Sarah Puntan-Galea Email & Phone Number

I currently run the only charity in the world solely focused on the conservation, protection, and sharing knowledge of the Chagos Archipelago (an Overseas Territory administered by the UK government’s Foreign Office): 55 islands in the Indian Ocean that make up one of the world's largest, most precious and unique 'no-take' marine reserves.Usual director-level administrative duties, from governance (inc. Charity Commission obligations), to finance (budget), and the publishing arm of the Trust (I have overseen the publishing of 2 books). I lead the strategic direction of the Trust, having written/launched our 5-year strategy, as well as organising the AGM and other events, from speaker events to members' talks and training Trustees. I undertake all marketing/communications, from social media to our annual publication Chagos News, writing the Annual Report and leading on the current website revamp. I also lead on Trustee management and recruitment (Board); human resource management of our employees, inc. managing a Project Manager (leads on our key rewilding programme Healthy Islands, Healthy Reefs), a Chagossian who runs a community information website, and various consultants; I am devising an internship programme with Swansea University; lead on external engagement with our partners (RSPB, Zoological Society of London, Kew Gardens, etc) and stakeholders, from the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum to governments; and will lead on a membership/fundraising drive in 2024; plus outreach with the Chagossian community, hopefully launching another 'Chagos Connect' project to equip community members with skills needed to undertake conservation work/join expeditions.I successfully applied for the Trust to become a Partner in the United Nations Decade of Restoration due to our work in rewilding the Archipelago’s outer atolls, which aims to remove rats to increase the seabird population which, due to guano run-off, leads to healthier coral reefs and fish stocks.

Bridgend, Wales, United Kingdom

Having had to move to Wales for family reasons, I took a senior leadership role leading on all strategic communications at a major housing association coming out of special measures. Focused on reputation and risk, I restructured the department and launched a re-brand - logo and name, see video below - and Corporate Strategy (also below).As part of the senior leadership team, I oversaw the new website project, wrote and put in-place the organisation's first overarching communications strategy, as well as all the usual duties: Media training, stakeholder and shareholder engagement, budget and department management, social media, press relations and events, including a new-look Annual General Meeting and Colleagues' Conference. Together with the Chief Executive Officer, we built strong partnerships with key players in the area we operated in because we believed passionately that more can be achieved when you work together, from politicians to the emergency services, winning the 'Employer Partnership of the Year' award from Bridgend College. As a communications specialist, I also spoke at key industry events including 'Comms Hero Week' 2021, and undertook voluntary conservation work including monitoring seabirds on Skomer Island (off the Welsh Pembrokeshire coast). I left to work in a more senior role, in a sector I was more passionate about: Conservation.

Valletta, Malta

Roles for the Government of Malta:•Communications Lead for Malta’s campaign for a Security Council seat (which Malta has since won) - a diplomatic role based at Malta’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.•Spokesperson for previous Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister, Carmelo Abela, and Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muscat.•Public Diplomacy Lead at the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry, including for Solidarity Malta, a ministry campaign that aided African countries during the COVID-19 crisis.•Head of International Media and External Relations at the Office of the Prime Minister.Plus:Editor of Malta Government magazine, Moving Forward. And member of the ‘100 Ideas’ international affairs forum (Chair of the Diplomatic Subcommittee), which devises foreign policy recommendations to present to the Prime Minister.

Naxxar, Malta

Six-month maternity cover in the private sector between working for two different countries’ governments, at Malta's leading creative agency to execute all corporate communications and oversee all content, manage a team of copywriters, plus bridge the gap between strategy and editorial. At the end of my contract, I was asked to stay on permanently and start a PR Department but I had already secured my position with the Government of Malta.

British High Commission Malta

Also:•Communications lead for HM The Queen during CHOGM.•Migration, defence and security policy lead.Member of the UK Alumni Board (ex-Convocation), Liverpool University.

Oxford, England, United Kingdom

•Strategic communications and policy lead for a world-renowned thought leadership organisation aimed at creating/inserting policy recommendations and solutions to global problems into the highest levels of government (multi-topics from defence to health). •Selected and directly engaged international pre-eminent policy experts and key influencers from academia, the media, diplomats, political, business and military leaders from the Five Eyes and BRIICS+ community to attend events, which reinforced my network.•Deputised for the Director, including: representative duties, managing the Director's team, chairing meetings, conference/Annual Lecture organisation, running the media team (plus writing articles, newsletters, website content, speeches, social media, Annual Report), and writing the conference note.•Rejuvenated the Foundation’s presence by engaging missing key groups and regions, including launch events with the Australian government, in EU member states, the UK Parliament (MPs), and for businesswomen and youth – next generation participants.Also:Member of Malta Business Network, Maltese High Commission London.

British High Commission, Malta

Also:•Climate change and energy security policy lead.•The British High Commissioner's Press Advisor.

Ta' Xbiex, Malta

Also:•The Almanac and monthly 'special issues' (sailing, homes, travel, food & drink, etc) Editor.•Economic Update Columnist; scooped the IGM's [Malta's] 'Columnist of the Year 2009'.Having edited Malta's no. 1 publication, I left journalism for a new challenge: To pursue a career in diplomacy, working for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Valletta, Malta

Freelance:•FM magazine Editor.•Valletta magazine Editor.

St Julian’S, Malta

Also:•Malta's 'travel journalist of the year' winner.Spent the next year working as an English teacher and freelance journalist in China, Australia, Morocco and Japan.

London, England, United Kingdom - Rotterdam, The Netherlands

The number two to three editors at one of the world’s largest multi-national companies: Unilever Today (intranet), unilever.com, and Unilever Magazine. Left to relocate to Malta.

London, England, United Kingdom

Short-term (sickness cover) contract, running a busy Press Office and being the media lead for a high-profile charity and its CEO Majorie Wallace. Although asked to stay on, I had already secured my next position and wanted writing to be the main part of my role.

London, England, United Kingdom

Following short summer internships at various places, including The Telegraph, I worked my way up at Sky TV from an intern to Assistant Producer but left because I didn’t want a career in TV journalism.

Master Of Business Administration (Mba)

Modules studied: 1) Finance for business managers, 2) Managing people in organisations (human resources), 3) Strategic and agile business.

Master Of Arts (Ma - Research), International Relations And Affairs

*Thesis (on the UK-Malta 'special relationship' post-Brexit) on hold from February 2021, whilst I relocate.

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba Hons.), Political Science

Activities and Societies: I held post every year I was at Liverpool University. I was a First Year Representative; Elected President.

Postgraduate Diploma (Fco-Sponsored), Foreign Policy Economics

Postgraduate Diploma, Journalism (Majored In Feature Writing And Political Journalism)

I have completed many vocational media/communications courses since, from radio production by the BBC, to news reporting and photography.

Postgraduate Certificate, Teaching English To Speakers Of Other Languages