FleishmanHillard UK today announces the appointment of Lou Dalton as Senior Partner for Health & Life Sciences, in a significant move to enhance senior advisory capacity within its largest and fastest-growing team at a time of heightened scrutiny, system pressure and transformation across the sector.
Lou Dalton will join FleishmanHillard UK as Senior Partner, Health & Life Sciences
Joining on Wednesday, Dalton will play a leading role in FleishmanHillard UK’s Health & Life Sciences sector which provides a broad range of strategic consultancy services including product and corporate communications, digital transformation, patient and stakeholder engagement, and issues and reputation management for pharmaceutical, health tech, health NGOs and biotech clients. The appointment supports the agency’s market-leading sector capabilities and increasing client demand for clear, evidence-based counsel to navigate ongoing pricing and access pressures, misinformation and accelerating innovation.
Over the past two years, FleishmanHillard UK’s Health & Life Sciences team has grown significantly, achieving 8% growth in 2025, and is on track to accelerate in 2026, supported by a series of major client wins and the firm’s global focus on continuing to develop its global capability.
FleishmanHillard’s global Health & Life Sciences growth and focus is on helping biopharma and health organizations earn and sustain their license to lead in an environment defined by skepticism, volatility, and rapid change. We help clients build the credibility required to execute—through clarity, consistency, and meaningful stakeholder engagement—at moments when trust in science is strained and scrutiny around pricing, value, and access is high. Operating omnichannel by design and tech-enabled by default, we connect product, corporate, and internal communications within a clear geopolitical context so leaders can move from reactivity to strategic agency, elevate both product and brand, and drive growth without losing legitimacy.
In her new role, Dalton will be responsible for evolving FleishmanHillard UK’s Health & Life Sciences capabilities, attracting and developing top-tier specialist talent, and delivering strategic communications counsel for clients operating in high-stakes, high-scrutiny situations. Her remit will include further strengthening the team’s offer across data, regulatory and policy newsflow management, market-shaping strategies, franchise and corporate reputation campaigning, and multi-market advocacy programmes, as well as driving the continued transformation of the Health & Life Sciences offering for a fast-changing communications landscape.
Dalton joins from Edelman, where she has spent nine years and is currently Senior Director, Health Brands. She brings deep experience advising pharmaceutical and life sciences organisations on complex multi-market programmes spanning product innovation, policy and advocacy transformation, reputation management and digital engagement, with a strong focus on client experience and long-term value creation.
Lou Dalton said: “Health and life sciences is being reshaped by increased scrutiny around access and value, geopolitical pressures and the pace of scientific and digital innovation. In that context, organisations need clear, insight-led advice to inform programmes that cut through cluttered platforms and build trust with increasingly diverse and demanding stakeholders. Communications sits at the centre of that challenge. FleishmanHillard’s integrated approach and global reach create a powerful platform to translate innovation to impact and I’m proud to be leading the next phase of the firm’s health offering.”
Marshall Manson, Chief Executive Officer, FleishmanHillard UK, said: “Health & Life Sciences today constitutes more than a third of our UK business and is our biggest and fastest-growing sector team. Lou’s appointment is intended as a strong signal of our bold ambition. She brings outstanding experience, deep sector knowledge and a sharp focus on client advisory and communications effectiveness. As we continue to invest heavily in health, Lou will play a critical role in defining our evolving offer reflecting the transforming landscape, and helping our clients navigate an increasingly complex healthcare and broader political environment.”
