Amber Allen

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Early on in my career, I was involved in the development of a medical education programme on Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's holds huge personal significance to me, so this became a real passion project where I was determined to make it the best it could be. This was also a project with a lot of personal firsts – the first I was responsible for managing, the first I was involved in writing and what I'm most proud of – the first I was instrumental in growing. While I have been lucky to work on many fulfilling projects where I've felt like I've really made a difference in shaping the future of healthcare, this one felt especially important as I grew as a consultant along with the expansion of the programme.

In your view, how can PR employers better retain talent?

The key thing is to create a culture where everyone, regardless of level, feels valued and appreciated. People want to feel that their voice is heard and that they are able to play a part in shaping the direction of the company and importantly, that their hard work is recognised and rewarded fairly. At Madano, I'm grateful to have a senior leadership team that nurture and motivate everyone, as well as create opportunities that encourage us to learn and grow.

How are you using AI in your role at present?

I have been really impressed by new developments in generative AI tools in recent years and they have become increasingly helpful in improving productivity. Simple things like summarising key discussion points from a meeting or helping to visualise an initial creative idea for a pitch can create more space for strategic thinking and planning. However, while exciting, like all technological innovations, I'm mindful of balancing the immediate benefits with the potential risks. I will continue to proceed with caution!

What's the secret to good client/agency relationships?

It comes down to three key elements – honesty, accountability and strong collaboration. Being transparent and not being afraid to challenge, ask the difficult questions and admit your mistakes is crucial to being seen as a trusted partner. Taking accountability for your work is key to demonstrating you're invested in delivering high quality work. Strong collaboration built on a foundation of open communication and a shared vision for success creates a sense of partnership.

If you could change any one thing about the comms industry, what would it be?

I would love to see more diversity in the industry. I believe we are so much more powerful as an industry when we bring together a wide range of perspectives and experiences. It would be great if more people, regardless of their age, gender, race or background, saw comms as a potential career for them. For those working in this area, we must continue to work together to shape the future of the industry to be more inclusive and attract diverse talent.