Jess Alden

Spear’s Review

Jess Alden, director of reputation management, risk and crisis at Slateford, came to the attention of Chris Scott before he’d even founded the firm. 

‘I did a week’s worth of work experience at Schillings [Scott’s previous firm] when I was at university,’ Alden explains. ‘When he went out on his own, Slateford ran a trainee recruitment process, and he reached out and asked me to apply.’ 

Slateford told Spear’s that it runs a strictly blind recruitment process, so Alden’s anonymised application was considered along with many others, rising to the top of the pile on its own merits.

Alden now works with high-profile clients in multiple jurisdictions to respond to serious issues that impact their reputation and freedom to operate. She avoids expensive, exposing litigation where possible and works to help her clients understand how media in different countries operate. 

‘When something needs a little bit more thought or a little bit more strategic knowledge, I’m quite good at thinking outside the box,’ she says.