Experience

Founder Free Russia campaign 2022

• Founded the Free Russia campaign – which helps Russians to find independent news about the war in Ukraine using digital advertising. Over 400,000,000 ads shown so far. The campaign has featured in The Guardian, The New York Times and almost 20 major media outlets.

Professional campaigner, fighting Brexit and fake news (2016 – present)

• Expert in fighting fake news, and has pioneered techniques to get real news past Russian censors in support of democracy.
• Adviser to anti-Brexit campaign Best for Britain, developing polling, campaigns and strategies to inform the public and persuade politicians to think again.
• Campaigning on climate change and to save bees, butterflies and ladybirds.
• Advised a leading biotech firm on their plan to create enough Covid vaccine capacity for the whole world.

Lib Dem grassroots campaigning (2000 – ongoing)

• Knocking on doors, delivering leaflets, fundraising and campaigning in every borough of London, including every local, London, European and General Election and numerous by-elections.
• London Assembly candidate for Lambeth & Southwark 2012, Lib Dem Assembly London wide list candidate 2016. Achieved the best Labour-facing result in London. Missed out on being elected to the London Assembly by just a few thousand votes in 2021. 

Ogilvy / Blue Rubicon / Blue State Digital Head of Social / Head of Digital / Managing Director Europe (2005 – 2016)

• Created more than 20 jobs, built and ran several businesses of over £1m per year.
• Headed the European arm of the digital team that helped elect Obama. Supported the spread of smart campaigning practice as London Lib Dem Executive Digital Ambassador from 2012.
• Advised the then-Secretary-General of the United Nations Framework Convention, Christiana Figueres, on how to win the arguments leading up to the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

Liberal Democrats, Economic policy / Director of Research (1999-2005)

• Led team of 15 Lib Dem policy and media advisers to support our MPs and Leader Charles Kennedy through the Iraq war campaign.
• Advised on all major policies including the 2005 General Election manifesto, contributing to our best ever result with 62 MPs elected, including a record eight MPs across London.
• Trusted advisor to Charles Kennedy & Vince Cable.

Ministry of Environment & Tourism, Namibia (1996 – 1999)

• Environmental economist working to halt desertification and on conservation of wildlife such as rhinos, lions and elephants – contributing to 12,000 more Namibian elephants.

Interests

• I am proud to be bringing up my daughters in the greatest city in the world. I love watching the deer with my family in Richmond Park, cycling along the canal in Camden and shopping in Brixton market near our home.
• I keep fit with Joe Wicks and by cycling when I can. Delivering Lib Dem leaflets (especially to tower blocks) also helps with my fitness regime!

References

Can you get any more Lib Dem than this?

Guido Fawkes

Rob Blackie and his team…bring correct messages about the war… it’s very important for us as Ukraine to have such supporting teams all over the world.

Anastasiya Badyachenko, CEO IAB Ukraine

He combines the rare twin qualities of deep data analysis and ability to communicate with flair.

Naomi Smith, CEO, Best for Britain

Several senior New Labour figures have told me they think that Liberal Democrat Charles Kennedy, not David Cameron, was the most effective opposition leader they faced.

That was not because of his opposition to the Iraq war but because of his team of arch-scrutinisers and campaigners he appointed to his front bench: ‘hard bastards who were always finding campaigns and ways to criticise us’ in the words of one Labour peer.

Stephen Bush, FT columnist, describing work done by Rob’s Research team in 2003-2005

“[He has] an ideology and an axe to grind. But the grinding is so gentle, it is easily disregarded and the underlying points adopted as one’s own.”

Evan Davis, Radio 4 presenter