
Director of Strategy and Planning at Harvard Public Relations
London, United Kingdom

Director of Strategy and Planning at Harvard Public Relations
London, United Kingdom
Award-winning UK journalist turned public relations consultant, working predominantly on campaigns and clients across the technology sector.
Through my experience, contacts and understanding of the media I am able to work with clients and advise and coach them on the most effective way to handle the media and get key messages across, as well as building stronger media-facing relationships. I also offer a high level of creative input on campaign planning, messaging and drafting content.
Current clients include Adobe, Fujitsu, Nokia and Vodafone. In the past I have represented BT, Citrix and salesforce.com, among others.
In terms of internal agency development I coach on subject matter and media strategy as well as presentation skills, media and blogger relations and social media. I run training sessions both internally and externally for clients.
In addition I play a senior role in the agency's new business activity from networking to pitch and new client kick-off.
I bring 10 years of media experience to my role, including a senior editor position at silicon.com, now part of CBS Interactive, and freelance writing for the Sunday Times. I am also founding editor of TheMediaBlog.co.uk.
Media relations consultancy, social media, creative campaigns, content generation, public speaking, presentation and media training.
(Privately Held; Public Relations and Communications industry)
November 2009 — Present (1 month)
Managing major accounts, media strategy and new business for technology PR agency Harvard, part of the Bell Pottinger Group, the UK's largest public relations group.
(Media Production industry)
June 2009 — Present (6 months)
Co-founder of a blog focussed on analysis, debate and discussion about the UK media, the role of social media and the changing media economy and landscape.
(Privately Held; Public Relations and Communications industry)
June 2009 — October 2009 (5 months)
A newly created role, this represents a number of changes to my previous associate director role at LEWIS (see below). Most importantly I have now taken leadership on strategy across all account servicing teams in the UK.
This is in conjunction with the other roles and responsibilities outlined below.
The new role has also seen me take on a position on UK management board.
(Privately Held; Public Relations and Communications industry)
July 2007 — June 2009 (2 years )
- Strategic lead on key accounts (including salesforce.com) as well as providing creative input across other UK accounts and campaigns
- Client coaching, messaging workshops and media and presentation training
- New business activity
- Running in-house media group and daily press briefing to encourage clear understanding of the media across all teams
- Events - both speaking at and planning of high profile media events (see: http://themediaaccused.blogspot.com )
(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; CNET; Online Media industry)
March 2000 — June 2007 (7 years 4 months)
- Award winning journalist and editor*
- Rebuilt editorial team from scratch, post 2002 acquisition
- Responsibility for editorial voice
- Edited news, opinion pieces and special reports
- Provided on-staff expertise around several key industry beats: security, CRM, software-as-a-service
- Planned and managed publication's best-ever audited month's traffic (4.2 million, ABC figures, November 2006)
- Lead role in key editorial/CNET brands including Agenda Setters and CNET Technology Awards
- Liaison with sales team on commercial side of the business
- Author of the silicon.com Weekly Round-Up
- Presenting weekly podcast and videos
- Freelance technology commissions from the Sunday Times
(*Work Foundation Media Awards, 2006. BT Security Journalist of the Year, shortlisted, 2007)
(Public Relations and Communications industry)
2000 — 2002 (2 years )
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Publishing industry)
September 1998 — March 2000 (1 year 7 months)
Lay-out sub editor, providing branding, copy editing, headlines, images and design on corporate titles for companies such as Allied Domecq, Barclays, Canary Wharf Group, Kodak, Lloyds and Rexam.
1995 — 1998
The general IT journalist and analyst community, Tech PR