Nuala O’Neill is deputy managing director of Havas Red North.
With offices in Manchester and London in the UK, Havas Red is a global PR agency specialising in bringing earned, experiential, social and paid together, to deliver campaigns.
O’Neill has over 17 years of experience working in PR for many bluechip clients, including P&G, TalkTalk, Kellogg’s and Aldi. In her current role she works across a number of FMCG and retail accounts.
Here, she shares her top three influences across her life and career.
The person that has inspired my working career the most, and why
I started in PR as an intern for a large global agency in London and this was an incredible start to my career. I was exposed to a plethora of inspiring people and brands. From day one I’ve always being blown away by the amount of talented people in this industry and how much you can learn from them. It would be impossible to highlight just one individual as I’ve been very lucky to work for some incredible leaders, but also some fabulous peers and some excellent new starters within the industry – who have and continue to inspire me every day.
Whether you’re having a good day or a bad day, people in this industry can be excellent champions and it is important to have that rapport – whether that’s leaders, colleagues or clients. It’s imperative to surround yourself with inspiring people, it’s what keeps you motivated, relevant and ensures you’re always learning. PR gives you the exposure to many individuals – especially when you work for an agency like Havas – covering all areas of marketing. It means that your days are never dull and you’re forever challenging yourself.
The place that has inspired my working career the most, and why
I’ve been very fortunate to be in global agencies throughout my whole career, which has allowed me access to many different markets and cultures. At HAVAS Red, we’re very fortunate that we have an incredible network of agencies that works together cohesively. It is a real privilege to be able to work with our colleagues around the world; whether that’s working with them on current clients or on the pan-European and global new business briefs we receive.
One of the plus sides to being a borderless agency is the access to the global offices and teams. I personally love our Paris office – not only do I find Paris as a city a fascinating and beautiful place, but I also love the buzz of our Paris HQ. The energy is incredible – and it helps that it’s right on the river Seine – a beautiful and inspiring setting.
The thing that has inspired my working career the most, and why
My seven-year-old inspires me every single day – both personally and professionally. My daughter is funny, strong willed and clever – she also just happens to have cerebral palsy. She has many challenges due to her disability, but her tenacious and can-do attitude reminds me daily that anything is possible. She also drives my desire to make the world more diverse and inclusive. As a society, we have such a long way to go but it’s everyone’s responsibility to ensure everyone has access to everything.
As agencies we should be driving our clients, brands and our own businesses to ensure that representation across every group is a key focus. We owe this to everyone, not just those who are underrepresented.
