About Mervyn

Journalism, Broadcasting and Training

Mervyn Fletcher is a highly-accomplished communication professional with a wealth of experience at the highest levels of global diplomatic, aid and news organisations.

For many years, Mervyn was a BBC News editor and producer. He started his BBC career as a television news producer on the UK’s national Six O’Clock News, before being part of the small team that set-up BBC News Online.

He was output editor of the flagship World At One/PM/Broadcasting House/The World This Weekend news programmes on BBC Radio 4. His BBC career included covering from the scene many of the biggest international stories of the time and undertaking investigative journalism.

International Development And Communication

Mervyn joined UNICEF in Indonesia in 2005 to manage its communication and external relations in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami, and during recovery and rebuilding in Aceh. He progressed to be UNICEF’s regional communication officer for eastern Europe and former Soviet Union territories. This included managing communication during many crises, including the Russia/Georgia war, Kosovo’s declaration of independence and anti-vaccination campaigns in eastern Europe & the Balkans. He collaborated with the Dublin Institute of Technology to design and embed a childs’ right syllabus for journalism degree courses in across Turkey and eastern European countries.

He managed UNICEF’s communication in the aftermath of the Sri Lankan civil war, and served as a ‘special adviser’ to the Head of the United Nations in Sri Lanka at the time.

He transformed how Save the Children conducts its global communication by establishing, and being Head of, its then new Global Media Unit. Here too, he managed communication during crises.

Media Training and Presentation Skills 

Mervyn has many years of experience delivering courses in media and presentation skills. He qualified to become a BBC broadcast skills trainer. At the United Nations and Save the Children he coached spokespeople across Europe and Asia on how to successfully engage with the media, how to conduct broadcast interviews, and how to communicate during crises. Together with Suzanne Yates, he delivers annual training to the Global Fund Advocates' Network (GFAN) – all of whom play a vital role in fund-raising and influencing those in power to make changes that improve public health.