Continuing our series of Q&As with past winners of the Communiqué Young Achiever of the Year Award, this time we’ve tracked down Jo Browning, our winner of 2001.
What first attracted you to healthcare comms?
After leaving university I worked at independent television news company training as a journalist and documentary filmmaker. We specialised in war corresponding and we also did video work for several large NGOs. I was inspired by how powerful communications and campaigning could be and the tangible impact it could have on people’s lives.
I decided that war corresponding was not for me and – as the daughter of two doctors – I wanted to transfer the skills I had learned to communicating about something just as important; people’s health. Joining the Healthcare practice at Burson Marsteller gave me the chance to do just that.
Where were you in your career when you won the Communiqué Young Achiever’s award?
I was working at GSK as corporate external affairs manager. I had made the move in-house as a communications manager and was learning about the challenges of healthcare communications client-side.
I was also a company spokesperson. Speaking to media about topics that could change how people manage their health was a huge responsibility.
What did winning mean to you and your career?
I was extremely proud to have won and it was a wonderful evening as GSK also won several awards that night. It was also the first time that an in-house person had been recognised in the category and it felt like in-house communicators were all being championed.
Personally, the award raised my profile in the industry. It also gave me more confidence about what I was doing, as well as certainty about my career choice.
How has your career developed since then?
In the eleven years since winning, I’ve been lucky enough to work all around the world.
I worked in Paris as director of communications for GSK Europe, and then moved to Australia for four years where I became head of healthcare for Burson-Marsteller Australia.
I returned to the UK to work for Axon Communications as head of international PR and then director of business development for four years.
Over the years I have used my experience of being both a journalist and a spokesperson to consult and media train others and I now work in Switzerland as a media trainer, consultant and media researcher.
And what is the most important lesson you have learnt during this time?
To stay curious about healthcare communications. I have grown increasingly curious about science communications and now I combine my work of media training and consulting with academic studies and research.
I am just about to complete my masters in science communications. The more I research science communication, the more I learn that I can transfer to my work in consulting.
What is your current role?
Three years ago I started a media training and communications consultancy, Filshie Browning Associates, based in Basel. In between that and looking after my two boys, I blog about science communications and media training.
Describe its most challenging aspect…
Training a client who doesn’t have confidence in their own communications skills. When you are training, it’s always so much harder to help people fulfill their potential if they don’t believe in their own skills.
And it’s most rewarding…
Watching the same less confident clients shine. I love to see them turned around, realising the full potential of media training.
What has been the most significant change to the industry since you began in it?
The proliferation of digital and social media. News operates at a speed that was unimaginable 15 years ago. Audiences have moved from passive consumers of media to players: shaping, sharing and influencing the content agenda. Online newspapers change their lead items based on what people click on and re-tweet. Thought leaders are no longer hidden in their ivory towers, but accessible to everyone via the web. And this is all still evolving. It’s a fantastically exciting time to be working in science communications.
Name one piece of advice you would give to some one starting their career in healthcare comms…
Always stay curious. That way you stay open to learning new things, and new ideas and keep your consulting fresh and current.