Mr Jorge Silveira Nunes

Mr Jorge Silveira Nunes

Jorge Silveira Nunes serves as the Global Head of Civil Society Engagement at British American Tobacco (BAT), a leading multinational tobacco company headquartered in the UK. In this role, he coordinates the company’s interactions and advocacy with civil society organizations, government agencies, and political stakeholders. His expertise lies in navigating complex regulatory environments, shaping public perception, and influencing policy discussions that impact the tobacco industry globally. Operating out of London, Nunes employs a strategic approach that balances corporate interests with public relations and regulatory compliance. His work reflects BAT’s desire to sustain its market presence and influence regulatory frameworks in key jurisdictions, especially in Europe and the UK. Nunes has a background that includes international political intelligence and corporate communications, making him a pivotal figure in BAT’s global lobbying and stakeholder engagement efforts

As a senior lobbyist for British American Tobacco, Jorge Silveira Nunes’s lobbying efforts are deeply aligned with advancing BAT’s business objectives in the UK and wider EU market. His formal role as Global Head of Civil Society Engagement represents a broad mandate to influence public policy, regulatory decisions, and social conversations around tobacco products and related regulations. BAT’s core interests include shaping regulatory frameworks to avoid overly restrictive tobacco control laws, promoting harm reduction narratives around new nicotine products, and maintaining market access in key territories. Through his position, Nunes seeks to create favorable conditions for BAT by engaging with lawmakers, policymakers, and civil society groups to present BAT as a responsible corporate actor despite the controversial nature of tobacco products.

Nunes’s lobbying strategy often involves highlighting BAT’s investments in product innovation, such as reduced-risk tobacco alternatives, to reposition the company amidst tightening regulations. He works to ensure that regulatory bodies consider economic impacts, consumer choice, and technological advancements when formulating tobacco-related legislation. By acting as a bridge between BAT and societal stakeholders, including NGOs and public health entities, Nunes attempts to manage BAT’s reputation and counteract negative imagery associated with tobacco giants. His approach implicitly serves British interests by protecting BAT’s competitive positioning and enabling continued contribution to the UK economy through employment, taxation, and exports. Behind the scenes, his influence seeks to temper regulation that could severely impact product offerings or market dynamics unfavorable to BAT’s profitability and market share in the UK and European Union

Jorge Silveira Nunes engages in extensive lobbying activities aimed at promoting British American Tobacco’s interests across the UK and European Union. His role involves coordinating and attending meetings with EU policymakers, UK government officials, and civil society organizations to advocate BAT’s position on tobacco regulation and public health policy. These activities include direct lobbying at parliamentary committees that handle tobacco control legislation, regulatory consultations with agencies responsible for health and consumer protection, and participation in public hearings and stakeholder forums.

Nunes’s efforts can be associated with BAT’s strategic successes in influencing tobacco regulation debates within Europe, where pressures for plain packaging laws, advertising bans, and taxation increases have been moderated or shaped to BAT’s advantage. Evidence suggests he leverages personal networks and informal channels, such as business lunches and civil society engagement events in Brussels and London, to establish influence and advance BAT’s agenda. This includes promoting harm reduction narratives around new nicotine products like vaping, which BAT champions as alternatives to combustible tobacco, thereby aligning regulatory reforms with innovation-friendly policies.

He also engages in public relations campaigns and communication strategies designed to build BAT’s legitimacy as a stakeholder in public health discussions while mitigating opposition from NGOs and health advocacy groups. The timing and participation in key meetings have correlated with regulatory developments where BAT’s preferred outcomes were reflected in softened language, delayed implementations, or exemptions in legislation, indicating the tangible impact of his lobbying. However, specific details of all meetings attended or contacts remain less transparent due to the informal and often confidential nature of these interactions

  • LinkedIn: Jorge Silveira Nunes, Global Head of Civil Society Engagement at BAT (LinkedIn profile)

  • Location: London, United Kingdom (Professional base)

  • British American Tobacco official contact channels via their corporate website (no direct public phone number/email for Nunes available)

  • Contact details specific to Nunes himself are not publicly disclosed beyond professional social media.