In our latest Employee Spotlight, we catch up with Jack Johnson, an Account Director in Grayling’s Planning & Infrastructure team based in our Leeds office. Jack reflects on the transition from London to Leeds, highlights a project that stands out as both challenging and rewarding, and the industry buzzword he’d like to banish!

Can you tell us a bit about your role and what a typical day looks like in the Leeds office?
I’m an Account Director in the Planning & Infrastructure team, based out of the Leeds office. My role involves leading on client strategy, supporting junior colleagues, and managing the delivery of high-profile infrastructure projects across the UK. A typical day might include a mix of client meetings, stakeholder engagement planning, reviewing materials, and collaborating with teams across the business. The Leeds office has a great atmosphere. There’s always a buzz, and it’s a nice blend of focused work and the odd gossip over a nice strong cup of Yorkshire Tea (milk, no sugar).

If someone’s heading to London or Leeds for the first time, what’s one spot they have to visit?
In Leeds, I’d say Behind Closed Doors, just round the corner from the Corn Exchange. It’s a quirky bar that really comes into its own after dark. Good fun and great drinks!

After living in London for close to eight years, this one’s slightly harder to pick and totally dependent on my mood. There’s no shortage of cocktail bars or museums, but as a self-confessed politics and history geek, I still get a certain thrill from Parliament. Cliché, I know… but there’s no other building in the country quite like it.

You’re part of our Planning & Infrastructure team, what drew you to that space, and what keeps it exciting for you?
I’ve always been fascinated by how places change and develop and the stories, politics, and people behind that. Coming from a public affairs background, I was naturally drawn to infrastructure because it sits at the intersection of policy, community, and long-term thinking. What keeps it exciting is the sheer variety. One day I might be talking about offshore cabling, the next about a major stadium redevelopment. It’s complex work but hugely rewarding.

What’s been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges was working for an MP who lost his seat in the 2019 general election. There’s something quite humbling about around 70,000 people collectively deciding that your boss (and by extension, your team) aren’t good enough and should be fired. It was a tough pill to swallow, but it taught me a huge amount about resilience, perspective, and what challenges in the workplace are actually worth worrying about. It also pushed me to re-evaluate what I wanted from my career and gave me the motivation to move into consultancy, which ultimately led me to where I am now.

What’s something that has surprised you (professionally or personally) so far this year?
Moving back to Yorkshire, I expected a much bigger adjustment, especially after nearly eight years in London. But what’s surprised me is how seamless the transition has been. I still get to work closely with the London team and stay involved in all the same conversations, just with a slightly better view and cheaper pints. The fact that the change hasn’t felt like a challenge might be the biggest sign that it was the right move.

How do you see the communications landscape evolving in Leeds, and what excites you about where it’s headed?
There’s definitely a shift happening. Leeds, and the North more broadly, is growing as a hub for strategic comms, with more national work being delivered from here and a really strong talent pool to back it up. I think the rest of the country is starting to catch up to something the North team has known for a while: that you don’t need to be in London to deliver smart, creative, impactful work. What excites me is being part of that evolution, helping to shape a more balanced and representative comms landscape, where regional voices have real influence.

What’s a campaign or project you’ve worked on that you’re especially proud of, and what made it memorable?
Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) is definitely a standout. It’s a hugely ambitious project: the longest high-voltage direct current cable in the UK (currently). The scale of the work involved has been both demanding and incredibly rewarding. From coordinating engagement across multiple regions and stakeholder groups to adapting to an evolving programme and increased scope, it’s kept us on our toes. It’s also been great to see the project grow in significance, not just in terms of national infrastructure but also in the value and trust placed in our team. Being part of something so critical to the UK’s energy future and seeing the direct link between good communication and project momentum, is something I’m really proud of.

We all have a few “industry buzzwords” we could live without… what’s yours?
“Thought leadership.” It’s become a bit of a vanity label. Everyone wants to be a thought leader, but sometimes it feels more like content for content’s sake. I’m much more interested in clear thinking and useful insight than adding to the noise just to be seen.

What’s something your colleagues might not know about you but should?
I’ve got a degree in music and spent most of my early life singing. I was head chorister at Wakefield Cathedral and later studied music at university. While my career took a different path, that background in performance, discipline, and creativity still influences how I work today. There’s definitely still a bit of a theatrical streak in me that the Planning & Infrastructure team will be happy to confirm!

What’s one professional habit or tool you swear by?
Empowering junior team members to take ownership of their work. That might mean encouraging someone to lead on a client call, draft the first version of a key document, or put forward their own recommendations. I firmly believe people do their best work when they feel a sense of responsibility and trust. It helps build confidence, sharpens judgement, and ultimately creates a stronger, more accountable team. Everyone makes mistakes, but we have to be given the opportunity to make the mistakes in the first place then learn and develop from them.

Anyone who’s worked with me will have heard me say, “you don’t know what you don’t know”, and that’s exactly why giving people the space to try, learn, and occasionally get things wrong is so important.