Howard Dawber has been Strategic Advisor at Canary Wharf Group since August 2004. In addition to work on corporate strategic issues, he is responsible for public affairs, government and external relations. Howard manages Canary Wharf Group’s Public and Community Affairs Department including the Social and Economic Development team.

After University, Howard spent a year as a property consultant and a year working for a small European Think Tank before starting a career in public affairs consultancy with Westminster Strategy and later Bell Pottinger. While at Bell Pottinger, Howard ran the successful campaign for Newport in Wales to be granted City Status and advised the successful Liverpool 2008 Capital of Culture bid. He was part of a team, which won the 2003 PR Week Public Affairs Campaign of the Year award.

Howard was the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Cheadle, Greater Manchester in 2001. He remains a member of Labour’s National Parliamentary Panel, and has also been a local council candidate. Howard has been elected Chair of the Young Fabians, Chair of the Young Co-Op Network, and an Executive Committee member of the Fabian Society. He worked for the Labour Party in the 2000 London, the 2001 and 2005 General Elections and during the 2007 leadership election as an internet consultant. He was also a founder member of the Necessary Group, campaigning for regional government in the North West.

Howard was a member of the Improvement and Development Agency Peer Review Panel and has worked for both central and local government as a communication and strategy consultant.

Howard represents Canary Wharf on the Board of Gateway to London, Tour East London, East London Business Alliance, Legacy 2020, UK Careers Academy Foundation, Campaign for Crossrail, the Isle of Dogs Community Foundation, and on various committees for business group London First.

Howard was a member of the London 2012 Business Board and played an active role in London’s successful bid for the Olympics which was sponsored and hosted by Canary Wharf Group. In 2006 he was the instigator of the consortium which won the Government’s Legacy Trust competition to deliver the cultural and social legacy of the games.