Stephen Waddington - Agency MD

After starting out as a journalist, Stephen Waddington moved into PR in the early nineties, specialising in tech PR and working with both technology start-ups and some of the world’s largest tech brands.

In 1998 he co-founded tech PR firm Rainer PR, which subsequently became part of the Loewy group. Last month Loewy announced it was merging its various PR businesses to create a new multi-discipline agency better positioned to deal with the challenges, and opportunities, presented by the changing media landscape, and the increasingly brand-savvy consumer. The new agency, Speed Communications, provides consultancy advice to clients in the technology, consumer, corporate and business communications sectors, and brings together the teams from BMA Communications, Custard PR, Lighthouse PR, Mantra PR and Rainier PR.

Rainer’s employees will become the tech team at the new firm, Speed Communications, while Waddington will head up the new business as MD. We spoke to him about his career to date, and to get, well, up to speed on the motivation for creating Speed.

By Unicorn Jobs

What was your first job after you left university?

Writing news and features for a consumer electronics magazine, named Electronics.

Why did you make the move from journalism to PR?

Simple. I learned quickly that PRs command higher salaries than their journo counterparts!

What was your first PR role?

It was at a small agency in New Malden, west of London, called MMC Communications. It was a great place to learn the basics. My first clients were ARM and the British Touring Car Championship.

What have you done since then?

I moved to A Plus, and then Weber Shandwick, before launching Rainier PR with Steve Earl in 1998.

A few weeks ago you were MD of Rainier PR, now you’re MD of Speed – what’s all that about?

The fragmentation of the media, the rise of social networks, increasingly savvy purchasers and the recession are all combining to challenge the established PR industry hierarchy. We’ve combined Rainer with the other PR businesses within [parent group] Loewy and reinvented ourselves as a modern consultancy that is seeking to tackle this challenge head-on, in turn delivering assured impact for our clients.

Give us an idea of your typical day at work.

It doesn’t exist, which is one of the joys of the business! I spend three or four days a week in the office in Leicester Square, London, and the remainder working from my home office in the Northumberland countryside. I love that balance, and recognise that I’m incredibly fortunate to have it.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The sheer energy and pace of the media and the PR industry. And the talent. The UK is home to the best people in the world.

What’s the worst thing about your job?

I love my job and I’m always very quick to change anything that I don’t like. As a general rule I despise unnecessary bureaucracy and am quick to stamp it out.

Some people might think that you have to be a geek to work in tech PR, are they right?

To say that tech PRs are geeks is nonsense. Yes, a basic understanding of technology is a requirement. But an ability to place tech in a business or consumer context is far more important.

PR is a sector that enjoys a pretty healthy male-to-female ratio, though that is possibly less true in tech PR, and in the most senior roles. Why do you think that is? And is it being addressed?

There has traditionally been an issue that when leading female practitioners step back to start a family they aren’t able to properly return to the sector, even just a couple of years later. But increasingly consultancies have the management and technology infrastructure to deal with part time, remote and flexible working, and that’s great – it helps employees with young families, male and female, to continue employing their communication talents while being able to fulfill their commitments at home.

Do you think social media has a place in PR?

Absolutely. As I said, the media is fragmenting, and at the same time we’re all sourcing and sharing information via networks, creating this so called ‘social media’. This is a massive opportunity and smart PR consultancies are taking advantage of it.

What’s your best piece of advice for an aspiring PR person?

Be enthusiastic. And a warm smile will get you out of trouble in most situations.

Tell us something interesting about yourself that we couldn’t find on the internet

I’m a huge fan of graffiti and other forms of ‘social art’.

Stephen on the web

Speed Communication’s website
Stephen’s blog