOSKY / SENIOR operations Executive
As a Detroit native, Natalie brings an American perspective to her role at Nara. After graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in Communications & PR—where she specialised in crisis communications—she moved to London in 2020 to pursue her post-graduate in Promotional Media at Goldsmiths, University of London.
At Nara, Natalie's passion for ensuring everything runs smoothly extends from client relationships to day-to-day operations. She plays a key role in fostering the agency's culture and helping create an environment where the team can thrive.
When she's not helping orchestrate operations at Nara alongside her beloved newshound Duke, you'll find Natalie immersed in American history books, writing, or perfecting her latest baking recipe.
Duke / Newshound
Duke is Nara's resident newshound. His presence in agency life has earned him recognition as City A.M.'s Dog of the Week.