LIFE OF A DAY IN THE
ROZENA PEDLEY, MANAGING DIRECTOR, CONCEPT COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED
Some questions for Rozena
Question: What do you do to unwind at the end of a long day? Answer:
I cook. Quietly on my own - chopping veg can be very
therapeutic! - or there will be all three of us around the stove - chopping, mixing, creating everything from scratch (and some of us making more mess than others!) We do also take turns with the washing up…
Question: What do you like the most about being a PR Director? Answer: The trust clients place in you is a privilege and you cannot quantify the value of those relationships. Factual accuracy and honesty, attention to detail and delivering our absolute best, every time, is why so many of our clients have stayed with us for so many years. Being part of a client team and getting to know them as people can also be a lot of fun - which shouldn’t be forgotten amongst the pressure of deadlines!
Question: What do you dislike most about being a PR Director? Answer:
to say there isn’t anything!
Question: How did you become a PR Director? Answer:
I trained and qualified at two London agencies - Text 100
and leading global PR firm, now Weber Shandwick, working with international brands, hi-tech companies and specialising in crisis management. I came back to Jersey to manage the communications and rebranding of what became the Jersey Financial Services Commission (formerly the Financial Services Department of the States). But the unexpected announcement of the first UK Government review of the Financial Regulation in the Crown Dependencies, the ‘Edwards Review’, changed the scope entirely and was an extraordinary time of issues management as well as the changeover to Commission status.
This really defined what I wanted to do so I established Concept, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Whether I’m doing the school run or dad is on duty - it’s weekday alarm at 06.00 a.m., a catch up with the news and what’s trending, animals to feed, then the pre-school routine and out of the door by 08.30 a.m.
There’s an outline for every day, but sometimes what can happen in the course of a day bears little resemblance to what you had planned. That’s the nature of client service and having a diverse range of clients in different industries. It’s also called life...! So flexibility is the key.
What you do, what you say, and what others say about you appears in many different forms in today’s digital world. From planned campaign activities - press releases, report writing, selling in a story, website updates, Instagram posts, maybe a photo shoot or event plan - every day in the agency is different. The reactive work, often in the social media space, also means you have to anticipate the unexpected. This might mean an occasional late night or two, when there is a reputational matter to manage; but the ‘everyday’ stakeholder communications is equally important.
Clients often tell me they ‘’don’t have time to think’’. It’s our team’s job to do that thinking for them, take time over them and come up with creative, innovative strategies and solutions that meet their needs - always aiming to exceed their expectations. So I try for one day a week without external meetings; it’s my thinking time.
After a day’s work, it’s dinner, story and bedtime for the little one, a quick email catch up then time to relax with my husband, tomorrow will be here soon enough!
Question: What advice would you give someone, either just starting their career or midway through their career, who wants to be a PR Director?
Answer: Don’t try to be all things to everyone. Be honest about what you’re good at and let others shine in their area. Equally, be prepared to stand up for what you believe in. Manage your own time and find time for others.
Working in a team, whether you’re in-house or in an agency, is all about respect, understanding, encouragement and commitment. No team member is any more or less valuable than another, but leading a team means you take ultimate responsibility.
Even with years of experience, be prepared to change with the times, adapt and stay ahead of the game - it’s a good place to be!
I’ve been working in the industry for over 25 years; so I have
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20/20 A day in the life of...
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