Who We Are
Anna Geffert
Managing director
Anna founded HERA in 2019 after 14 years of working at leading global PR agencies in London, specialising in Consumer PR, Corporate PR, and Capital Markets. She prides herself on being a trusted partner and advisor to clients.
Anna has worked across multiple sectors including banking, energy, fintech, FMCG, retail, hospitality and leisure, manufacturing, professional services and real estate.
Anna was proud to be President of Women in PR, an award winning membership organisation dedicated to helping more women into senior leadership roles. She now sits on the Board of Global Women in PR.
We are so proud that our MD, Anna Geffert has made the PRWeek Powerbook for the fourth consecutive year.
Dr John Wriglesworth
hera Executive Chairman
John is a published academic economist, former city Financial Analyst and successful Entrepreneur. He has proven expertise in economic and financial analysis, as well as marketing and PR.
John has a PhD in Economics from Oxford University, lectured economics at the Queen Mary University in London and published his book, Libertarian Conflicts in Social Choice, Cambridge University Press. This won the Royal Economics Society’s Monograph prize for the best new book submitted by any economist under the age of 30.
John then worked as the Director of Housing Research at UBS, where he became a household name on broadcast and print with his exciting predictions and analysis of the UK Housing market. In 1998 John set up his own successful PR agency, The Wriglesworth Consultancy, which he ran for 16 years before selling to a large multi-national city based PR firm.
John is a lover of travel, a Merlot enthusiast (with ice!) and a keen, and improving, amateur golfer.
David Gallagher
director
A former journalist, published author, science and policy writer, then European and UK PR agency founder, growth and development advisor. Latterly a President and Board Director at Omincom, the world’s largest PR and Communications organisation.
A specalist in crisis management and a trusted advisor to the Boards of the largest international brands.
David is expertly placed to help advise clients during challenging periods of growth and crisis.
zoya zalatimo
Account executive
Zoya is a recent London School of Economics Master’s graduate in digital marketing and communications. She has two years of experience interning in the marketing departments at Forbes and Alserkal Arts Foundation in Dubai.
Zoya was an audio-visual data analyst for an LSE research project titled ‘A Communication Crisis?’. The findings of which will be published by the LSE, which is co-authored by leading media professors and industry professionals.
Zoya’s hobbies outside of work are ballet and travel.
Lynda Waltho
Director of Public Affairs
Lynda was the Member of Parliament for Stourbridge and Regional Minister in the last Labour Government. She served as Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Northern Ireland Office, Department of Justice and Department of Health.
Appointed by Tony Blair and promoted by Gordon Brown, she served as one of two Regional Ministers for the West Midlands.
Lynda was also Director of Communications for the Green Bus Company and until recently, the Midlands Regional Director for the Confederation of Passenger Transport. Other positions include a Director of Clearvu Communications and Managing Director Abbott Barber Communications Ltd.
Lynda has also served as a Trustee for the Black Country Food Bank and Political Adviser to the Board of the Parry People Mover.
Yasmin Ali
Account executive
Yasmin is an LLB politics and law graduate from Queen Mary University, London, and has experience across the finance, legal, political and charitable sectors.
Yasmin joined HERA following an internship via the 10,000 Black Interns Programme. She is adept at research and multi-media content writing and supports the team across content media creation, social media management, digital content creation, video content creation, events (physical/virtual) and marketing.
Yasmin is a consumate foodie and loves to cook and sample local London restaurants.
Maria Hughes
Senior Account Director
Maria joined HERA in 2023, having worked in PR for over ten years, across a diverse range of sectors including real estate, housebuilding, financial and professional services, retail, media, travel and automotive. A graduate of Trinity College, Dublin with a Masters from University College London, Maria has extensive experience in producing research-based thought-leadership content to position clients as experts in their field. She also is skilled in developing commercially-focused PR strategies.
Brianna Adedeji
Account Executive
Brianna is a recent Oxford graduate where she read History and Politics, with a focus on quantitative methodology, political science and international relations.
She has experience working in communications for charity Pushkin House, along with diverse political experience from interning at the Embassy of Japan in the UK and working with a British MP on research into government funding for youth support. Brianna has a keen interest in AI, coding and digital communication and supports the team across content creation, events, research and marketing.
