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16 May 2022

A very warm NTB2020 welcome to our newest Ambassador, Chloe Kwan

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A Senior Account Executive at WE Communications, Chloe made the transition from journalism to public relations following a stint working in consumer tech in her home country, Hong Kong. Having caught the PR bug, she moved halfway around the world to hone her skills, earning an MSc in Digital Marketing, along with several (unpaid) internships – all during the Covid pandemic.

 

Here, Chloe talks about the importance of stepping out of her ‘Cultural’ comfort zone, dreaming big, and seizing each and every opportunity that presents itself. As a workplace Diversity and Belonging champion at WE, Chloe is both passionate and committed to the cause – making her a great fit for the Ambassador programme. 

 

  1. Tell us a bit about your career to date, your experience and your key skills/ Why did you decide on a career in PR/ Marketing / Communications?/ How did you break into the sector?

 

During my journalism undergraduate studies at university I interned at my home country’s media outlet as a reporter – that’s when I first got in touch with PRs – and started to think about this as a potential career. I always knew I wanted to work in the media industry, but not so much in the business world. I took a turn towards the comms world after graduation, including working in the consumer tech field for a year. Since then I fell in love with the industry!

 

In hopes to top up my skills I flew from Hong Kong to the other side of the world and enrolled in a Digital Marketing MSc program in the UK. Unfortunately after a half year in, the pandemic hit, making it a struggle for anyone looking to kick start their career, especially fresh graduates and internationals like myself. Fortunately I got the chance to intern at a few agencies, and luckily received an offer from WE… where I am now happily working with a lovely team!

 

  1. What do you like about your job? / Can you give an example of a project you are currently working on and your role in it?

 

“No two days are the same” – that’s what anyone working in a PR agency will say. The fast-paced environment excites me every day and I’m constantly learning. Now I’m supporting a wide range of B2B tech clients and executive communication programs, and I get to support purposeful projects from our clients. My typical day-to-day includes running press offices, planning social media content and supporting communication campaigns. I also love how WE is a great workplace to learn and thrive in where everyone’s supportive and enthusiastic about their job!

 

  1. What more do you think needs to be done to level the playing field for people from more diverse backgrounds in the Marketing & Communications?

 

We need advocacy from all levels, starting from having more entries from diverse backgrounds.

 

Particularly in this field, unpaid internships seem to be a common practice, which blocks aspiring or talented people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

 

Other than that, I believe effective mentorship during their career could be key in encouraging them to climb further up the career ladder, which is important for seeing representation at all levels.

 

 

  1. What D&I projects/ what are the successes 

 

I’m pleased to be part in WE’s Diversity and Belonging team – where we are committed to champion equality and equity from listening, educating ourselves to fostering positive actions.

 

For example, our team hosts career panels with universities and colleges, and take part in recruitment initiatives that support diversity. Internally, we hold internal training learning about topics such as neurodiversity and unconscious bias. We also celebrate everyone’s differences through an inclusive calendar (world days & religious days)!

 

Now joining NTB as an ambassador I’m looking forward to get involved with more D&B initiatives and empower more young people!

 

  1. One piece of advice to young people from black, Asian, minority ethnic communities?

 

Be confident, proactive and have a growth mindset! I’ve been heavily influenced by my culture to not to speak my mind, and took me some time to gain confidence in myself. It has taken me time to learn that opportunities don’t knock on your door and a lot of it is down to yourself.