Political Holdings Limited US, Inc., an affiliated company of Biteback Media which publishes Total Politics in the UK, recently purchased Campaigns & Elections. Shane Greer, Executive Editor of Total Politics and President of Political Holdings, will serve as Publisher.

Shane appears regularly on television and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, Daily Politics, BBC Breakfast, BBC World Service, Channel 4 News, and BBC Radio. He is a paper reviewer for both Sky News and the BBC and has a weekly review segment on the Stephen Nolan Show on Radio 5. Shane has published two books, the most recent of which, So You Want to be a Politician, is an essential read for first time candidates, sitting politicians, anyone intending to run an effective campaign and anyone interested in the art and science of political campaigning. Shane has a law degree from the University of Liverpool and a masters degree in international law from the University of Glasgow.

Meet Shane Greer.

How long have you been in DC and what brought you here?

I first came to DC in 2006 as an intern. I’d recently finished a master’s degree international law in the UK and wanted to get some experience in the political arena. It turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made as one of the other interns eventually became my wife! Since then I’ve been based in London, but my work has required a lot of travel to DC. Now that we’ve acquired Campaigns & Elections I’ll be splitting my time pretty evenly between DC and London.

What’s next for Campaigns & Elections magazine?

Back to basics. Campaigns & Elections is a brilliant non-partisan magazine with an incredible history. It’s long been the go-to publication for the political campaigns and public affairs industry. That said, the last year hasn’t been the magazine’s best. In fact, as a reader, it was the drop in editorial quality that made me consider acquiring the title. Now that we’ve taken charge, the focus will be on returning to the magazine’s roots; providing an unmatched service to the growing political campaigns and public affairs industry. It’s about living up to and exceeding the standards readers have come to expect from Campaigns & Elections over the years. Central to this mission was the decision to bring Jordan Lieberman (formerly the publisher of Campaigns & Elections) back on board as the editor-at-large, and retain other key staff who made the magazine great. With their involvement I’m confident that Campaigns & Elections’ best days lie ahead. Watch this space.

What’s your favorite thing about Campaigns & Elections magazine?

The practical campaign advice. Campaigns & Elections is at its best when it’s at the cutting edge of political campaigning. I love it when I delve into a feature on the latest innovation in, for example, direct mail and leave it with new knowledge that I can apply in the real world. As it happens, it’s this aspect of Campaigns & Elections that influenced the ‘Campaign’ section in our UK magazine Total Politics.

Who were your role models growing up?

First and foremost, my mother. It might sound clichéd but it’s true. Regardless of what I was doing, from school work, to sport, to chores, she taught me the value of hard-work and commitment. My role models are all people I’ve known rather than famous people, from teachers to school chaplains.

President Obama calls you and wants to hang out for the afternoon in DC. What are y’all doing?

First of all, priorities: lunch. I’d meet President Obama at the Old Ebbitt Grill. I’ll be ordering the steak and extra coleslaw because I’ve never been able to get enough of the stuff. Mostly I’ll want to spend the afternoon picking his brains about his thoughts on 2012 and in particular, unsurprisingly, the campaign mechanics. Having weighed the president down with lunch (and conveniently ignored that I’ve weighed myself down with lunch as well) I’d throw down a basketball challenge. An hour later I expect I’d be regretting the decision to challenge the president on the court. After that I’d invite him to help me drown my sorrows at the Hawk ‘n’ Dove before, inevitably ordering something that comes with coleslaw (it’s an addiction, ok).