What has your journey into Edelman looked like, and how did you get into the communications industry?
I started my career at the Taylor Bennett foundation, who offer a 10-week traineeship to people from ethnically diverse backgrounds to prepare them for a career in PR. As the programme was hosted by the Brunswick Group, I got to visit sites and learn a great deal about the inner-workings of corporate communications. I immediately had a taste for it and once I got my first job at an agency, my career grew. I’ve since worked at Havas, FTI Consulting where I was promoted to Senior Consultant and Kekst CNC.
At one point, I felt as though I had explored the agency side of my work enough and I wanted to branch out. An opportunity arose at Mercer, and I became the UK PR manager there. It was an amazing experience going from agency work to an in-house role and this required a shift in mindset. Since you’re working with a set group of stakeholders you really have to know your stuff. They will expect you to come to the meeting with plans and solutions on how things should move forward, and it was a great challenge to quickly adapt to a new way of working.
In all honesty, I didn’t think I’d go back to agency work. But when the opportunity presented itself to me, the more interested I became. I have admired Edelman’s work from a distance for most of my career so far, and it was really refreshing to hear that they were looking for someone with my kind of experience. Edelman Smithfield is very different to other firms I have come across in advising clients on financial services, strategic situations and corporate communications – which I think I can bring a lot of value and experience in.
Looking back, I have absolutely no regrets on my decision to work here and I’ve fit into my team really well. I get fantastic support from them and the senior leadership team; everyone’s always willing to help when needed and get stuck in, which is what being a part of a team is all about.
What achievement are you most proud of?
Diversity and equality is something I take immense pride in working towards in my career, so becoming Vice Chair of the PRCA (Public Relations and Communications Association) Race & Ethnicity Equity Board is an achievement I am very proud of. Our goal is to boost and diversify the talent pipeline in Public Relations – which as you can imagine is an incredibly important aim to me personally. As a Black man within the PR industry, I feel I have a duty to help create a more equitable environment both in the long and short term.
At the PRCA we want ensure that there's a best practice approach used around ethnic and racial inclusion within PR, and have put out a number of commitments for PR professionals and companies. When I was building my career in this industry, I saw very few people who looked like me in senior positions, so to have both my role at Edelman and my role as Vice Chair of the PRCA is an honour.
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced throughout your time at Edelman?
Adjusting my mindset into an agency environment has been challenging. Once you’re engrained in a certain company’s process you need to reacclimatise to managing multiple clients and stakeholders. At Edelman Smithfield you need to think on your feet – which has been a positive challenge, because it has helped me become more creative with my problem-solving.
How do you stay motivated?
What motivates me is simply knowing that I’m doing the best job possible. There’s always an extra mile you can go, especially at an agency. Even if I don’t have a solution immediately, it’s very satisfying to work with my team to give a client the best advice or solve a problem. I also enjoy reading about successful people in the industry, which can be very inspiring too.
If you could offer one piece of advice to someone considering a role at Edelman Smithfield, what would it be?
Crucially, you need to put yourself out there and apply – which is always the biggest step. I feel like many people underestimate the amount of transferable skills that there are to our sector. I know it can be intimidating, especially for some people from different backgrounds. Willingness to learn is always the most important thing.
What do you like to do outside of work to relax?
I love going to the gym – it’s my outlet to relax and let off steam, and keeping fit something I really enjoy. Travelling too - I recently went to Dubai, and I couldn’t get enough of their hot winter weather. Whenever I get the chance, I also enjoy a Netflix binge – especially if there are Kung Fu films to watch!
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