Public Relations, Media liaison, eventing
Resume:
EXPERIENCE
MEROPA COMMUNICATIONS (SENIOR CONSULTANT) JUNE 2015 - MAY 2020
- Conceptualising, managing and implementing tactical and creative public relations and communications strategies and plans
- Implementing all aspects when proposing concepts – from the core idea to execution – including stakeholder engagement, budgets, timelines, content and measurability
- Full management of all PR activities including team management, media management, monthly and quarterly reports, budget projection and management
- Identifying, building and maintaining strategic relationships with client stakeholders (including B2B, B2C and government stakeholders where relevant)
- Engaging with client CSI stakeholders, management of CSI initiatives, partners and beneficiaries
- Developing client engagement approaches to explore how to best build deeper client relationships and identify any opportunities for cross/upselling
- Managing proposal processes, ensuring clients and internal stakeholders are managed effectively
- Acting as key point of client contact for any delivery escalation issues as well as effectively resolving issues
- Providing strategic and relevant market insights to clients based on analysis of market research
- Writing press releases and client proposals
- Supporting ongoing and ad hoc client CSI initiatives including development of communication collaterals and media placement
- Challenging the status quo, defining new initiatives to ensure high quality of work whilst deadlines are met
- Managing events, including strategy and concept creation, planning, budget negotiation, management and full implementation thereof for events, launches and activations
LANGE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS (ACCOUNT DIRECTOR) JULY 2002 - MAY 2015
- Developing and implementing communications strategies for clients including potential crisis communications
- Managing and implementing campaigns within timeframes and budget
- Identifying news angles, writing and distributing media releases, facilitating media interviews
- Overseeing implementation of communications strategy: planning, organising and allocating work, defining roles and establishing time frames, establishing internal briefing and reporting systems
- Using communication methods to facilitate team understanding of roles, responsibilities and accountabilities
- Reviewing the projects at regular intervals and realigning or making recommendations for improvement where necessary
- Examining the nature and extent of the competitive environment, monitoring industry advances and technology regularly to maintain the competitive advantage
LANGE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS (ACCOUNT MANAGER) AUGUST 1999 - JUNE 2002
- Assisting with implementation of communications campaign
- Facilitating and securing media interviews
- Media monitoring and reporting
- Analysing print articles, electronic and broadcast media to provide insight as to how changes in legislation, events, politics, industrial and technological developments could affect clients 1 Broadwalk
Pinelands
***********@*****.***
RESUME
SHELLY-ANN
STAMATIADIS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
With over 25 years’ experience as a stakeholder engagement specialist, I have a proven history of creating and maintaining professional relationships with clients and stakeholders, ability to perform and excel under pressure, and have high creative ability in an entrepreneurial environment. I have an exceptional track record of developing and implementing strategic communications, marketing, creative public relations strategies and eventing concepts for various blue-chip, corporate and lifestyle clients. I have extensive experience in managing client service teams, corporate brand building, consumer and crisis communications, content and collateral development, eventing, sponsorship management, internal staff communications campaigns, CSI concept development and implementation, strategic media planning and liaison. I am comfortable and adept in identifying, building and maintaining strategic relationships with clients and their stakeholders at senior levels across diverse sectors and geographical locations. In 2005, Lange Strategic Communications announced its staff empowerment deal and I became 26,1% shareholder and member of CC. That same year the company was named as best public relations (PR) consultancy in an independent survey of 6600 government and business leaders. In 2015, Lange Strategic Communications merged with Meropa Communications. During my career I have developed and executed campaigns for Brandhouse Corporate, BoE, Johnnie Walker, World Cup of Golf, Old Mutual, Santam Investments, World Trade Centre, Sail Stadefrance, BP, Pam Golding Properties, Rabie Property Developers, The Crazy Store, SANRAL (SA National Road Agency Limited) Levi Strauss, JackHammer, Boeing and The Independent Institute of Education. EXPERIENCE (CONTINUED)
LANGE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS (ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE & MEDIA MANAGER) AUGUST 1996 - JULY 1999
- Ensuring media distribution targeted and relevant for each client
- Setting up and managing media centres for major international events including World Cup of Golf at Erinvale (Nov 1996), SA Open Golf Championsips and President’s Cup Golf at Fancourt.
