What does your role entail, and how long have you been doing it?
As the UK Communications Manager at Belmond, I am responsible for building visibility and desirability for the brand and portfolio of legendary hotels, trains, and river cruises in the UK market through strategic press, media relations, brand advocacy, events, and partnerships.
I also unite and support the UK portfolio teams, which includes two heritage hotels: Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, the country’s pioneer in Michelin-starred garden-to-table gastronomy, currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, and The Cadogan hotel in the heart of Chelsea in London, which recently launched a cocoon-like Treatment Room by super-facialist Teresa Tarmey. Our UK portfolio also includes two exceptional trains: the British Pullman, a vintage art deco day train which departs from London on unforgettable day trips across England, and the Royal Scotsman, a luxury sleeper train that traverses the breathtaking Scottish Highlands.
What’s your career background and what makes you passionate about what you do?
I've been working in communications for the past 15 years, primarily within the luxury, culture, and travel sectors, across agency and in-house roles, both in London and in the Middle East. I’ve worked with some market-leading companies on everything from crafting a strategy to establishing a new brand, to running the pre-opening and press office functions for a new hotel, annual auction week, and fashion exhibition, working with VIPs on special cultural events and travel experiences, and hosting groups of media and content creators on itineraries around the world.
My wanderlust began thanks to my parents, who took my brother and me on unforgettable trips to America, Africa, and Australia in our formative teenage years. These adventures ignited my curiosity about the world and after graduating with a degree in advertising and brand management, I set about building a career which blends my academic knowledge with my passion for travel.
Can you tell us about a woman who you look up to regarding your work?
I've had the privilege of working alongside many brilliant women who have been pivotal in shaping my career – many of whom I still count as friends. Two in particular stand out: Debbie Hindle, Co-Founder and MD of bgb communications, my first agency, opened the doors to the world of PR and led the team that provided me with the foundational training for a successful career. Also Eileen Wallis, MD of The Portsmouth Group in Dubai, was incredibly generous in sharing her own expertise and contacts. I am grateful to her for introducing me to the captivating worlds of art and design.
At Belmond, I've been incredibly fortunate to collaborate with a team of intelligent, motivated, creative, and funny colleagues, making every day at work an absolute pleasure.
What’s a significant obstacle for women in your industry or the wider luxury sector that you feel isn’t talked about enough - and why is it important to highlight?
We still have a long way to go in the UK in the provision of parental benefits. I say parental as it’s equally as important for the family unit for fathers to have a long period of full-paid time off with their new child as it is for mothers. It will come as no surprise that PR and communications is still predominantly a female-led industry, and it therefore suffers from a system which is largely not set up to help new mothers back into the workplace with an adjusted work/life balance.
It’s almost the last taboo in the recruitment process for a woman to ask for clarity on parental benefits, for risk of damaging her prospects. However, we are moving towards greater transparency around parental leave policies, childcare support, and flexible working arrangements, just as companies now proudly offer mental health services. This will undoubtedly enhance appeal to top talent, which is critical in driving the industry forwards.
What advice would you have to other women following your career path that would have helped you when starting out?
Women starting out now have the immense advantage of a wealth of free knowledge at their fingertips, thanks to educational content on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. However, there's no substitute for putting in the hard work to truly learn your craft, whatever that may be. Once you're established, it's essential to keep learning, keep training, and continuously refresh your knowledge. I recently completed a course on strategic thinking in PR by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, and I highly recommend it.
What does success look like to you?
Success is about finding the perfect balance between a career that challenges and fulfils me and being a present mother to my two young children. If I can also carve out some “me time” for my budding ceramics hobby, all the better.