About us

I’m proud to have worked in the B2B PR agency world for more than 25 years now. I was one of the first people in the UK to study PR at degree level, then my first job was a PR work placement at an electricity company. I was in the press office on my own one day and the local radio station rang to say, “there’s been a power cut – we need to interview you right now.” It was a real baptism of fire!

From those heady beginnings, and a long career in B2B agencies, forming Skout was a natural evolution. I’m passionate about delivering excellent work that addresses and exceeds clients’ objectives, and I remain hands-on in every aspect of the business.

The name Skout represents our ability to work as a close team and forage for brilliant stories, but I admit its true origin was me trying to find a word that began with ‘Sk’ like Skinner – there aren’t many!

Since I started my career in PR in the mid-90s, I’ve worked with some of the world’s biggest brands, including Intel, BT and Orange (now EE). I headed up Apple’s PR when they’d just launched coloured iMacs – remember those? – and I was a key part of the team that launched the iPod in the UK.

After several tech PR agency stints I spent several years living in Hong Kong, working as deputy editor for a bi-lingual homes and interiors magazine, as well as establishing Hong Kong’s first green PR agency. I delight in building strong client relationships: largely because I like talking to interesting people. Making the leap from the press angle seen on the page to applying this directly to a client’s product or service is always an exciting challenge.  

I’ve worked in PR agencies for over 25 years, with a wealth of experience that spans a variety of markets including healthcare, life sciences, leisure, construction, energy and food.
I’m passionate about people. I love working with clients to develop programmes that help them to achieve their objectives and enable them to shine within their own organisations. It’s the challenge of seeing a plan as a moving feast rather than a static tick box exercise and then spotting the opportunity to go above and beyond to deliver fantastic results.

Possibly even more importantly, I’m also a fully qualified cheerleading coach, and surely every organisation needs one of those on board!

Before joining Skout, I gained a degree in Public Relations and Media, plus a master’s degree in International Relations. I’m always invested in my learning journey and it’s fantastic that there are so many different ‘brains’ at Skout HQ to bounce ideas off and bolster my knowledge. It’s true what they say, no two days are ever the same working in a B2B agency and that’s what I love about it. One day I may find myself writing a thought leadership article about the global issues impacting the world today and the next, I can be in a creative brainstorm session thinking about the next big ideas for our clients.  This suits me perfectly as it’s great to have a lot of variation in a job – you never get bored!

I’ve had a lifelong ambition to work in an office environment, with a stationery cupboard (this began with a serious and slightly alarming love of WHSmith as a child), so I studied business at University. It was there that I discovered that my strengths were in HR; I ultimately qualified with a Postgraduate Diploma in HR Management. 

A long career in this field has ultimately led me to my current role in B2B communications at Skout. I’ve always been a highly organised control freak, with most of my life set out on a spreadsheet. As an operations manager, this personal trait comes in remarkably handy as I keep everything running smoothly.

I’ve always been a numbers person, which is why I’m currently delving into the world of operations and finance. It’s not just about the numbers for me though; I love tackling problems and finding ways to make things run smoother, especially for small businesses. Right now, I’m putting that passion to work at Skout, where I get to help streamline processes and contribute to the agency’s growth. It’s a great feeling to see the direct impact of my work, and I’m all about keeping things running smoothly and efficiently, both in the books and operations.

Prior to joining Skout, I studied Multimedia Journalism at Manchester Metropolitan University. During my time at university, I acquired an eclectic set of skills that I found were extremely transferable to the broad world of marketing and PR. The wide range of industries we cover here at Skout including retail, manufacturing, construction, and D&I (to name just a few) means each day brings exciting new challenges and opportunities, so no two days are ever the same! I’m excited to be able to grow and develop my skills with the help of the award-winning Skout team.

Prior to joining Skout, I worked in legal/financial services for several years in a customer service facing role alongside a decade’s worth of experience working with rock bands through operating my own digital magazine and gaining a degree in journalism in the process. You know what they say, don’t put your eggs in one basket! Jumping to the other side of the fence, working in a B2B marketing agency feels like a natural fit for me. Surrounded by fantastic fellow comms professionals at Skout HQ and working with clients across numerous sectors, no day is the same working at Skout and that’s what keeps this job so enjoyable. One minute I could be pitching a topical news story, the next I could be securing a profile feature in a print publication. They say variety is the spice of life and that is Skout in a nutshell!

Trying my hardest not to sound like a cliché here but I sort of ‘fell into PR’ through my course at university. My dream was always to be a journalist, but when I was offered a place on the Public Relations with Journalism course, I snatched it not really knowing what PR was. From there my passion for journalism faded as I became more and more interested in the PR and marketing landscape, honing my skills before entering the big world. I got my first PR job pretty much straight out of uni. I’ve been able to grow and nurture my skillset in a career that I am truly passionate about and I that love.

Since joining Skout, I have seen my confidence grow and grow in my ability all thanks to the team and of course our friendly clients. From writing a press release to creating social media content, the fact that my role has so many different responsibilities always keeps it fresh and exciting!

Before I began my journey into PR, I studied a degree in Media, Communication and Cultural Studies, which introduced me to a variety of areas, from journalism to marketing and advertising. But what really caught my interest was the PR aspect of my course, where I got to hone my skills in an area I loved. Upon joining Skout, I was introduced to a whole host of exciting clients, and a chance to apply my PR knowledge within a dynamic environment and alongside a fantastic team. I’ve already learned so much about the industry since first joining Skout, and I love that my role has so much opportunity for creativity and growth.