Experience

89up

• United Kingdom
• Public Relations and Communications Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Account Director

  • Apr 2021 - Present



Oxfam

• United Kingdom
• Non-profit Organizations
• 700 & Above Employee

• Head of Public Relations

  • Aug 2015 - Apr 2021

  Served on the CEO’s External Reputation Committee, and the Trading Strategy Committee. Restructured PR team to include and grow stakeholder engagement with focus on celebrity liaison function as well as digital influencer relationship roles, absorbing responsibility for management of global ambassador programme from Oxfam International, creating effective team with integrated comms capability and global reach. Managed national and international media to protect reputation through Haiti crisis in Feb 2018, supporting 24-hour press office, establishing cross organisational crisis teams to streamline decision making and enable direct media unit access to CEO and leadership around the clock. Successfully influenced leadership to appoint crisis consultants, and co-led the consultancy team developing the response strategy. Designed and delivered trust-rebuilding strategy for Oxfam GB, focusing on third party endorsement, winning public support from stakeholders. E.g. Paul Polman in The Guardian: ‘Now more than ever, we need to support’. ‘Annie Lennox, on why she’s standing by Oxfam’, The Times. Overcame reputational challenges, improved positive global media coverage. Transformed Oxfam consumer brand into ‘rising star of UK fashion industry' (The Guardian). Positive media coverage of Oxfam fashion in 2019 worth more than £3m in AVE. Delivered record online/high street sales and sell-out celebrity-endorsed collections. ‘Why Second Hand is Best’, FT. Established Oxfam as leading voice on sustainability. Supported campaign to promote reputation of CEO, Danny Sriskandarajah, with focus on sustainability and climate winning key coverage e.g. BBC Radio 4 Today Programme interview on Oxfam’s Second Hand September campaign. Increased Oxfam GB’s followers across all social channels by 9000 with fully integrated digital sign up campaign, Second Hand September. Achieved record digital engagement rate of 16%, and 55K uses of the # throughout campaign. Show less



ITV

• United Kingdom
• Broadcast Media Production and Distribution
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior News Correspondent and presenter, Good Morning Britain

  • Apr 2014 - Jan 2015

  Excellent communication skills honed over a decade presenting and reporting leading national and international news stories of the day on Britain’s most popular national TV network. Managed ITV News US bureau in New York including budgets and staff, managed relocation of studio from Reuters to AP.Successfully reported from hostile environments Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan Tsunami, and Hurricane Katrina providing a unique perspective on working under pressure to tight deadlines, with high stakes, under public scrutiny. Embedded with British Army during Iraq War gaining extensive insight into military structures, and how they promote effectiveness.Thorough grasp of global affairs and geopolitical issues as they impact on organisations after reporting from Washington DC, The White House regularly. Interviewed Blair and Bush on the end of their 'special relationship' 2007 with global coverage.Crisis/Reputation management: Reported major corporate and political scandals such as Phone-hacking, MP’s Expenses, Savile, and HSBC, delivering valuable 360 degree perspective on crisis handling. As business correspondent gained thorough understanding of the media issues facing corporates and how to operate at board/CEO level. Public Affairs and Politics: Interviewed Prime Ministers David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, and President George W Bush, as well as regularly interviewing ministers, providing thorough understanding of how Washington DC and Westminster works, and how to influence policy.Campaigns: Utilised media power to set the agenda, start national conversations, and change policy. Broke the Sure Start closure story, reversing UK Government policy in many areas. Show less

• Business Correspondent, Daybreak

  • Jan 2014 - May 2014

• Senior News Correspondent

  • 2008 - Jan 2014

  Reporting major national and international news stories from the scene. The UK vote against airstrikes on Syria, the resignation of Pope Benedict/Election of Pope Francis, the royal baby, UK riots, Japan earthquake/nuclear disaster, Greek crisis, Belfast riots.Newspaper reviews on the sofa. Presenting news bulletins, occasional.



GMTV

• United Kingdom
• Broadcast Media Production and Distribution
• 1 - 100 Employee

• US Correspondent

  • 2004 - 2008

  Reported the biggest stories in the United States over 4 years.Hurricane Katrina from New Orleans, traveled with Prime Minister Tony Blair from Washington DC to California, questioned George W Bush in the White House, first British correspondent at Virginia Tech shootings. Ran the New York bureau.

• News Correspondent

  • 2003 - 2004

  Reported from the scene on Iraq war, Beslan shootings, Madrid bombing.