- Working with global communications and media teams to develop media strategy, managing local and international media accreditation process, providing support for media teams to ensure media requests are addressed
- Facilitating media interviews, managing daily press conferences and distributing daily media releases LANGE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS (MEDIA PLANNER) JANUARY 1994 - JULY 1996
- Maintaining and updating media databases
- Ensuring category media lists are updated and relevant
- Identifying target media for distribution of media releases
- Working with Account Managers to develop media distribution strategy for each client
- Distributing media releases
LANGE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS (PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSISTANT) AUGUST 1992 - DECEMBER 1993
- Assisting with implementation of public relations strategy
- Preparing media press packs
- Selecting and captioning images
- Monitoring print media, evaluating client media coverage, calculating value of coverage and preparing media coverage reports for each client
CITY OF CAPE TOWN (PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSISTANT) NOVEMBER 1990 - NOVEMBER 1991
- Completed internship in the City of Cape Town’s Public Relations Department CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
SANRAL
As Western Region Client Service Team Lead for SANRAL (South African National Roads Agency Limited) from August 2018 to November 2019, I oversaw the implementation of all stakeholder communications and engagement activities including media and stakeholder events and launches
(including 20th year anniversary celebrations for over 400 guests), community engagement briefings, development of media editorial campaign to support national and regional initiatives, concept and execution for bursary programme and CSI initiatives. BOEING
As Client Service Lead for Boeing, worked with the Boeing Middle East and Africa Communications team, ensuring implementation of communications strategy, media engagement around Boeing issues including the 737 MAX crisis, daily media monitoring across Africa region to identify and address any potential red flag issues and report on industry developments and trends. INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION (IIE)
As Media Engagement and Media Liaison for IIE, identified opportunities for spokespeople interviews to position IIE as education sector leader. SIGNATURA PROPERTY GROUP
Developed concept and execution of launch events for Signatura Property Group’s residential developments including media release development and distribution as well as monitoring subsequent media coverage. Activities included full event concept development and implementation for launch events for prospective investors, buyers, media and development partners, guest and supplier management. SOUTH AFRICA’S 2023 RUGBY WORLD CUP BID
As part of the Communications Team implementing South Africa’s 2023 Rugby World Cup bid communications campaign, I was responsible for securing and overseeing the development and recording of brand ambassador vignettes of support for the bid campaign, dissemination of key milestone bid releases as well as securing related media coverage and interviews. FORD MOTOR COMPANY
While seconded to the Ford Motor Company client service team, I conceptualised and implemented various national CSI initiatives, consumer campaigns and facilitated media support to amplify brand awareness. BRITISH AIRWAYS
Conceptualised and oversaw the British Airways sponsorship of the British Consulate’s Eve of Parliament events (2017 and 2018). SEDIBENG BREWERY
Developed and implemented the communication strategy for the opening of Sedibeng Brewery, a joint venture between global companies Heineken, Namibia Breweries and Diageo. This included the management of all stakeholder communication, launch events, communication between stakeholders, national and local government and investors. CAREER HIGHLIGHTS (CONTINUED)
JOHNNIE WALKER
Worked as Client Service Account Team Leader for Johnnie Walker working with global Johnnie Walker communications team and in South Africa working alongside other marketing, advertising, CRM service providers as one collective unit. Activities included development and execution of various B2B and B2C campaigns.
Conceptualised and implemented the Johnnie Walker Pioneering Spirits of Jazz initiative including the Pioneering Spirits of Jazz Walkway in Newtown. This initiative sort to honour nine (9) jazz legends for their contribution to the country’s unique interpretation of jazz music. Negotiated the donation of land by local government for The Hollywood Boulevard-style installation in Newtown which showcased each artist’s story in the marble walkway. Other activities in support of this campaign included launching and managing general consumer awareness and participation in selecting the artists, artist profiles, voting procedure, artist liaison, awareness and profiling of the awards concert and all related media liaison and accreditation.
