Phoebe Saintilan-Stocks has always been interested in the person behind the scenes, the powerful but invisible operators in politics.

Now the media start-up founder hopes highlighting the role of chiefs of staff to political leaders will encourage others to look closer at the full scope of what leadership can look like.

She’s interviewed eight chiefs of staff who have worked with world leaders ranging from Jacinda Ardern and Julia Gillard to Tony Blair and John Howard for a new book that aims to offer glimpses into the rooms where history happened.

Saintilan-Stocks opens the book with a tale of running in her primary school elections, seeking to be vice-captain rather than the top job, to the confusion of her parents and teachers.

A period spent during the pandemic working with the Dep

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