Patrick Forbes

Spear’s Review

The thoughtful Patrick Forbes speaks fluent Arabic and has 11 years’ experience in the Gulf, mostly in Qatar.

He joined Portland in 2018 when it acquired the business he had founded in Doha. Working alongside Philip Hall, now of Thorndon Partners, Forbes headed up Portland’s private client offering, working with high-profile individuals on philanthropy (the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was among his clients) and financial communications, and by offering digital support.

In 2020, after completing his earn-out period with Portland, he founded a new agency, Witan Advisors, to ‘provide discreet strategic communications advice to businesses, individuals and organisations worldwide’.