Paul Heaton
25 years helping organisations communicate what matters, explain what’s changing and bring their people with them. Twelve of those years as an independent consultant.
Available for strategic consultancy, interim leadership and project-based internal communications and digital workplace assignments.
Senior enough to advise. Hands-on enough to deliver.
Paul started his communications career at the Royal Bank of Scotland in 2001. Over the next 13 years he moved into senior internal communications and engagement roles at Churchwood Finance Group and The Co-operative Bank, where he led a team of 12 through restructuring and major change.
That is where he learned what internal comms is really like from the inside: tight deadlines, competing priorities, leaders who need a clear message and colleagues who need to know what it means for them.
In 2014 he set up 5 Point Five Ltd to bring that experience straight to clients, without agency layers or corporate complexity. Since 2020 the business has traded as The Comms Guru, and it has supported organisations including GSK, Carlsberg Group, NCUK, TalkTalk Business and Electricity North West.
Six things he is asked to do most
Internal communications strategy
Strategies, channels and plans linked to what the business is actually trying to do.
Internal comms strategy serviceChange and transformation
One clear story across workstreams, audiences and channels, for office and frontline colleagues alike.
Change communications serviceCommunications audits
An honest picture of what is working, from a single site to 33 international markets.
Communications health checkDigital workplace
SharePoint Online intranet design and implementation, alongside Viva Engage, Viva Amplify and digital employee communications.
SharePoint intranet developmentLeadership communications
Helping senior teams be visible and say the right thing, at the Co-op Bank, GSK and NCUK.
How we build leadership comms into strategyEngagement and recognition
Events, campaigns and recognition that bring people together around the strategy.
Internal comms campaigns serviceFrom in-house leader to independent consultant
Royal Bank of Scotland
Contact centre, intranet development and communications manager roles. RBS Excellence Award for the YourGuide intranet.
Churchwood Finance Group
Group Communications Manager, owning strategy, executive messaging and the intranet.
The Co-operative Bank
Led a team of 12 through major change, consolidating seven intranets into one.
Founds 5 Point Five Ltd
His own consultancy, embedded with organisations including GSK, Carlsberg Group and NCUK. Alongside it, founder of Fanclub Recognition, 2016 to 2023.
Trading as The Comms Guru
The same company, now trading as The Comms Guru: Paul plus trusted specialists across creative, digital and video.
Projects Paul has led
Global internal comms audit
Carlsberg wanted one clear view of internal communications to plan future investment. Paul led an audit with 121 consultations and 940 survey responses, producing a global channel matrix and five priority areas.
Carlsberg audit case studyHorizons Week
NCUK needed an internal comms function to support its new five-year strategy. Paul built it from scratch and delivered Horizons Week, rated 4.5 out of 5 by colleagues and shortlisted twice at the ICE Awards.
NCUK Horizons Week case studyTouchpoint
GSK wanted to reach frontline colleagues more reliably at a major manufacturing site. Touchpoint introduced a monthly team briefing with leadership video, associated with a 55% increase in team meetings.
GSK Touchpoint case studyA new SharePoint intranet
After separating from TalkTalk Group, TalkTalk Business needed an intranet of its own. Paul led a SharePoint Online build for around 180 people, with governance and training so the team runs it independently.
TalkTalk intranet case studyWhat clients say
“It’s been a very big and complex project, but Paul and James made it feel smooth and manageable.”
“When we brought them on board, we knew they were going to be good, but they really did take our organisation to the next level.”
“They delivered on time and within budget. It felt like they were part of the organisation, not a separate organisation.”
The paperwork behind the experience
Certified Member, Institute of Internal Communication
The UK professional body for internal communication. Read Paul’s IoIC Member Spotlight
PRINCE2 Practitioner
Structured project and change delivery, so communications keeps pace with the programme it supports.
ICE Awards, London and New York
Two shortlisted entries for NCUK’s Horizons Week.
RBS Excellence Award
For delivering the YourGuide intranet package at the Royal Bank of Scotland.
The Comms Confessional
The Comms Guru’s podcast, co-hosted by Paul Heaton and James Blair. Honest conversations about the habits that stop messages landing, and what to do instead.
Enough about Paul. What’s going on with you?
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Guru Mail
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Certified Members of the Institute of Internal Communication