What has your journey into Edelman looked like and how did you get into the communications industry?
I originally started as an intern at Ogilvy Public Relations’ tech and B2B practice, Howorth, in Sydney, Australia back in 2011. I was finishing my last year of university at the time and rocked up to my internship one month early, because I didn’t properly read the email… my first proper learning in the world of PR (how far I’ve come since then)... Originally I was focused on B2B and enterprise tech clients, before taking part in the pitch team for Xbox in 2014 and slowly moving into the consumer technology and video games sector.
From there, I decided to head overseas in 2018 and Assembly was the perfect fit for me, having already worked on Microsoft Store and Xbox for a number of years in Australia and knowing some of the team at Edelman in London. Joining the team was a massive opportunity to help launch the Microsoft Experience Centre in London and grow from working on Xbox in the small region of ANZ to the much larger region across EMEA, a very exciting prospect. I started within the Assembly team at Edelman in June 2018 and the rest is history.
What achievement are you most proud of?
There are too many projects and pieces of work to be proud of, but outside of the big-ticket activity like launching Forza Horizon 4 at Goodwood or opening the Microsoft Experience Centre in London, the things that really come to mind are the series of little creative projects developed and executed by the core Xbox EMEA team.
I’m really proud of what the team managed to achieve with limited budget where we focused on the client challenge of getting creators to talk about Xbox Game Pass, which is not always an easy feat given most stick to a specific niche game. From a creative wooden block tower game with codes hidden inside, to a full set of custom PC key caps based on PC Game Pass titles, and even a fully featured board game for families to blend the physical game and games available on Game Pass. Each campaign enabled us to not only speak to existing Xbox fans, but reach new audiences in new places.
What do you find most rewarding about the job?
I love the freedom to be creative at Edelman and make bold decisions which challenge our clients to try something new. I also absolutely love working in the games industry, as it’s something I’m not only passionate about personally but it’s also one of the fastest moving industries and most popular forms of entertainment today. Having this freedom to be creative within such a massive global industry is exciting, as you’re always doing something new and trying new things, constantly learning along the way.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced throughout your time at Edelman?
During the start of the pandemic, I had to head back to Australia to sort a new visa, which ended up being a four-month adventure of remote working. While everyone was also locked down at this time, I ended up making the choice to work nights to keep in sync with the team in London, which was challenging to say the least. And while it was a massive challenge to sustain that for four months, I’m also proud that I managed to get through it, whilst keeping the work going and team motivated through what was happening at the time.
How do you stay motivated?
Passion about the work and industry, but also the support from a fantastic team internally with the constant opportunity to learn and grow from those around me.
If you could offer one piece of advice to someone considering a role at Edelman, what would it be?
There are loads of specialist disciplines within the wider Edelman group and various account teams working across different industries. I would do some research into those teams and ask questions to figure out which team suits you best and what you're most passionate about, from technology to healthcare, energy, beauty, consumer or B2B and much more. In addition, understanding the specialist skills that exist within the wider Edelman group and which area of work you want to do most, from creative to strategy and planning and everything in between, there is definitely a place for you.
What do you do outside work to relax?
Cooking is one of my biggest passions, alongside photography. Cooking for me is a way to separate work and play in the evening and offers a nice break to focus specifically on the task at hand, which helps me unwind from a busy day. As for photography, I tend to get lost in the image, especially while travelling, focusing on getting that perfect shot or exploring a new place with my camera and drone in my bag.
Meet more of the Edelman team
