Ashley Woodfield, Head of Ballet Press, The Royal Opera House

I worked at The Design Museum from 2008 – 2014 and hand on heart this period was like a second education in PR. It felt like nothing was unachievable and I gained first hand experience of working on brand collaborations, media partnerships, overseeing the PR for blockbuster exhibitions, celebrity and party PR and launching the Design Awards, all of which helped the Museum reach new audiences. This was a time of huge growth in social media, which together with the Museum’s ambitions to relocate to new premises at the former Commonwealth Institute propelled it into a new era. It was a wonderful time which I cherish.

Mentoring is extremely important and it comes in many guises, from having the support of someone helping you shape your decisions and career through to the wider support and mentoring of peers in the industry. Every project, collaboration and campaign can be seen as a learning curve or a moment to grow and to gain new experiences. The luxury sector is unique in the way that it’s so open to collaboration and sharing ideas, which is very much how I work, so bringing Erdem to The Royal Ballet was a highlight of my career and a great example of a magical collaboration.  I see Walpole as a personal mentor, to recognise me as ‘One to Watch’ is such an honour and to be a part of the Walpole family at this stage in my career is very exciting.