COO and Founding Partner

Barry has a track record of influencing public and policy debate in the UK, EMEA and the Americas as well as G7, G20 and UN forums. With multidisciplinary experience across communications, advocacy, social marketing and stakeholder management, he has worked across a variety of complex issues including climate change & sustainability, food and nutrition, public health, and education.

Barry leads Purpose Union’s work with clients on advocacy, partnerships and philanthropy as well as our Climate Counsel. He has headed up our accounts with Jamie Oliver, Google, Malala Fund, Unilever and WaterAid among others. 

Prior to founding Purpose Union, Barry  was Director of Advocacy at Malala Fund, closely advising Nobel Prize winner and UN Messenger of Peace Malala Yousafzai and he has also had spells at Amnesty, ActionAid, Christian Aid, the UK parliament and Irish civil service. In the past decade he has worked on a variety of high profile campaigns targeting the G7 and G20 helping to secure hundreds of millions in new funding and launching major global initiatives on education, climate change and financial transparency.

Originally from Ireland, Barry holds first class degrees from the National University of Ireland, the University of London and Dublin City University and has worked as a freelance food writer as well as founding the voting rights campaign group EmigrantManifesto. He also serves on the board of Friends of the Earth UK.