In the whirlwind that was 2023, we embraced new beginnings, welcomed fresh faces to our global team, and delved into exciting projects with our valued clients. As we reflect on the year that unfolded, we are reminded of the unwavering enthusiasm and dedication of our team to deepening their understanding of our clients’ worlds and striving for ever better results. However, it’s also clear just how much we enjoyed spending time with clients and colleagues because the joy of working in PR stems from so much more than the results; it’s also about the people.
Now, let’s hear directly from some of our team members as they recount their most memorable moments and experiences from 2023…
Ricardo Rosa, Account Director, USA
Our company trip to Scotland was fantastic and I felt like our team really connected. We had a variety of fun and insightful presentations and discussions, along with activities and site visits that explored some of the best Edinburgh has to offer. This was my favorite SE10 gathering to date, and the last night of dancing was the cherry on top.
I also thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Rokbak in Motherwell. I’m a fan of trains so was happy to take ScotRail to Glasgow, very much taking in the beautiful rural scenery during the journey. The Rokbak HQ was impressive, and we learned how the brand came to be a few years ago. Quite the story! To top it off, SE10 folks were able to ride giant articulated haulers on the testing grounds.
Another highlight for me was attending WEFTEC, North America’s biggest water technology trade show with Tsurumi Pump. Tsurumi had an impressive display with live demos in water tanks, and dedicated staff that interacted with attendees from all over the world. Our colleague Mariana Santos joined me on one of the evenings for a remarkable product launch event held at Chicago’s famous 110-story Willis Tower.
Mariana Santos, Account Director, USA
2023 was my first full year back at SE10 after an almost two-year hiatus and it could not have been more exciting! Early in the year I was finally able to visit Manitowoc’s headquarters in Shady Grove, Pennsylvania, and see how those amazing, gigantic machines are manufactured. I had missed prior opportunities to visit their facility in the past and I’m so glad that it has finally happened! It was lovely seeing the Manitowoc team again and discussing fresh PR ideas.
My first year working with our new clients Waldner North America and Surdry North America was also a big highlight of the year for me. It has been a delight to work with both enthusiastic teams and dive into the food packaging world to learn all about filling, sealing and sterilization processes. In September I attended Pack Expo Las Vegas, the largest trade show in the packaging industry, and I was totally amazed with how much there was to see there. It definitely helped me understand the industry better and get good insights for content development. It was also a great opportunity to talk with trade journalists. And, at the end of the day, I loved walking through the dazzling lights of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip.
I was also very happy to join my colleague Ricardo at a Tsurumi event at the iconic Willis Tower in Chicago and meet with the Tsurumi team. Ricardo and I even had the chance to step together onto the Skydeck — a glass cube that extends out from the building’s 103th floor!
Maria Oliver, Financial Controller, UK
My highlight was undoubtedly the all-company get-together in Scotland. As a finance person, I don’t get to see firsthand how our team apply their diverse talents in areas such as organising a press conference, filming and editing videos, or collaborating with social media influencers. So their presentations on recent projects gave me a fascinating glimpse into their world. Likewise, it was a great opportunity for me to boost their understanding of finance and what they can do – besides keeping clients happy with great PR – to contribute to the smooth running of the business.
I also loved visiting our client Rokbak and learning more about their brand and products, which, again, I don’t usually get to immerse myself in. It was my first time touring a factory and it was so incredible to see the process of sheets of metal being transformed into complete trucks – and what absolute beasts those trucks are! I even got to test-drive one and it was exhilarating to be behind the steering wheel of such a powerful truck. What an experience! I was beaming from ear to ear. The whole trip was an eye-opener, and I was so glad to have been a part of it!
Jack Porter, Account Executive, UK
I joined SE10 at the tail end of 2022, so 2023 is where I’ve really been able to get stuck in with site visits, client meet-ups and learning more about colleagues individually after that initial trepidation of being in a new environment. I’ve been to beautiful Scotland a good handful of times and even parts of England I had never been to before – I’m getting used to having an Avanti West Coast train seat as a work desk! I’ve visited some fascinating jobsites, climbed Arthur’s Seat with colleagues and been commended for my raw talent operating an articulated hauler! It’s always a pleasure to see the products and work we invest so much time into researching and writing about actually ‘in the wild’. You can really get a sense of pride in work interacting with and observing our clients, who can talk with such passion and enthusiasm and give you good direction. It adds impetus in adhering to deadlines and getting positive results. I continue to learn and experience, and I’m determined to make 2024 another good year.
