Anne-Marie Lacey
My background
Before graduating from university with a Master of Arts in Public Relations accredited by the CIPR, I found my first job in the industry through my student blog, Raising the Profile.
I quickly moved through the ranks of agency life going from a junior to PR Manager to heading up the Communications and Content division of an integrated brand consultancy, before launching my own business in 2016 – Filament PR.
Specialising in the lifestyle, leisure and entertainment sectors, I have worked with some of the world’s biggest name brands across the UK and beyond, using data to enlighten strategies and bring bright ideas to life, all while delivering communications campaigns with creative spark. In addition to campaign design and delivery, most recently my work has involved providing strategic counsel to C-suite leaders, as well as consultancy and coaching services, helping clients to upskill their in-house teams to be better communicators.
An award-winning PR practitioner both regionally and nationally, I am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), and complete annual CPD appraisals to retain my Chartered Practitioner status. I’m also Vice Chair of the CIPR North East group and a Director of the Board for CIPR Global.
In addition to my consultancy and voluntary roles, I am a Senior Lecture at Newcastle University, teaching across both undergraduate and post-graduate degree programmes. I am the Deputy Degree Programme Director for the MA Media and PR Programme, as well as acting as the conduit between scholarship and practice, in my role as Academic Lead for the Careers Services within the School of Arts and Cultures (SACS), and Sector and Industry Liaison Officer for Media, Culture and Heritage (MHC).
My particular skills and experience
Seeing the bigger picture and not being afraid to ask why? So many people working in PR and marketing communications take a brief and run with it, without ever asking the right questions to fully interrogate the strategy, objectives and desired outcomes of an action. It’s an important skill to learn and use confidently in the workplace – it’s proven super useful to me on many occasions, helping me to better advise the clients I work, with once I’ve fully understood their why.
This also feeds into my approach to teaching, coaching and mentoring; getting to the bottom of why a student is taking a particular course or qualification (as well as what they want to get out of it!), only helps to tailor and enrich the learning experience.
Why I love my job!
The variety! It sounds cliché but no two days are ever the same. One day I’m at an international trade fair supporting clients in New York, the next I’m advising a company in the middle of a crisis, the following day I might be working on a strategy for a new product launch, and the next I’m in the classroom delivering some training. Working in PR and marketing communications certainly keeps me on my toes.