Women in Public Affairs

What Women in Public Affairs does

Women in Public Affairs (WiPA) is a UK-based professional networking organization that has operated since 2012 as a forum for women at all career stages in public affairs, government relations, and policy communications. Founded by Ella Fallows and Laura Lotinga (née Gilmore), the network is structured as a company limited by guarantee and is run by a volunteer Executive Committee. Its core offering centers on in-person and virtual events — including speed mentoring, "In Conversation" speaker series, training workshops, party conference networking, and seasonal socials — distributed free or via ticketed access through Eventbrite. Alongside events, WiPA publishes a Pay and Progression Toolkit (guides on pay negotiation, employer best practice, and parental leave), runs an annual member survey in partnership with Opinium Research, and runs "The Unofficial Report" podcast under WiPA Scotland.

Geographically, WiPA has expanded from a UK-wide volunteer network into a multi-jurisdiction platform with four regional chapters: WiPA Scotland (2019), WiPA Cymru (2024), WiPA North of England (2024), and WiPA Brussels (2025), collectively serving 2,500+ members and a 4,000+ social media following. The organization has no proprietary technology platform — it operates on third-party SaaS (Squarespace, Eventbrite, LinkedIn, Mailchimp) and is not a software or AI product.

Commercial revenue is generated through annual sponsorship packages — 2025 sponsors include Arup, DGA, and Melbury Wood, with Weber Shandwick having sponsored in 2024 — and through paid ticket events, supplemented by partnerships with BIGFISH (training) and Opinium (research). WiPA does not charge membership fees, has not raised venture or growth equity, and is classified as private with no subsidiaries other than its regional chapters. Customer "buyers" in any commercial sense are the handful of headline sponsors, while individual members are served free of charge.

Name

Women in Public Affairs

Legal name

Women in Public Affairs

Website

https://womeninpa.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Women in Public Affairs is the largest UK volunteer-run professional network for women in public affairs, providing events, mentoring, annual industry research, and a Pay and Progression Toolkit across UK chapters and Brussels to 2,500+ members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional networking and advocacy services for women in public affairs

NAICS

Political Organizations (813940), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Affairs, Government Relations & Lobbying (BPAFADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Affairs & Government Relations (MPAAADAE), Social Media & Community Management (PR-led) (BPAFADAM)

Keywords

• Professional networking events
• Women career development
• Public affairs community
• Pay transparency advocacy
• Mentorship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Sponsorship: The organization secures annual sponsorship from companies in the public affairs and communications industry. In 2025, annual sponsors include Arup (engineering firm), DGA (strategic communications), and Melbury Wood (recruitment). In 2024, sponsors included Melbury Wood, DGA, and Weber Shandwick. Sponsors support the network's activities including events, campaigns, and training programs.
2. Event Ticketing: WiPA hosts a range of free and paid-for events including training sessions, networking events, and 'In Conversation' sessions with industry leaders. While many events are free, paid ticketed events are available with pricing communicated through Eventbrite. Financial assistance is available for those who cannot afford paid events.
3. Training Partner and Research Partner Relationships: Partnerships with training partners and research partners (such as Opinium Research) provide operational support. BIGFISH is identified as a training partner and Opinium as a research partner in supporting the organization's research and training activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Women in Public Affairs is a voluntary professional networking organization offering women in public affairs access to events (speed mentoring, training workshops, 'In Conversation' sessions, party conference events, social gatherings), an annual industry survey on pay and progression, a Pay and Progression Toolkit of practical guides, advocacy campaigns for pay transparency and gender equality, and regional networks across the UK and Brussels.

