Alex Aiken

Alex Aiken is the Executive Director of Government Communication. Based in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office, Alex is the most senior communications professional in the Civil Service. His role covers government communications strategy, management of the Cabinet Office and No.10 communication teams and leadership of the profession.

Over the past seven years Alex has overseen the creation of the Government Communication Service, major public information campaigns on the economy, EU Exit and the Union and the publication of the annual government communication plan. He has introduced a number of professional improvement projects including a Ministerial Board and has developed the role of the profession in digital communication, including the creation of the Rapid Response Unit. He sits on the Cabinet Office Executive Committee, the Board for the GREAT campaign, the editorial Board of CS Quarterly and has oversight of the annual civil service conference – Civil Service Live.
Between 2000 and 2012 he was Director of Communications and Strategy for Westminster City Council, leading the policy, member services and communications teams. He served as part of the group that oversaw the implementation of the Tri-Borough Shared Services programme and established the Westco communications consultancy which works for public and private sector clients around the UK.
He has been National Secretary of LG communications and Vice Chairman of the Public Relations Consultants Association Council. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA).