For the last thirteen years, Sarah Waddington CBE has been best known for running Astute.Work, a management, PR and marketing agency that advised some of the North East and UK's biggest names. This year she's made audacious changes and has more big plans for the future. Here she explains more...
This year you’ve had a change of career direction. Tell us what you’re doing now.
I had a brilliant time at Astute.Work doing incredible work with amazing people. Working with complex organisations like the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, North of Tyne Combined Authority, Health Education England, The Sustainability Group, The Common Room of the North, GB Bank, Children’s Cancer North and more was a real privilege that gave me in depth insight into the regional and national economy, extended my stakeholder engagement and public affairs experience, and delivered the reward that comes with social impact.
The majority of my time was spent on the management consultancy side of the business. Like for many, the pandemic gave me pause for thought, and I realised that this was the area of work I enjoyed the most. That was the moment I decided to close my business and move fully into a business advisory role.
So as of this year, I’m a non-executive director (NED), professional communicator and activist.
I’m also an ambassador for the Institute of Directors (IoD) and chair of its North East (North) branch.
The skillset for the role of non-executive is a particular one. How have you developed your competencies in this area?
I’m a big believer in continuous professional development and have for years developed my skills while working in this space. I’ve held all kinds of senior positions, from various director and trustee roles, through to president of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.
Throughout that time, I’ve done non-executive training with NEDA, a Level 5 Award in Organisational Skills with the Institute of Leadership and Management, the Oxford Saïd Business School Executive Leadership programme and Cambridge Judge’s Steering Complex Projects course.
Most recently I completed my Certificate in Company Direction with the IoD and I’ve now started a Diploma in Life and Personal Performance Coaching.
As well as working as a non-executive director within the wider business marketplace, you’re a director with Wadds Inc. How is this different?
My husband Stephen founded Wadds Inc., which is focused on supporting ambitious creative agencies and communication teams dedicated to achieving growth with social impact. With our overlapping skills and passion for the creative industries, it made common sense that I joined the family business too.
The Wadds Inc. offer is more niche than the work I do elsewhere, but equally as rewarding.
We support management teams in building a future proof, differentiated market proposition that exploits emerging opportunities, manages risk, embraces innovation and navigates economic volatility. With our combined experience and insight, we are able to act as policy influencers, data gatherers and change makers. It’s an exciting job as we get to work with some of the most forward-thinking and innovative agencies in the UK and US.
How do you balance day-to-day business with running your community interest company, Socially Mobile?
Socially Mobile, www.sociallymobile.org.uk, is a community interest company founded by Stephen and I to support public relations practitioners from across the UK to increase their earning potential.
While open to all with two years of experience or more at a cost of £695, we offer fully funded places to those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and under-served groups, including minority ethnic colleagues, the LGBTQ+ community, those with disabilities and women returners.
Socially Mobile is part of my day-to-day business and always will be. Helping others up the career ladder is something that will always be a priority.
What’s next for the future?
It’s a good question and it’s one I’m taking time over. While continuing to extend my NED portfolio, I am also developing my activism role with a focus on social mobility and opportunity for all.
I’m deeply committed to the success of the North East and levelling out the deep inequalities within the system. This is more critical than ever and I’m excited for what the future holds.