Product overview

Women in Public Affairs (WiPA) is a professional networking organization offering a platform of interconnected products and services for women in public affairs careers. The core offering centers on events (speed mentoring, training sessions, In Conversation series, party conferences, and social gatherings), an Annual Survey conducted with Opinium Research, and the Pay and Progression Toolkit comprising three practical guides. The network has expanded with regional branches including WiPA Scotland, WiPA Cymru, WiPA Brussels, and WiPA North of England, plus a podcast (The Unofficial Report) exploring Scottish politics. The organization functions as a network and community platform rather than a software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WiPA Events Year-round calendar of networking events, 'In Conversation' sessions with industry leaders, speed mentoring, training workshops, party conference events, and Summer/Christmas social gatherings for women in public affairs.
• Pay and Progression Toolkit A series of practical guides supporting employees and employers in creating a more transparent, inclusive public affairs profession, including the Pay Negotiation Guide, Employer Guide, and Parental Leave Guide.
• Annual WiPA Survey Annual member research conducted in partnership with Opinium Research, tracking pay transparency, maternity policies, career progression, and workplace experiences of women in UK public affairs.
• WiPA Scotland Regional network for public affairs professionals in Scotland offering networking events, training, 'In Conversation' series, and the 'The Unofficial Report' podcast.
• WiPA Cymru Regional network supporting and empowering women working in public affairs across Wales, with a dedicated committee.
• WiPA Brussels Initiative supporting and empowering women working in public affairs across Brussels with speed mentoring and professional development sessions focused on career development in EU-level public affairs.
• WiPA North of England Regional network working towards a more inclusive space for women to progress and establish themselves in the public affairs and policy sector in the North of England.
• The Unofficial Report Podcast WiPA Scotland's podcast exploring Scottish politics, interviewing industry leaders, and delving into key topics in the public affairs landscape.

Quantifiable outcome

• Network grew from 2,000+ members (2023) to 2,500+ members (2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered industry_partner, research_partner and training_partner.

• PRCA (Public Relations and Communications Association)industry_partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 December 2023WiPA partnered with PRCA to sponsor and support the introduction of the 'Woman of the Year' category in the PRCA's annual Public Affairs Awards, celebrating female talent in public affairs.
• Opinium Researchresearch_partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch agency Opinium has partnered with WiPA since 2019 to conduct annual industry surveys on women in public affairs. Opinium carries out the research providing robust insights and strategic recommendations that inform WiPA's campaigns.
• BIGFISHtraining_partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIGFISH is identified as WiPA's training partner, supporting the organization's training sessions and professional development offerings for members.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CIPR (Chartered Institute of Public Relations): UK chartered body for PR professionals. Sits in the same professional ecosystem as WiPA, offers training, accreditation and events, but is a broad industry body rather than a women-only community and does not specialize in public affairs.
• PRCA (Public Relations and Communications Association): Largest UK trade body for PR and communications professionals, and a direct WiPA partner (co-introduced the 'Woman of the Year' award category). Broader incumbent that covers the same professional base but as an industry-wide membership body rather than a women-only network.

Direct peers

• Women in PR (UK): UK-based membership network for women working in public relations. Closest direct analogue to WiPA: similar voluntary network structure, regional events, mentoring, and advocacy for gender equality in a communications-adjacent profession.
• Women in Government Relations (WGR): US-based professional association for women in government relations and public affairs. Direct functional peer to WiPA: same professional niche (women in government/public affairs), similar networking, mentoring and advocacy mission, but operating in the US rather than UK.

Regional players

• Washington Women in PR: US professional network for women in public relations and communications. Strong functional analogue to WiPA (women-in-comms network with events and mentoring) but geographically focused on the Washington, DC market rather than the UK.
• Global Women in PR: International network for senior women in PR and communications, with chapters across multiple countries. Operates in the same women's-comms professional space as WiPA but at a more senior/executive level and across multiple geographies.

Emerging players

• Women2Win: UK organization supporting Conservative women into elected office. Comparable as a women-in-politics network with mentoring, training and events, but party-specific rather than cross-party and not focused on the public affairs profession.
• The Fawcett Society: UK's leading membership charity campaigning for gender equality. Comparable in mission (advancing women in public/political life) and policy advocacy, but operates at a broader societal level rather than within a single profession.
• 50:50 Parliament: UK campaign organization pushing for gender balance in Parliament. Adjacent to WiPA's mission (advancing women in political/public affairs careers) with overlapping member pool of politically engaged women, but focused on representative outcomes rather than career networking.

Others

• Public Affairs Board (part of PRCA): The PRCA's specialist public affairs committee that WiPA works with on the Woman of the Year award. Not a direct competitor — it is an industry committee rather than a women-focused network — but a closely connected ecosystem partner within UK public affairs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WomenInPA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/women-in-public-affairs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Women in Public Affairs