Our Team
Lucy Rochford
Lucy is a former Head of Copy Clearance at PAGB with a detailed knowledge of the UK advertising codes and the regulatory environment. During her time at PAGB, Lucy was responsible for managing the advertising approval service and for maintaining and updating the PAGB’s advertising codes and guidelines. Lucy has also served on both the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Medicines Advertising Liaison Group (MALG).
Lucy has worked in advertising review for 16 years, covering both PAGB and industry roles, and is a nutrition consultant for Clearcast.
James Walmsley
James is a pharmaceutical physician with 20 years industry experience in medical affairs and advertising review within the consumer healthcare sector.
After working at Boots The Chemists, James served as UK Medical Director for both Pfizer Consumer Healthcare and Johnson and Johnson, leading the team responsible for advertising review.
James has specialist experience interpreting clinical data and is a medical consultant for both Clearcast and Radiocentre.
Lucy Rochford
After qualifying in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Surrey, Lucy began her professional career working in the NHS, initially as a dietician and subsequently as a public health nutritionist. She later went on to undertake an MSc in Public Health Nutrition at Southampton.
In 2001, Lucy moved to PAGB as Advertising Services Manager, initially advising on and approving consumer-facing advertisements for OTC medicines, food supplements and traditional herbal medicines. Later promoted to Head of Copy Clearance, Lucy managed the team responsible for approving PAGB Members’ advertising. During her time at PAGB, Lucy was responsible for producing and maintaining the various PAGB Codes and advertising guidelines, defending PAGB-approved advertisements against complaints and providing training on the codes and guidelines to member companies. As part of her strategic remit, Lucy represented PAGB on the Medicines Advertising Liaison Group (MALG), the MHRA’s Borderlines Meetings and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP).
Lucy was also part of the working group responsible for updating the CAP Code. During a period of significant growth and change at PAGB, Lucy instigated and led the transition from paper to electronic advertising review and set up the first PAGB claims database.
Since leaving PAGB, Lucy has worked as an independent consultant, advising consumer healthcare companies on their advertising, promoting high standards and helping companies avoid advertising complaints. Lucy has continued to help shape the PAGB advertising codes, serving on the working group for the latest PAGB Consumer Code review and contributing to the industry’s first advertising code for medical devices. Since 2017, Lucy has been a nutrition consultant for Clearcast, advising on food and food supplement claims for broadcast advertising.
Lucy is well-recognised within the consumer healthcare sector for her unique expertise in advertising review. During her PAGB and industry roles, Lucy has gained significant experience working with different product classifications, including OTC medicines, consumer medical devices, health-related cosmetics, food supplements and borderline issues. Lucy has worked on most of the leading UK OTC medicine brands, and her experience and track record make her uniquely qualified to assist companies with advertising review.
James Walmsley
After completing his medical degree at Newcastle University, James worked as a hospital doctor for seven years before moving into industry as a pharmaceutical physician. He first worked as Senior Medical Advisor for Boots The Chemists in Nottingham, before relocating to Surrey as UK Medical Director for Pfizer Consumer Healthcare.
At Pfizer, James led the medical team responsible for the scientific and regulatory review of a wide range of advertising materials, implementing significant changes to streamline the process of advertising review and introducing targets on quality and turnaround times.
After transitioning to a similar Medical Director role within the UK Johnson and Johnson / McNeil consumer healthcare business, James moved to a global category role as Medical Development Director.
Within this role, he partnered with colleagues to research, develop and launch new products, supported by insight-driven, evidence-based claims.
James is highly experienced in medical affairs, clinical research and drug safety, and is currently one of a very small number of physicians in the UK specialising in consumer healthcare. During his career, he has worked on OTC and prescription medicines, consumer medical devices, food supplements and diagnostics, and supported many leading consumer healthcare brands.
Since 2017, James has been providing services to clients within the pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare sector as an independent scientific and medical affairs consultant. James has a specialist interest in interpreting and maximising the use of clinical data and is currently a medical consultant to both Clearcast and Radiocentre.
James is a member of the Royal College of Physicians and a Fellow of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine. He has a diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine and has also completed higher medical training.
