Matthew Doyle, who until earlier this year served as Director of Communications to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has been appointed Strategic Adviser to the Malta Film Commission (MFC).
Mr Doyle quit his Downing Street role in March 2025 after just nine months, saying it was “time to pass the baton on.” he expressed pride in having helped secure Labour’s general election victory, though his departure marked another senior shake-up in No.10 following the resignation of Chief of Staff Sue Gray in late 2024.
According to the UK Government’s Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA), Mr Doyle first began working with the Malta Film Commission in June 2025 to support the Mediterrane Film Festival, focusing on promoting the event and Malta as a filming destination in the US market.
While his initial engagement centred on the festival, he will now continue on a part-time retainer basis, assisting the Commission with strategic communications. His role explicitly excludes any dealings with the UK Government, in line with conditions set out by ACOBA.
The Malta Film Commission, a Government entity, is tasked with marketing the country as a filming location, supporting local productions, and facilitating international shoots. Since 2016, it has also managed the Malta Film Studios in Kalkara, including the island’s world-renowned water tanks. In recent years, Malta has hosted several high-profile productions, including Gladiator 2 (2024), Napoleon (2023), and Jurassic World: Dominion (2022).
His career in politics and communications spans over three decades.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Mr Doyle began his career in press in 1989 as Head of Press and Broadcasting at the Labour Party, later working on both the 2001 and 2005 UK General Elections. He went on to serve as Special Adviser to David Blunkett MP, then Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and subsequently as Special Adviser to then-Prime Minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street.
He was also Tony Blair’s Political Director and Spokesperson, before rejoining the Labour Party in 2021 as Executive Director of Communications. In July 2024, he was appointed Director of Communications at Downing Street, a role he held for nine months.
His appointment with the Malta Film Commission comes with restrictions: For two years after leaving Government, he cannot lobby the UK Government on the Commission’s behalf, nor provide advice on bids or contracts relating to UK Government work.
In 2023, the MFC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the British Film Commission to strengthen collaboration between the UK and Malta’s screen industries, supporting film and high-end TV production across both countries.
