Difference between revisions of "Paul Smyth"

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It is your first day in a top comms role. What do you need? Fashionable-yet-serious attire? Check. BlackBerry? Check. Flak jacket and gun?
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'''Paul Smyth''' is a freelance strategic communication consultant and an officer in the British army reserves.
  
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Although dealing with journalists can sometimes mean standing in the firing line, there are very few PR roles that actually require protective clothing and arms. But Major Paul Smyth, the media ops centre director for the British Army at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, regularly finds himself in situations that can genuinely be described as 'life-threatening'. All of which puts a slow email server into perspective.
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He's a former director at [[Hill and Knowlton]] and the UK [[Ministry of Defence]].
  
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As Smyth, 38, is based in Helmand Province, PRWeek has to conduct the interview over the phone between operations while Smyth avoids the local Taliban. This makes it difficult to get under his skin, but he could not hide his enthusiasm as he told PRWeek he had just become a CIPR chartered practitioner - one of only 25 in the UK.
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==Career==
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Smyth started his career as a PR manager, first at [[Dennis Publishing]] in 1996, then [[Gameloft]] in 2000 and finally at [[Konami]] in 2001.<ref name="LI"> [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/paulsmyth Paul Smyth] ''Linkedin'', accessed 16 January 2015 </ref>
  
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Smyth's main role is to chaperone journalists who want to report from the frontline. However, if it is deemed too dangerous, he takes out a combat camera team to gather information and report back on the action.
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In 2003, having worked in the industry for around seven years, Smyth decided to open his own PR company called [[River PR]].<ref name="LI"/>
  
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'We are a window into what goes on out here,' explains Smyth. 'Where we don't have the opportunity of putting journalists on the ground, we need to make sure that people still see what's going on.
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In 2008 he was appointed media director at the UK [[Ministry of Defence]]. During this time he served with [[11 Light Brigade]] in Helamand, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.<ref>[http://mediacentre.kallaway.co.uk/rrm-press-release63.htm Shooting on the Front Line: One Soldier’s War in Afghanistan - A New Photographic Exhibition at the River & Rowing Museum] ''Kallaway'', accessed 16 January 2015 </ref> Most notably he was worked as media ops centre director for the British Army at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, and according to ''PR Week'' 'Smyth's main role is to chaperon journlaists.. However, if it is deemed too dangerous he takes out a combat camera team to gather information and report back on the action.<ref name="PR"> Gemma O'Reilly [http://www.prweek.com/article/987870/profile-major-paul-smyth-media-ops-centre-director-british-army Profile: Major Paul Smyth, media ops centre director, British Army] ''PR Week'', 3 March 2010, accessed 16 January 2015 </ref>
  
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'It is a little different from other PR jobs. I carry the same kit as the other soldiers, which includes a gun, because people will be shooting and launching rockets at you. But the team's skills-set enables us to get footage the media sometimes cannot.'
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After this, Smyth became some freelance work as a strategic communication consultant, occasionally working on behalf of [[Bell Pottinger]].<ref> Melanie Newman [http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/12/01/pr-uncovered-bell-pottingers-links-to-government/ PR Uncovered: Bell Pottinger’s links to government] ''The Bureau of Investigative Journalism'', 1 December 2011, accessed 16 January 2015 </ref>
  
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While Smyth is a soldier and deploys with a weapon, his other kit includes a camera, video camera, laptop and portable satellite dish, so he can send out stories and pictures as quickly as possible, without compromising location.
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He was then appointed director and senior consultant at [[Hill and Knowlton]] Strategies in August 2012.<ref name="LI"/>
  
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Twitter, Facebook, Flicker and YouTube all feature heavily. 'I use as many means as I can, just as I would if I were at home with a client,' he says. 'Twitter and Facebook are fantastic ways of pushing out information and images that would not otherwise see the light of day.'
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He is currently a freelance strategic communication consultant and an army reserve officer in the [[British Army]].<ref name="LI"/>
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Pictures from the frontline are important, he adds, in order for people at home to see what is really going on.
 
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Smyth believes there is an appetite for people in the UK to see what is happening in Afghanistan: 'We are making the most of the fact that a lot of people are interested in what we are doing and the more chance we have of allowing people to see the good work we are doing, the better.'
 
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[[Paul Smyth]] is founder of [[River PR]] and works as a Major in a [[Territorial Army]] role in media operation for the [[British Army]], having served in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.
 
