Inside the Circle ... Alex Wise
In our new series, we take you ‘Inside the Circle’ to meet the team behind Full Circle. This week the spotlight falls on our director, Alex Wise…
Alex, how long have you worked in corporate communications?
AW: I’ll have been involved in corporate communications, specifically in insurance and financial services, for 31 odd years this year (I know, I don’t look old enough ….. or maybe I do!). I got my first job in PR from a chance conversation in the lunch queue at Prudential’s London head office. I was talking to a colleague who mentioned the company was launching its new brand identity and there was an opportunity to join the team communicating the rebrand across the business. I had been working within the general insurance side of the business for a couple of years and I could see this was one of those rare opportunities to develop some new skills.
The rebrand of ‘the Pru’ was a significant communication project and involved a leading branding and communication consultancy. The fact the communications team was also made up of staff from across the business provided the ideal opportunity to learn on the job from experts. It was hard work but a fun time and once the brand was launched, I became a member of the corporate communications department working specifically in the company’s CSR unit.
What has been your best experience so far at Full Circle?
AW: There are few that immediately that come to mind where we have supported clients to launch new businesses and have been able to watch them flourish and grow. I am also proud of how our PR+ approach has had a real impact on clients’ brands and the way they tell their business stories and how this has resonated with their target audiences. But, one of the most memorable experiences so far was interviewing Brian Duperreault, president and CEO of AIG. I was working on content for a client’s customer magazine and was asked to undertake that next issue’s main profile interview with him in New York. It was a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of the insurance industry’s most respected figures. His insight and understanding of insurance buyers’ evolving needs, his drive for innovation and developing talent at AIG and his passion for the industry, all made for a fascinating and rewarding interview.
What does PR+ mean to you?
AW: First and foremost, it enables clients to maximise the impact of their communications by using the range of tools and platforms available to reach their target audiences in the most effective way and not relying on just one type of solution. It means that businesses can engage with their audiences wherever they are on their customer journey. It could be building awareness of their brand, driving customer consideration or business conversion. PR+ aims to provide clients with more measurable impact from their communications investment.
If you could communicate with anyone in history who would it be and why?
AW: It would be fascinating to speak with legendary Lloyd’s underwriter Cuthbert Heath. He was a leading earthquake underwriter in the market at the time of the famous 1906 San Francisco earthquake. He insisted on paying all claims in relation to the earthquake and fires it created. His actions strengthened the market’s reputation in the US and built the foundations of the modern day. From a communicator's perspective, the decision had a significant impact on Lloyd’s reputation which continues to this day. The opportunity to hear about his thinking and the motivation to take such an important decision first hand, would be fascinating.
If you’d like to find out more about the Full Circle team and how we can help you to get the most out of your communication activity, get in touch with us;