Matt Thompson Email & Phone Number

England, United Kingdom

With over 15 years’ PR experience in B2C and B2B PR, I focus on supporting innovative, socially conscious independent brands across the food and drink and tech sectors, to help tell their stories and build their profile and reputation in the minds of key audiences, spotlighting what makes them so special – namely their purpose, products, people and passion.

Leeds, West Yorkshire

- Leading multiple teams, I was accountable for the creation, management and delivery of B2C and B2B PR campaigns for a number of high-profile brands including Essity, The University of Hull, Quorn and The Works.• Example: Led the development and delivery of a creative campaign for the University of Hull, titled #HiddenInPlainSight, designed to educate the public on modern slavery in the UK and raise awareness of the University’s expertise. It delivered 49 pieces of national media… Show more - Leading multiple teams, I was accountable for the creation, management and delivery of B2C and B2B PR campaigns for a number of high-profile brands including Essity, The University of Hull, Quorn and The Works.• Example: Led the development and delivery of a creative campaign for the University of Hull, titled #HiddenInPlainSight, designed to educate the public on modern slavery in the UK and raise awareness of the University’s expertise. It delivered 49 pieces of national media coverage on Anti-Slavery Day, and a reach of over 18 million, showcasing the university’s expertise, raising its profile amongst potential students, parents and businesses, and building its influencer network.- Skilled copywriter and content creator – including news releases, social posts, features, opinion pieces, speeches, reports and basic video editing.- Led Finn’s crisis and issues management practice, preparing brands to ensure they are effectively able to manage the most likely issues and helping them to successfully navigate live issues. This included conducting risk audits, developing crisis communication plans and orchestrating and delivering media training and crisis simulation exercises.- Extensive experience operating as a spokesperson, most recently for BBC TV Licensing in a role which saw me conduct dozens of often challenging and high-pressure interviews with high-profile broadcast media outlets.- Responsible for senior client liaison, often C-suite level, providing strategic and tactical counsel and troubleshooting as required to mitigate any potential issues.- Experienced media trainer, having trained senior teams at Age Partnership, The Works and Quorn Foods, amongst others, coaching them on the theory and running mock broadcast interviews in a studio setting to put learnings into practice Show less

- Created and managed award-winning campaigns and media-relations activity to support key business themes and initiatives, including work to reduce fat blockages in sewers through the deployment of fat busting bugs, which generated over 100 international, national and regional pieces of coverage across all external channels. As a result of better customer knowledge of the problem, the company saw a massive drop in fat blockages and a 60% increase in the take-up of fat traps from its… Show more - Created and managed award-winning campaigns and media-relations activity to support key business themes and initiatives, including work to reduce fat blockages in sewers through the deployment of fat busting bugs, which generated over 100 international, national and regional pieces of coverage across all external channels. As a result of better customer knowledge of the problem, the company saw a massive drop in fat blockages and a 60% increase in the take-up of fat traps from its website.- Used excellent content and media contacts to drive massive out-performance around media coverage, delivering hundreds of pieces of positive coverage every month across print, broadcast and online channels, bringing to life what the company does and engaging and building trust with its five million customers.- As the company’s media spokesperson, I acted as the face and voice of Yorkshire Water. This role saw me carry out hundreds of often high pressure media interviews with international, national and regional TV and radio, around a wide range of topics and issues.- Supported stakeholder relations activity through the media relations function to help influence key stakeholders and position the company as an industry thought-leader. - Developed and implemented comprehensive crisis plans to successfully manage risks and issues. Show less

Leeds, United Kingdom

- Developed and delivered PR activity to deliver mountains of media coverage, engaging customers around ASDA’s product offerings and wider brand messages.- Oversaw the successful running and operation of one of ASDA’s key customer communication channels - ASDA FM, the in-store radio station, using marketing tools to measure its performance and ensure it remained relevant and effective.- Developed and managed a major launch event to bring to life ASDA’s 2008 non-food… Show more - Developed and delivered PR activity to deliver mountains of media coverage, engaging customers around ASDA’s product offerings and wider brand messages.- Oversaw the successful running and operation of one of ASDA’s key customer communication channels - ASDA FM, the in-store radio station, using marketing tools to measure its performance and ensure it remained relevant and effective.- Developed and managed a major launch event to bring to life ASDA’s 2008 non-food Autumn/Winter product catalogue, attracting 20 national journalists and generating great coverage on the back of this.- Used my ability to communicate effectively with different audiences, from store managers to board directors, to raise internal understanding and buy-in around role of media team and proposed activity.- Key role within an extremely fast-paced press office, managing and handling often complex media enquiries and national photocalls, collating and disseminating coverage across the business and acting as a media spokesperson. Show less

Post Graduate Certificate Of Education, French, Pass

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba), Marketing And French, 2:1 Ba Hons

My four year course involved me spending my third year in Nantes, France, where I taught English to secondary school students and further.

Education record

I spent ten fantastic years at Ashville College in Harrogate, where I achieved 4 A' Levels, grades A-C, and 11 GCSE's.