Did you always envisage a career in the Media industry?
No. I flirted with a few different options and also did a law degree, but I did not feel I had sufficient levels of concentration for the legal sector and the heavy reading that goes with it. I was fortunate enough to get a start in journalism, via regional newspapers in Northumberland and Kent.
What has been your career path so far?
After a three year stint in journalism, I entered public relations and have worked exclusively in the agency world ever since. This saw me take up appointments in central London, Kent and Harrogate before returning to the North East where I formed Bradley O’Mahoney Public Relations with Tony Bradley. It is our 30 year anniversary next year. Tony and I were together for the best part of 20 years during which time he became the first PR consultant from the North East to be appointed national President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. We built a strong brand that has represented many familiar names such as Warburtons, McAlpine, Ernst &Young, Irwin Mitchel, Vickers, KLM, DFDS, One NorthEast, Verisure, Arup, Maersk, Northern Gas Networks, Sage software, AkzoNobel, Newcastle and Sunderland Colleges and nearly all of the region’s universities.
What have been the biggest challenges you have faced so far?
The biggest challenge was building a brand from scratch back in the early 1990s, especially when I had returned to the region with no local contacts and just one client, a Japanese company based in Essex. I was more impatient and demanding back in those days and found it frustrating that we could not grow quicker than I wished. It took a number of years to become truly established and then the opportunities flowed in.
The first 20 years seem almost sedate compared to the last ten, where we have faced uncertainty and challenge on a scale probably never seen before. By that I mean the financial crisis, Brexit and now the pandemic. It has been hard work swashbuckling our way through that toxic mixture.
Who do you most respect in your industry?
There are lots of companies and sole traders providing a great service and I applaud them all. If I had to pick some names it would be those who have not attempted to provide a diluted multi service offering but have stayed true to their area of specialism and have been resilient enough to be around nearly as long as us. I think it is better to specialise in a clearly defined area than to try and be a jack of all trades. So, hats off to MHW, Karol and Recognition.
What is your greatest strength?
I think I can get to the crux of a client-related issue fairly quickly. I dislike jargon and complexity and try to keep things very simple and clear. I am also capable of standing my ground, when I think it is needed.
What is your biggest weakness?
I don’t know if it is a weakness but I find it very hard to resist any organisation or individual that comes to me for help. It is a good thing to help others, but it can involve lots of time. Right now I am supporting a high profile charity with PR and communications and chair a Catholic education trust, which comprised four schools at the beginning of this year and will reach 34 schools in two years. That is a huge challenge, one that is both exciting and daunting in equal measure and currently involves inordinate amounts of time.
What has been your proudest achievement?
There have been many great moments with clients and colleagues over my career. However, I would have to say that the introduction of my two daughters Sarah and Jane into the business and having the opportunity to mentor them and see them flourish, has given me the greatest level of satisfaction.
What are your remaining career aspirations?
I keep thinking that I should start to step back a little but I find that hard. I love working with clients and helping them to build their businesses and brands. I also still get an immense thrill out of converting new business, the fact that someone makes a decision to appoint me or the business, is a great feeling.
How do you see your industry evolving in the next ten years?
It’s hard to know where the PR industry will be in the next ten years, especially when you consider how much it has changed in the last ten with the digital revolution. The opportunities are very exciting but I do worry that there is today far more emphasis on tactical delivery than the development of clear and coherent PR and communications strategies, out of which the tactical activity should come. Social channels have in many ways enabled this, as many companies now have multiple channels to communicate through and instead of carefully considering their approach and strategy they simply ‘push’ content as fast as they can.
