Patrick Forbes

Spear’s Review

The thoughtful Patrick Forbes speaks fluent Arabic and has 11 years’ experience in the Gulf, mostly in Qatar.

He joined Portland in 2018 when it acquired the business he had founded in Doha. Working alongside Philip Hall, Forbes headed up Portland’s new private client offering, working with high-profile individuals on philanthropy, financial communications and by offering digital support.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was among his clients. In 2020, after completing his earn-out period with Portland, he founded a new agency, Witan Advisors, to ‘provide discreet strategic communications advice to businesses, individuals and organisations worldwide’.