What has your journey to Edelman London looked like, and how did you get into the communications industry?
I started my career in sales, but I was always interested in how the news was made and how organisations managed their relationships with stakeholders, so when an entry-level position in Edelman’s Dublin office came up, I jumped at the chance. After over four years working with household names across aviation, FMCG, and technology, the love of a beautiful woman meant I needed to move to London.
The leadership in Dublin were unbelievably supportive and within a day of speaking to the Head of Corporate there I was on the phone with HR to arrange the move. Within a few months, I had made the transfer and am now working on one of Edelman’s largest integrated accounts, primarily in corporate digital communication and executive positioning.
In 2020, while I was still in Dublin, I was accepted onto the Edelman Exchange Programme, where you can switch offices with another person for a month or more. Due to COVID this understandably got delayed, but this year they opened it up again and I swapped office with a colleague in Saudi Arabia. Immediately after this, I took the chance to go on secondment with a client in Dubai. So, I’ve spent my summer in our offices in Riyadh and Dubai.
What learnings have you taken from your experience working in different offices around the Edelman network?
Working in four different Edelman offices on two continents has taught me the importance of taking local considerations into your global strategy. An approach that resonates in one market might have little to no impact in others due to differences in culture, media, language, history, and values. That’s why it’s important to work closely with local teams and carry out market-specific research to ensure the central creative idea can be successfully adapted.
Working on one of Edelman’s largest global integrated accounts has also taught me the value of having diversity across accounts. Working with people across the network - including creatives, planners, writers, and researchers - provides us with different ways of thinking about and approaching challenges.
What achievement are you most proud of?
Five years ago, when I was still an Account Executive, one of my biggest clients was plunged into a crisis that would end up being one of the biggest stories in their industry for about a year. My managers backed me to be the primary media contact and I spent much of that year fielding difficult media queries from across the world. It was a stressful year, no doubt, but looking back, it was where I developed a lot of the skills and traits that my current managers and clients value most.
How do you stay motivated?
I just look around. The excellence of my colleagues has been my main driver in the last six years. Everyone here is so smart and exciting that it drives me to be better every day.
If you could offer one piece of advice to someone considering a role at Edelman Corporate, what would it be?
Be open to all opportunities, particularly at the start of your career. Edelman is brilliant because the variety of work means you get to shape your career exactly how you want it. But it also offers you opportunities you never considered, and trying as many things as possible will give you a more rounded understanding of how the different elements of the communications function come together to manage reputation.
What do you do outside work to relax?
I’ve gotten very into running since moving to London. I’m currently working my way through all the parks I can find. I think I’ve done about 30 so far. I’ve also recently joined a hockey club in London, which I have high hopes for. I used to do a lot of choral singing before COVID. I restrict that to the odd wedding here and there now, but it’s nice to use it as an excuse to get together with old friends.
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