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Sangeeta Waldron
Award-winning global publicist Sangeeta Waldron is the founder of Serendipity PR & Media; global contributing editor for India CSR Network, a leading news platform focused on business and corporate social responsibility in India; published author and guest lecturer at Coventry University. In an exclusive interview with WOTC, the woman who spent decades pushing the profile and work of others reveals all about herself.
PR veteran Sangeeta Waldron has maintained an influential 30-year career within the field, recently named by Commetric in their top 100 international PR influencers and in their top 15 women influencers in PR and Communication globally. Her latest book, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility Is Not Public Relations’, contains 15 global interviews with business leaders and changemakers. Sangeeta has a dedicated chapter in her book to India as they stood as one of the first countries in the world to create a mandatory CSR law in 2014. “The planet is running out of time to move the needle on climate change, and we need to instil authentic Corporate Social Responsibility at the heart of all businesses, and consumers need to push brands to commit to this, so there will be something left for the next generation,” she declares.
As a young woman finding her feet, Sangeeta had aspirations of one day becoming a fiction writer. “I always wanted to be a copywriter for advertising companies. When I was looking for work, when I came out of University, there was no one recruiting in this field; though I was offered a job instantly at the local jobcentre! While working there with other graduates, I was able to sit the civil service entrance exam, and I passed. I spent the first five years of my career working at the Cabinet office writing speeches for the Prime Minister and previous ministers.” She was elated about being at the heart of such pivotal decision making and excited for her growing potential.
“I [later] resigned, as I wanted to do more creatively. So, I took a chance and decided to work with a not-for-profit called The Panos Institute working on climate change, the environment, endangered species and all the issues we’re discussing today. That is how I got into PR and media,” she tells WOTC. She typically chose first-time PR roles in organisations working for notable names such as the Women’s Institute and became the first Director of Comms for the Economist Group, alongside the late Dame Helen Alexander.
Working for the Mayor of London, whilst freelancing at the culture desk, Sangeeta went on to work for the Times Education Supplement’s first-ever campaign, which was for children in Afghanistan.
From there, after a few freelance projects, she went back into a full-time in-house role, working for a leading breast cancer charity called Breast Cancer Campaign. When she started they were a small team of two. By the time she left, they were an award-winning communications team of ten.
“During the 2008 global recession, my husband's bank was put into administration and so I decided at that time to set up my own company, Serendipity PR immediately in 2009. I thought if I can set up a company during a global recession and survive, then I can survive anything and in 2019 I celebrated its 10th anniversary. At the core of my brand, is PR with heart, where I work with clients I know that I can deliver on and the project feels right for me..”
‘Where do you think your company will be in two years,’ WOTC had asked Sangeeta, to which she admitted that she had learned that you can’t really plan for anything. “Losing both my parents suddenly has shown me you can’t make long term plans. It's better to go with the flow.”
To the next generation of women that wishes to follow in her footsteps, Sangeeta says that research is key. “Do your research, find your passion and trust your instincts, together this will help you make the right decisions.”
Learn more about Serendipity PR & Media and Sangeeta’s latest book via serendipitypr.co.uk