My role is primarily to support the Senior Account Manager with the day-to-day management of client accounts. A large proportion of the work involves communicating with journalists to find out what they are covering and to secure relevant opportunities for clients. Writing is a key part of my day-to-day responsibilities; this varies from compiling pitches to journalists, drafting press releases and on occasion lengthy comment pieces on behalf of clients.

Client interfacing is also an important aspect of the role – regular communication to understand their needs and deliver the desired results keeps the relationships strong. Communication doesn’t stop with clients; we also develop close relationships with the financial journalists and often meet them for coffees, lunches and the occasional beer! Maintaining our relationships with the journalists ensures we are always aware of what’s at the top of their agenda and is helpful when pitching topics on behalf of our clients.

A key part of the job is to secure interviews with journalists for our clients. This is usually the result of a successful pitch and it is important that the client is fully prepared for the interview. I compile briefing documents detailing every aspect of the interview to assist with their preparation and follow the process through by managing it and following up with the journalist afterwards to help generate the coverage.

Working in PR at Cognito allows a lot of room for creativity and is great for developing an understanding of the financial sector. We work as a team to build on our knowledge and have a meeting every morning to review the newspapers and discuss topical issues. Having a broad range of clients means you can quickly develop an understanding of all issues within the industry and the different perspectives which are held. As we work so closely with our clients our ideas and recommendations become invaluable to them, and it’s always rewarding to see the positive results which are generated. It is common practice to hold regular brainstorms and meetings to review the activity within the firm, and is our job to determine what is newsworthy.

One of the best aspects about being part of Cognito is the encouragement and support that you get from every member of the team. The strong relationships are not confined within the London office, and as a result you are exposed to all aspects of the business and given the responsibility to drive projects forward. As the company continues to grow, having recently opened an office in Singapore, the positive outlook for the future is shared by everyone at Cognito.