How and why did you decide to go into communications?

I discovered that I wanted to go into communications when I heard about the life of a PR executive from my friends who would tell me how much they “love their job.” The statement seemed so bold and alien to me which only ignited my curiosity for the world of communications. Having come from a business development and recruitment background, I discovered that communications combined all the favourite aspects I had from previous roles into one. I love building relationships with people, attending events, working collaboratively with my peers and seeing results from hard work that I’ve put in. PR has given me the room to nurture my creativity and sociability while providing me the support to accomplish the life-long goals I had in mind for my career.

How have you found hybrid working over the last few months?

Hybrid working has been the best thing to come out of the pandemic from my point of view. I love the flexibility in working from home as I often travel around the country to see my family and friends outside of London. However, with the requirement of going into the office 3 days a week, it means that I’m always guaranteed to see all my colleagues at work at the same time, which works amazingly when I need assistance on tasks from peers with outstanding knowledge of the asset management industry and when I need inspiration in forming new ideas.

What areas or trends interests you the most at this time?

At this time, I am most interested in the outlook of emerging markets. It was interesting to see that while developed markets were in turmoil as inflation sky-rocketed last year, EMs have prospered. As I was born in the Philippines but haven’t returned for 18 years, I find it fascinating to learn about the progress and growth of the Asian economy, especially as the disparity between most countries in Asia mean that they are on opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to wealth. On the other side of the world, I have enjoyed keeping up with the Brazilian elections as I work with PMs who follow it closely.

What do you do in your spare time?

In my spare time, I love to try new activities and travel as I’m always on the hunt for a new picturesque view. As all of my friends and family are scattered around the world, I am fortunate enough to have a tour guide wherever I go. My next trip is to the Philippines which I’m extremely excited for! It’ll be very interesting to see how everything has changed since I left. On a more regular basis, I like to return to North Wales where I attended university as I’ve fallen in love with Snowdonia and Llanddwyn Beach. I’d describe it as my favourite place in the UK and cannot rave about it enough. If you ever fancy going to a beach where you can sun bathe, swim, hike and see the most amazing views at the same time, go visit North Wales (especially Llanddwyn Beach).

Tell us about the last book you read or the last podcast you listened to?

The last book I read was Tuesdays with Morrie. Given how seemingly negative everything has been with the cost of living crisis, sometimes it proved difficult to notice the little uplifting moments in everyday life that we can take for granted. Reading Tuesdays with Morrie has been a breath of fresh air. It was inspiring to read about Morrie’s endless optimism, appreciation and advice for all stages of life as he lived the last few months of his, battling Lou Gherig’s Disease. I recommend this book to everyone, it can be easily read in a day but leaves a long-lasting impression.

Name one goal, professional or personal, you have set yourself for the next 12 months

For the next 12 months, I’m prioritising my health and wellbeing. Upon moving to London last summer, I got caught up in the thrill of exploring new areas around the city and spent more time at music events than feeding into my creativity and fitness. This year, I’ve re-sparked my interest in yoga and art and have committed to a regular yoga practice and the generation of a new piece of artwork (be it a photograph, painting or sketch), every week for the rest of 2023.