By Hoffman Europe
The bustling world of public relations and communications is filled with people from all walks of life. While some of us pursued degrees in PR or journalism, many stumbled upon the industry from something vastly different: from accounting, history, law, to other creative backgrounds.
You may be surprised to know that most of our European team fall into the second category as they leverage transferable skills from their past experiences to become well-rounded B2B tech PR professionals. This is part two of our exclusive blog series showcasing the diverse backgrounds of Hoffman Europe.
Me with my fellow teaching assistants and our Head of English (SpainM2013)
Georgina Leigh, Associate Director, Europe
Having lived abroad as a child, I developed a love of languages and ended up studying languages at university. Teaching, translating or interpreting seemed like obvious career choices, so I returned to Madrid for a year to teach at a secondary school there. I loved it, but realised I’m not cut out for dealing with teenagers. However, I loved the challenge of communicating complex subjects to my classes, working with people and having the chance to get creative.
From there, I made the perhaps surprising leap to try out PR — another career where creativity and people skills are vital. I secured a grad scheme placement with a technology-focused comms agency and thought I’d try it for a year … then stayed for seven. The fast pace, variety of work, interesting clients and opportunity to work with incredibly smart people had me hooked.
In 2021, I moved to The Hoffman Agency. It’s been a whirlwind first year, with the team more than doubling in size, exciting new clients coming on board and award nominations … and there’s a lot more planned as our growth continues!
Me in Miyajima island during my trip to Japan in 2018. Arguably the best holiday I’ve ever been on!
Anish Mandal, Assistant Account Executive
To say my career to-date has been a bit all over the place is an understatement. In my early years at school, my primary ambition was to progress into medicine, with a focus on Paediatrics. Then I changed my mind and studied Accounting and Finance at UEA, dedicated three years to improving my alcohol tolerance, before finding an Internal Audit role at a small firm in my hometown. Then the pandemic happened, and the world was turned upside down.
I’ve always had an interest in technology, and looking out for new tech that drives the industry forward really excites me. Thankfully, The Hoffman Agency thought the same, and somehow, I managed to secure an interview with them. As I get +10 on my charisma rolls, I secured the job and here I am sitting at the edge of the industry, living the dream learning about breaking new innovations in technology before anyone else gets a look.
One of my first weeks in Paris, discovering the city which will become my home (back in 2012!)
Constance Falourd, Account Director, France
Professionally, I intended to build my path within the artistic industry, driven by a desire to tell stories. I took my first steps as a PR in an agency dedicated to tourism and culture sectors, working for artists, associations, festivals. After different experiences, a new opportunity came my way to make a 180° switch and integrate the Tech industry. Then I moved to AxiCom, a PR agency specialized in new technologies which recently led me to The Hoffman Agency where I have found a place with values that suit me. If the B2B Tech world was not really in my career plan, I discovered an exciting world where it is possible to learn continuously and explore your curiosity. Innovation and its impact on the future of our society allow us to better understand the world around us; it is one of the key elements of my motivation in my daily work.
Me on my last day of my HA internship in the Hong Kong office back in 2018!
Tiffany Chan, Account Executive
When I was younger, I wanted to be so many different things and really struggled on what I wanted to pursue in university — my choices varied from graphic design and fashion management to acting and film school! Eventually, I graduated with a law degree and spent another year completing a legal qualification course in the UK. It’s easy to assume that I’d just end up being a lawyer, but I’ve always been itching for something a bit more creative. Little did I know that stumbling upon an internship with HA in Hong Kong would be a game-changer for me and lead to where I am now! I love storytelling and how the fast-paced PR world lets me develop and use a plethora of skills that I wouldn’t have been able to as a lawyer. I’m glad that the knowledge and skills I learned from law school are transferable to the world of B2B tech PR, which shows that all backgrounds are valued here, especially at Hoffman!
Stay tuned for the next part of this series as we introduce more of our growing team in Europe!