Name and title
Sophie Sadler, Account Director
How long have you worked at Whiteoaks?
A year and a half – I’ve worked longer at Whiteoaks from my home office than I have from the Hook office!
Tell us a bit more about your career progression within Whiteoaks?
I joined Whiteoaks in October 2019 as an Account Manager and I have just been promoted to Account Director, which is exciting and feels like the natural next step for me. I’ve really appreciated the mentoring and support from my line manager and more senior peers during my time here, and there’s definitely always something new for me to take on and challenge myself with.
How did you get into PR? For example, what did you study? Your previous jobs, etc.
I studied PR at Leeds Beckett University. Despite it being located pretty much at the opposite end of the country, I chose the course as they placed equal emphasis on time spent in lectures and getting real-word experience. That was important to me then and looking back it was definitely the right choice to prioritise getting that experience in. As part of my four-year course I spent a year working in the John Lewis press office as an assistant press and events officer, which was a really varied role encompassing working on press shows for over 400 journalists one minute and exclusive fashion previews for editors the next. I also spent time carrying out work experience with a variety of different organisations, from The National Trust to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, as well as several different agencies. This helped me to realise that I loved the buzz of agency life, and so when I left university I went straight to working in a boutique B2C agency, specialising in luxury goods and technology. I had a brilliant four years there working on some household name brands and delivering some really cool events with the likes of Rafa Nadal and Cindy Crawford, but I got to the point where I was ready for a new challenge, which brought me to Whiteoaks!
What’s been the highlight of your Whiteoaks career so far?
Rather than one highlight, it’s been a case of lots of little wins. I’ve been lucky to work with some fantastic clients from all over the world, and it’s been fascinating to learn a little bit more about some of the crucial technology that runs in the background of our day to day lives.
What makes you smile at the end of the day?
Some great feedback from a client that I can share with the wider team – always a nice feeling if everyone can end the day with a smile on their face.
When I’m not PRing I like to…
The pandemic and subsequent restrictions have made me realise that my hobbies largely revolve around going out for food with friends… but in the absence of being able to do so, I love anything outdoorsy, like going for runs, long walks, gardening. I’m lucky enough to live equidistance to some beautiful beaches and the South Downs, so we’re really spoilt for choice at the weekends when it comes to getting outside.