Conceptualised and managed numerous local and global Johnnie Walker initiatives (Brand, CSI, consumer and Striding Man initiatives) from 2004
- 2012 including music festivals, awards events and sponsorships. Several of these campaigns were adopted as global best practice. BRANDHOUSE BEVERAGES
Oversaw the implementation of all corporate and CSI projects for brandhouse beverages including the Drive Dry Initiatives and Whisky Festival campaigns for corporate and individual brands. Worked with the industry body, ARA, to develop and implement a responsible business practice pledge for all formal and informal liquor traders. Managed all communications around the launch of Brandhouse Beverages Whisky Education CRM programmes which included developing all external communication collateral for stakeholders (staff, industry groups, government, media, consumers and trade); conceptualising and implementing launch events, and identifying consumer databases for co-hosting whisky tasting events. The whisky tasting programmes were developed for Johnnie Walker, Bell’s and the Single Malts portfolio. BELL’S WHISKY
Conceptualised and implemented the first Bell’s Whisky Festival which following the success thereof was later developed into the broader annual Whisky Festival. I remained the Project Lead for Brandhouse Beverages and individual brands Bell’s, Johnnie Walker and Classic Malts participation in the annual Whisky Festival overseeing concept and implementation of all communication and eventing. BP
Managed all internal communications campaigns for BP including in-office staff communication, newsletters and activations. LEVI STRAUSS & CO
Managed PR and communication around the Levi’s Red for Life Music Programme, a CSI initiative where music artists pledged support and raised awareness for HIV awareness campaigns. Activities included media briefings and announcements, concert publicity and artist profiling, media attendance at events and consumer awareness around events. Following event conceptualisation for related media and consumer events, I managed PR and communication around the inaugural Levi’s Rage for the Revolution concerts where the Who’s Who of South Africa’s most popular musicians & DJs committed to the HIV prevention cause through performances at the concert, messages of support for the HIV education campaign. Communication also managed for the launch of the album which included driving awareness around artist participation, launch and sales of the CD. PAM GOLDING PROPERTIES
Managed media liaison and implemented corporate communications campaigns. THE CRAZY STORE
Developed and implemented the communications and PR strategy for the Crazy Store including writing of social media posts and monthly newsletter. After Lange Strategic Communications merged with Meropa Communications, the account was retained for a further three (3) years. GLOBAL SPORTING EVENTS
Media liaison and media centre management and kids’ education programme initiatives for numerous global sporting events including the Volvo Ocean Race, BT Global Challenge, SA Open Golf and World Cup of Golf. TENDERS & PROPOSALS
Identified tender and RFQ (request for proposal) opportunities to grow client base. Development of tender submissions and proposed strategy development.
WORLDCOM PR GROUP
Following the merger with Lange Strategic Communications in 2015, Meropa Communications is the only Southern Africa partner of the global Worldcom PR Group, a network of 85 international PR agencies. As Primary Agency Contact, I managed communication between partners, partner requests for information, sharing of best practice, identifying opportunities to work with other agencies and providing PR support for partner clients in SA. In 2016, I travelled to the Worldcom EMEA region AGM where I introduced Meropa Communications to the Worldcom network. CAPE TECHNIKON (CAPE PENINULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY) Certificate in Management Principles & Practice
CAPE TECHNIKON (CAPE PENINULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY) National Diploma in Public Relations
CAPE TECHNIKON (CAPE PENINULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY) Certificate in Freelance Journalism
QUALIFICATIONS
REFERENCES
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS (CONTINUED)
SOUTH AFRICAN DRUG POLICY WEEK
Developed and implemented the communications strategy to raise awareness around the four–day conference which sought to address highly sensitive topics such as the politics and impact of drug use (including law enforcement, sex work); stigma and the social context, and drivers of drug use. Activities included pre-conference awareness, daily media releases, summaries of conference, plenary sessions and facilitating interviews for keynote speakers.
SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
Implemented media engagement strategy around the launch of the African Genomics Centre which included securing media attendance at the event, facilitating local and international broadcast media interviews and broader media release distribution post the official signing event. The centre is the first initiative of its kind in Africa and is a collaboration between the SA Medical Research Council and the Beijing Genomics Institute
(BGI).
ELLA SMOOK (SENIOR CONSULTANT - EDUCATION SECTOR), MEROPA COMMUNICATIONS E: ellas@********@**.** / ****@***********.**.**
STEPHEN FORBES (DIRECTOR), MEROPA COMMUNICATIONS
E: ********@******.**.**
DANA SALLOUM (COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR), BOEING (MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA) E: ****.*.*******@******.***
DAVID COHEN (MANAGING DIRECTOR), SIGNATURA PROPERTY GROUP E: *****@*********.***
MINESH BHAGALOO (GENERAL MANAGER - COMMUNICATIONS), FORD MOTOR COMPANY SOUTH AFRICA E: ********@****.***
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