Strategic Advisory and Communications

Tell us about a typical day

There is no such thing as a typical day at FGS Global. When I’m not fighting fires, I spend most of my time on talking to clients, developing written work product or reading about the next challenge or opportunity that we may face.

What is your favorite aspect of the job?

We often support clients at their most critical moments. I’m constantly motivated by the responsibility of guiding companies through turning points that have a lasting impact on the organization and its stakeholders.

How would you describe yourself as a member of the team?

I seek to be a collaborative and hands-on teammate that leads by example. As someone who grew up within the firm, I know our best work comes when teammates at every level are empowered to contribute.

What do you think is special about FGS Global?

The depth and breadth of our experience is unmatched, but what makes FGS Global so special is the collaborative nature of our firm: everyone’s willingness to help, support each other and share credit as a team.

How did you begin your career in the industry?

I studied public relations and interned at a peer agency in New York, which introduced me to the world of strategic and financial communications.

Tell us about a typical day

I’m an early bird – so I’m usually up at 6am to check emails and read the news. Then I either walk to work or take a long walk around my neighborhood (the Lower East Side) before I sit down to work. My typical day is a mix of team calls, client calls, and working through documents. When I’m in the office, I try to grab lunch or a coffee with someone – particularly new colleagues. I usually finish by around 6:30 and then head out for dinner or an event (NYC always has something to offer!)

What is your favorite aspect of the job?

The people. It sounds clichéd but we have a truly varied group of backgrounds and experience. Everyone I work with is so smart that it’s intimidating (in a good way).

Also I love the exposure to business critical issues – even from very early in your career, this job gives you a front row seat to the conversations shaping the world.

And every day is different – which is perfect for someone like me who gets bored easily.

How would you describe yourself as a member of the team?

Perhaps “All in?”. I tend to be 100% invested in a small set of accounts, rather than a mile wide and inch deep– it just works better for my brain.

Someone described me on a call once as “fun to work with” which was a great compliment...

What do you think is special about FGS Global?

Our clients are really out of this world – the who’s who of business, policy and advocacy. Which speaks to the quality of work we do.

Near enough is not good enough, ever. It’s what makes it fun.

How did you begin your career in the industry?

Mine was a bit of a winding path – I used to act professionally, and also studied law. As all good things in life do, my introduction to this industry happened through people. A friend suggested it might be something that fit my interests and introduced me to my now former boss in Sydney, Australia – who gave me my first corporate PR Job. I’m forever grateful to her! Then, when I moved to the Big Apple, Finsbury was the first place I wanted to work – and here I am, four years on.

Tell us about a typical day

Every day is completely different but there are a few constants. Each morning I brush up on the climate and energy news of the day. We also hold daily check-ins for one of our big, global clients to set the agenda for the day ahead. Then it’s off to the races for anything from client meetings to pitching reporters to drafting content. The best days are when we get to staff major global climate events and share good news about progress in the climate fight.

What is your favorite aspect of the job?

At the broadest level, this job is the most rewarding when we’re able to become true partners with our clients and think creatively about how to solve complex communications challenges. But really nothing is as rewarding as landing a good pitch with the right reporter.

How would you describe yourself as a member of the team?

I describe working at FGS as working with the rare bunch of type-A leaders who love to be good teammates. I strive to be like that, too.

What do you think is special about FGS Global?

As someone who works in the climate space, it’s incredible to be able to draw upon such a talented, global network of experts in energy, finance, sustainability, transportation and all the other related fields climate touches. I’m always struck by my colleagues’ selflessness and eagerness to contribute, no matter how seemingly small the task.

How did you begin your career in the industry?

In many ways I grew up at FGS. After a quick stint in Democratic politics I started with the firm fourteen years ago as an associate. I was given leeway to forge my own path and build a climate practice along the way.

Tell us about a typical day

That’s not so easy to do given it’s never quite the same. Broadly, I’ll start by doing any media summaries I have. Then I’ll move on to reading the business pages and key newsletters to know what’s going on in the world, and whether anything interesting is brewing thematically or within my clients’ industries. After that it can go in all sorts of directions – participating in client calls, moderating client/journalist meetings impromptu, drafting press releases, working on video shoots. During the summer I like to pepper the day with a trip or two out onto our gorgeous terrace for a meeting or some lunch.

What is your favorite aspect of the job?

The variety. I know, bit of a cop out, but I wanted to join an agency to learn and grow and work out what areas I’m passionate about. I have worked on such a range of sectors that I came to FGS Global knowing nothing about, from the energy transition to insurance and private equity. I also get to work across practice groups—from content development, which I really enjoy, to learning best practices in the world of Transformation & Change comms.

How would you describe yourself as a member of the team?

Feedback from my latest review deemed me “a happy person” to have around – so I’ll take that! I’d like to think I’m a pretty involved team member who enjoys collaboration. I’ll always take a brainstorm or working through a document with someone over working in a silo. I organize things like RA-SA socials and Book Club so I’d say I’m a bit of a cheerleader for my team/firm culture too.

What do you think is special about FGS Global?

Perhaps a cliché, but the people and the clients. My team is great, and working with so many other colleagues globally across my accounts means I’m learning from a lot of incredibly smart and cool people who champion my development. Everyone works hard, but we have a social culture which I love. Our clients are equally brilliant – there are often high stakes involved and big reputations on the line which adds to the interest.

How did you begin your career in the industry?

FGS Global (legacy Finsbury) was my introduction to the industry – hard to beat! I started out in brand management but knew someone who worked at the firm some time ago. She always spoke so highly of the firm and work she did, so I got in touch… After two interviews, a pandemic pause, and a final virtual interview, I found myself planted into the world of corporate strategic comms, fully working from home for the first ten or so months.

Tell us about a typical day

Probably no such thing as one typical day – I am happiest when sifting through focus group transcripts or survey results to find the story in the data, and then working with colleagues across the firm to translate the findings into a clear strategy for our clients. I also love working with research colleagues to craft questionnaires and getting to moderate focus groups and in-depth interviews.

What is your favorite aspect of the job?

Helping our clients develop strategies rooted in what matters to the audiences they’re seeking to serve—and making sure what they do is grounded in what their audiences care about.

How would you describe yourself as a member of the team?

Hopefully bringing an outside-in view to issues. It’s very easy for all of us to exist in our own bubbles– and the privilege of conducting research with people from all walks of life is a deeper understanding of what’s going on in the world and what’s changing.

What do you think is special about FGS Global?

The ability to see how the corporate is now political – that CEOs and business leaders face many of the same challenges that their peers in government have long faced, whether that’s an aggressive media or assertive public.

How did you begin your career in the industry?

My roots are in politics – I was fortunate to begin my career working for the Clinton pollster Stan Greenberg here in Washington, DC, and then back in my native UK for Philip Gould, Prime Minister Tony Blair’s pollster.