Francesca Washtell is a UK-based business journalist at The Daily Mail, specializing in energy policy, financial regulation, and corporate strategy. With a track record of influencing policy debates through outlets like City AM and Banking Risk and Regulation, her work bridges technical financial topics and mainstream economic discourse.
Francesca Washtell has established herself as a leading business journalist in the UK, currently shaping coverage at The Daily Mail. With a career spanning prominent outlets like City AM and Banking Risk and Regulation, her work combines rigorous analysis with an ability to demystify complex financial and energy sector developments for broad audiences.
Washtell’s career began at City AM, where she honed her skills in corporate reporting. Her transition to The Daily Mail marked a shift toward investigative pieces blending economic policy with industry impacts. Key phases include:
This 2019 piece dissected the UK’s fracking debate through an interview with Cuadrilla’s CEO. Washtell balanced technical explanations of shale gas extraction with scrutiny of political delays, highlighting contradictions between energy security goals and local opposition. The article became a reference point for subsequent policy discussions, cited in parliamentary debates on energy independence.
Published in 2023, this analysis clarified the Bank of England’s requirements for financial institutions. Washtell outlined how “UK Operational Resilience Framework” (Ukorf) diverged from EU’s DORA regulations, providing actionable insights for compliance officers. Her breakdown of phased implementation timelines remains widely circulated in banking circles.
In this 2024 piece for The Mail on Sunday, Washtell explored how EU banks are navigating cloud infrastructure adoption amid data sovereignty concerns. She contrasted approaches by Deutsche Bank and BBVA, emphasizing regulatory risks in cross-border data flows—a topic gaining urgency with AI adoption.
Washtell prioritizes energy sector stories where corporate strategy intersects with regulatory shifts. For example, her Cuadrilla piece linked corporate planning to national energy security debates. Pitches should highlight how a company’s approach to renewables or fossil fuels aligns with (or challenges) current UK/EU policies.
Her coverage of Ukorf demonstrates interest in both regulatory compliance and fintech innovation. Successful pitches might explore how smaller banks are leveraging AI for resilience testing or the impact of climate stress tests on lending practices.
While deeply engaged with institutional finance, Washtell rarely covers retail banking or personal finance products. Pitches about cryptocurrency platforms or budgeting apps are unlikely to resonate unless tied to systemic regulatory issues.
Getting into the flow of it: Cuadrilla's CEO on safety, earthquakes and political hypocrisy as the company gears up to start onshore fracking
The final deadline for complying with the UK’s operational resilience framework is March 31
Europe's banks face a 'cloud crossroads'
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Business, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
