KATE WILLIAMS

In-house role leading the PR and strategy for the pladis brand portfolio (inc. McVitie's, Jaffa Cakes, Jacob's and Carr's) in the UK and Ireland ensuring integrating across earned, owned and shopper

• Owned x3 PR and social media agency relationships, managing £2m+ campaign and retainer budgets
• Orchestrated PR, creator and social media for complex, high-profile brand campaigns - ensuring impactful and integrated strategies, including McVitie's Chocolate Digestives 100th anniversary (achieving 720+ pieces of PR coverage and 2bn+ reach)
• Led agency tender processes, successfully onboarded chosen agencies into integrated agency network and supported interagency improvements
• Oversaw all press releases, senior leader interviews, high-profile TV filming, media visits; and social media posting and community management - ensuring increase in brand buzz, pieces of coverage, engagement and reach YoY
• Monitored and measured the effectiveness of activities to improve reach and engagement and shared regular reports to the business
• Created and implemented a new NPD strategy for McVitie's, delivering 54% cost savings YoY
• Developed regional earned media strategy and supported annual brand planning processes, ensuring plans were cross-functional, optimised and aligned with the strategy and brand commercial objectives
• Facilitated PR and social media learning across the business
• Shared regular updates and learnings with Global colleagues to amplify activity across relevant channels and markets
• Effectively bridged Marketing and Comms, demonstrating strong cross-functional leadership that aligned priorities, strengthened collaboration, and delivered higher impactful and integrated outcomes for the business
• Navigated integration of new HFSS regulations into earned and owned media strategy
• Attended regular industry events to ensure the business remained at the forefront of trends
• Won multiple industry awards for Jaffa Cakes 'the biscuit museum' and McVitie's Chocolate Digestives' 100th anniversary

Responsible for leading European consumer and trade PR, social influence and advocacy activity for global drinks companies at a global specialist drinks agency.

Key clients: Bacardi Limited Single Malts portfolio (inc. Aberfeldy, Craigellachie), Dewar's Blended Scotch Whisky, Bénédictine, Edrington (inc. Laphroaig and Suntory) and BNIC (Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac).

• Developed global communication guidelines and toolkits to brief all Western European markets to ensure global consistency whilst allowing for local market conditions and initiatives
• Led teams and partner PR agencies across Western Europe to develop and execute highly successful campaigns that aligned with client objectives and met and exceeded KPIs
• Built and nurtured client relationships with multiple key stakeholders across domestic and global teams, inc. PR teams, brand teams, brand home teams and Brand Ambassadors
• End-to-end managed multi-market brand home trips to Scottish distilleries, delivering top tier media, influencer and bartender attendance and coverage
• Oversaw budgets, regular changes in scope and ensured account profitability
• Retained and supported growth of existing client base and budgets
• Led influence identification and content creative in domestic and local markets
• Led teams to consistently achieve top tier national consumer press coverage for key power periods inc. Holiday, Father's Day and Burns Night
• Collaborated with designers, videographers, chefs, bartenders and other creative teams to deliver integrated campaigns
• Employed an empowering and motivating leadership style and improved team performance through regular coaching, feedback and mentoring
• Represented the business at international trade shows
• Networked with industry leaders and attended venues and events to keep up to date with trends to inform campaign strategy
• Alongside Shift6, also worked with sister agency, Drinktank - a global intelligence network for the drinks industry. Led the team to work with bartenders to gain insights for leading drinks brands, to create more engaging and relevant campaigns for the trade and consumers
• Led the agency's people and culture initiatives
• Developed and executed new business proposals
• Spent time based in Paris and London, with regular travel to other markets

Senior Account Manager responsible for development and day-to-day implementation of PR, events and influence at a specialist food, drink and hospitality agency.

Key clients: Diageo, Bord Bia – The Irish Food Board, Big Table Group (inc. Bella Italia, Las Iguanas and Café Rouge), Vagabond Wines, Amoy and Imbibe Live.

• Managed the trade PR for Diageo UK's full portfolio of brands, inc. Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, Tanqueray, Haig Club, Baileys, Captain Morgan, World Class. Developed and executed bespoke plans to varied budgets and business objectives – including product and variant launches, events, BA profiling, advertising, features
• Main contact for the Diageo UK corporate press office team -consulted and led the team to deliver proactive and reactive corporate comms on a monthly retained basis covering topics such as sustainability, annual results and senior leader profiling
• Main port of call for the Diageo UK category development and shopper marketing teams – developed and executed paid and earned partnerships with key trade media
• Played a key role in acquiring the full Diageo UK account in a competitive pitch process, after previously managing UK Reserve portfolio (premium brands)
• End-to-end managed the Irish Food Board's Best Dressed Oyster 2019 competition – securing a 5* partner venue, renowned judges, entries from the UK's leading chefs and top tier industry heavyweight, media and influencer attendance
• Introduced a series of digital spirits tasting events, securing best in class bartender partners and top tier industry attendees
• Led press office for the Irish Food Board to land top tier consumer and trade coverage for Irish food and drink brands in the UK
• Developed and led creative influencer campaigns for consumer brands inc. Amoy and Vagabond Wines
• Developed the content schedule and secured the line-up of Ambassadors for the UK's leading drinks trade event, Imbibe Live
• Responsible for management of the Fleet Street brand – including profiling the agency's MD, social media and the agency's external newsletter
• Line managed and mentored team members
• Developed and executed new business proposals

Account manager responsible for developing and executing day-to-day press office and launch campaigns for leading London restaurants, bars and hotels at specialist food, drink and hospitality agency.

Key clients: ETM Group (inc. Aviary, Greenwood, The Jugged Hare, The Botanist), Paul Bakery, CERU and Flemings Mayfair Hotel.

• Developed and delivered creative press office campaigns to land consumer media coverage during key power periods, inc. Holiday, Father's Day, Wimbledon)
• Launched new venues and managed media and influencer invitations and review opportunities
• Partnered with companies aimed at high-net-worth individuals, such as Coutts and AMEX to deliver exclusive events

Consumer and trade PR, marketing, events and social media across a broad range of industries.

Key clients: Diageo, Slingsby Gin, The Wensleydale Creamery, World Vision, the Yes Peas! Campaign, The Ivy Collection, Ombra Di Pantera Prosecco and the NHS.

• End-to-end management of Diageo Reserve's monthly Global Brand Ambassador newsletter to drive advocacy. Created content including campaign news, competitor analysis, market activity and best in practice and managed and utilised Brand Ambassadors for news and content - ensuring a high open and engagement rate month-on-month
• Managed global social media communications for the Diageo Reserve portfolio (Ketel One, Tanqueray, Bulleit, Ron Zacapa) Brand Ambassadors – building advocacy and utilising them as social influencers. Also supported projects including Ketel One's 325th anniversary celebrations in Amsterdam.
• Account Manager for Harrogate-based gin brand, Slingsby Gin, and shop, The Spirit of Harrogate. Responsible for developing and executing consumer, trade and social media activity from the brand launch
• Led creative press office for the Yes Peas! campaign, to land top tier consumer media coverage for British peas in the UK
• Managed the launch of iconic restaurant brand, The Ivy Collection's, new restaurants in York and Harrogate.
• Relocated to London to open the agency's first London office

Invited to undertake a summer internship at global PR agency covering all sectors after a successful university work placement.

Key clients: Golden Square Shopping Centre, MBNA, Community Pharmacies, Deafness Support Network (DSN) and the Grosvenor Shopping Centre, Chester.