Stephanie Melrose Email & Phone Number

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Key responsibilities: Message delivery; media relationship development; media reporting.I play a key role in developing and executing the media relations strategy for Aegon UK, to create and maintain a strong company reputation for maximum business advantage.I work with the Head of Media and Public Relations to develop and implement this media strategy for all aspects of Aegon’s UK operations – Pensions, Protection, Investments and Distribution businesses, as well as Aegon’s public affairs. Focussing mainly on UK trade publications, I ensure Aegon achieves the required levels of positive profile and help to limit negative coverage through building and maintaining strong and productive relationships with key journalists and editors.I also protect and develop Aegon’s reputation in the press – responding to complaints and crisis scenarios quickly to contain potentially damaging stories.Other responsibilities:• utilising traditional and social media channels to reach and influence key spokespeople, journalists and customers• building relationships with the media – national, local, trade and social• management and monitoring of social media activity (Twitter, LinkedIn) to protect reputation and brand• creating content for use across all relevant media and also for key spokespeople• building relationships with the key stakeholders• identifying PR opportunities with key journalists in both trade and consumer press• responding to journalist enquiries• writing and issuing press releases• updating the extranet and intranet media centres• coordinating interviews for key spokespeople

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

At Retirement team - focusing on protection.Campaign management - Planning and delivering proactive promotional activities using appropriate communications media including direct marketing, e-marketing, events and literature via co-ordinated campaigns.PR planning/delivery - Acted as a main point of contact for the At Retirement team for PR activity. Helping the Media Relations team to source and deliver PR activity.Key account management - I managed and delivered account package requirements. Developed relationships with key account contacts and met compliance requirements.Adviser e-zine - Planned, coordinated and delivered monthly to advisers.Collateral maintenance - reviewing product literature to meet compliance requirements.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Media relations team - secondmentAs part of the media relations team I contributed to enhancing Aegon’s media presence.This included:Developing proactive and reactive media output for external media, creating positive news stories, writing press releases and feature articles as appropriate, and working with the business in identifying appropriate news opportunities.Working with media relations managers in identifying key opportunities for maximum press exposure and developing ideas to create opportunities for key Aegon spokespeople to be positioned in trade and national media.Reading and monitoring key publications and websites to identify opportunities for Aegon positioning, and gathering information on which journalists are covering key topics, to inform Aegon’s tactical media plans.Developing positive constructive relationships with senior managers and IEC members within the business, to develop a proactive news agenda in line with business objectives of Aegon.Supporting Media Relations Managers and Head of Media by undertaking media relations activity.Contributing to the implementation of tactical media plans through the development of communications materials such as press releases, feature articles, briefing notes and Q and A documents to deliver a positive impact on Aegon’s media positioning and overall reputation. Manage media requirements of the Aegon distributor arms Positive Solutions and Origen.Key deliverablesPress releases, articles, e-zines, internal comms, complaint responses.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Protection team and then At Retirement team

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Main responsibilities:Managed the production of a range of customer magazines for Standard Life Direct (SLD) and group wide. Go Direct – publication sent twice a year to c100,000 direct customers Accumulate – publication sent twice a year to c125,000 high net worth customersINform – publication sent three times a year to c3,000 employers with group pension schemesStandard Life magazine - cross group publication sent twice a year to c500,000 customersOther responsibilities:Updated and maintained customer and adviser web pages. Liaised on a daily basis with agencies, external copywriters, PR, print management, internal design, legal, sales and compliance departments. Evaluated MI and research on back of all mailings. Managed budgets for all mailings.Coordinated research on publications.

Based in Dubai.

Certificate In Marketing

Post Grad Diploma, Journalism Studies

Bsc(2:1), Economics

Activities and Societies: University lacrosse club,Studied Economics at Hull for three years.

Education record