Julia Shrader, Account Executive, USA
Yasmin Abraham, Digital Marketing Manager, UK
My first year at SE10 has been marked by the excitement of getting to know my new team and collaborating with fantastic clients. In January I had the privilege of visiting our client FB Chain and meeting the MD Peter Church, who gave us a comprehensive tour of the factory and told us all about the sustainable practices the team had adopted. It was exciting to learn about the launch of one of their new products and run a digital campaign to generate leads.
Another highlight was visiting the Manitowoc factory in Pennsylvania. Witnessing the entire process of the crane manufacturing was both informative and enjoyable. I also got to meet our US team and this shared experience strengthened our team’s bond and made for a highlight-worthy weekend together.
Teaming up with Hannah to engage with PR students from Loyola University Chicago was another memorable experience. I enjoyed answering the students’ questions and sharing our industry knowledge and providing a glimpse into the workings of a B2B-focused PR company. An overall rewarding first year at SE10! I look forward to diving into exciting new projects and contributing to the growth of our clients’ brands and sales in the upcoming year.
Hannah Kitchener, Associate Director, UK
Besides spending time with my colleagues at the UK team meet-up in Brighton and the all-company gathering in Edinburgh, I have appreciated the opportunities 2023 has presented to broaden my knowledge of the wider construction industry. Supporting our client Mediapoint & Exhibitions to promote GIS 2023 introduced me to the whole spectrum of lifting and access equipment. The vast array of machines on display in the exhibition’s outdoor area was sight to behold!
Meanwhile, working with Victaulic has opened my eyes to the world of heating, plumbing, ventilation, and fire protection, as well as the crucial role BIM (building information modelling) plays in ensuring projects are completed efficiently, reliably, and sustainably. It was a pleasure to meet the team face-to-face at the Victaulic facility in Belgium recently and even receive some hands-on training in pipe grooving and coupling assembly!
Like Yasmin, I also enjoyed meeting students from Loyola University Chicago during their immersive international PR course in London. It was an honour to be invited to join their discussions and contribute to their education by sharing our experiences in industrial B2B communication. It was a rewarding experience to give back to the international PR community in this small way!
Ben Poulten, Creative Designer, UK
The technological changes in video editing, graphic design and motion graphics over the past year have been fascinating to explore. Incorporating these new tools into my design process to discover new creative possibilities has been exciting, and it was a privilege to discuss these new technologies, their benefits and their limitations with colleagues during our company trip to Edinburgh.
I’ve also enjoyed having the chance to travel and explore more throughout the year on video shoots at diverse sites across the country (and in Piacenza, Italy, for GIS 2023). I’ve loved finding new ways to capture the look of industrial machines and the work they do, and I’ve had particularly good fun filming with our camera drone, where the true scale of the machines and their operations becomes clear.
Rosie Hopkins, Account Director, UK
This has been my first year at SE10 and what a year it has been. Going to Düsseldorf Boat Show at the start of the year was incredible. Seeing the Volvo Penta stand and meeting the team really set us up for a successful year of announcements, launches, interviews, content and more! Meanwhile, meeting the whole SE10 team and spending a week together in Edinburgh was just what I needed to put faces to names, and really solidify the already great working relationships I had started to forge. An end-of-year trip to meet our new client Victaulic in the gorgeous city of Ghent was a wonderful way to kick off an exciting partnership with a bang. And there is more on the horizon. I’ll be ending the year meeting up with my lovely clients at Schindler and seeing their facility in Switzerland. All this travel, seeing products and solutions, and meeting the clients and colleagues I speak with every day has been fabulous. Bring on 2024!
By Hannah Kitchner
Associate Director
About the Author
Hannah is an associate director based in the UK, who leverages her strategic, campaign management, and written content creation expertise to support clients in the construction, energy, and materials handling sectors across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). With a professional qualification in Journalism from the National Council of Training for Journalism in the UK, Hannah has strong interviewing and writing skills that enable her to craft compelling content for clients across multiple platforms. Her experience and knowledge of the construction, energy, and materials handling sectors, meanwhile, have helped her build a strong network of trade media contacts across the EMEA region, enabling her to secure meaningful media coverage for clients. In addition to her journalism training, Hannah’s academic qualifications have further honed her ability to communicate across cultures and languages. Having studied French and German at BA level, and with an MA in Translation, Hannah has a passion for inter-cultural communication, which is invaluable to SE10 in executing PR campaigns across multiple markets and in several languages.