  
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==Background==
 
According to ''PR Week'':
 
According to ''PR Week'':
  
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:Smyth decided to become a soldier relatively late in his life, after seven years spent in various PR roles in the UK. He recalls that it was a childhood ambition, but it was not until he realised he could transfer the skills he had achieved in his PR career to the Army that he decided to enlist. He has now completed tours in Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan. Despite telling his wife, with whom he has two children, that he 'just needed to get it out of his system', he is still loving the role seven years later: 'In terms of experiences, the things that I'm doing at the moment are once in a lifetime.'<ref name="profile">Gemma O'Reilly, [http://www.prweek.com/uk/features/987870/profile-major-paul-smyth-media-ops-centre-director-british-army/ Profile: Major Paul Smyth, media ops centre director, British Army] ''PR Week'' UK, 03 March 2010, 6:00am  </ref>
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:Smyth decided to become a soldier relatively late in his life, after seven years spent in various PR roles in the UK. He recalls that it was a childhood ambition, but it was not until he realised he could transfer the skills he had achieved in his PR career to the Army that he decided to enlist. He has now completed tours in Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan. Despite telling his wife, with whom he has two children, that he 'just needed to get it out of his system', he is still loving the role seven years later: 'In terms of experiences, the things that I'm doing at the moment are once in a lifetime.'<ref name="PR"/>
  
 
Among his roles Smyth was involved in the British retreat from Basra:
 
Among his roles Smyth was involved in the British retreat from Basra:
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:Smyth was heavily involved with the comms planning for the withdrawal of troops in Iraq, which is one of his proudest achievements from his Army career.
 
:Smyth was heavily involved with the comms planning for the withdrawal of troops in Iraq, which is one of his proudest achievements from his Army career.
  
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:'To have the honour of orchestrating events in our British history like that is absolutely amazing. Deep down, although I'm a tiny cog in a massive team here, I am hoping that I'm making a valuable contribution and a bit of difference.'<ref name="profile">
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:'To have the honour of orchestrating events in our British history like that is absolutely amazing. Deep down, although I'm a tiny cog in a massive team here, I am hoping that I'm making a valuable contribution and a bit of difference.'<ref name="PR"/>
  
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===MOD===
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==Background==
 
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==Biographical Information==
 
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===History===
 
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* 2009 Media ops centre director, [[British Army]]
 
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* 2003 Media adviser, British Army
 
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* 2003 Founded [[River PR]]
 
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* 2001 General manager for comms and PR, [[Konami Amusement of Europe]]
 
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* 2000 Communications and PR manager, [[Gamerloft.com]]
 
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* 1996 Divisional marketing and PR manager, [[Dennis Publishing]]<ref name="profile">
 
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===Current activities===
 
 
Paul Smyth has created a raft of WEB2.0 projects including Blog and online projects for the [[Ministry of Defence]]:
 
Paul Smyth has created a raft of WEB2.0 projects including Blog and online projects for the [[Ministry of Defence]]:
 
*http://basrablog.blogspot.com/
 
*http://basrablog.blogspot.com/
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*http://www.youtube.com/Basrablog
 
*http://www.youtube.com/Basrablog
 
*http://www.youtube.com/helmandblog
 
*http://www.youtube.com/helmandblog
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*http://www.youtube.com/2RIFLES<ref>River PR [http://www.riverpr.co.uk/video.html Video], accessed 5 June 2009</ref>
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*http://www.youtube.com/2RIFLES
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==Views==
 
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==Affiliations==
 
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*[[Media Operations Group (V)]]
 
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*[[River PR]]
 
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==Publications, Contact, Resources and Notes==
 
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===Publications===
 
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===Contact===
 
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:Address:
 
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:Phone:
 
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:Email:
 
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:Website:
 
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:Blog:http://helmandblog.blogspot.com
 
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:Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/MajorPaulSmyth
 
  
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===Resources===
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==Education==
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*BA(Hons), Fine Art, [[University of the West of England]] 1991 – 1994<ref name="LI"/>
  
 
===Notes===
 
===Notes===
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
  
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[[Category:British Propaganda|Smyth, Paul]]
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[[Category:British Propaganda|Smyth, Paul]][[Category:Lobbyists|Smyth, Paul]][[Category:Lobbying|Smyth, Paul]][[Category:British Army|Smyth, Paul]][[Category:Revolving Door|Smyth, Paul]]

Latest revision as of 10:25, 16 January 2015

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Paul Smyth is a freelance strategic communication consultant and an officer in the British army reserves.

He's a former director at Hill and Knowlton and the UK Ministry of Defence.

Career

Smyth started his career as a PR manager, first at Dennis Publishing in 1996, then Gameloft in 2000 and finally at Konami in 2001.[1]

In 2003, having worked in the industry for around seven years, Smyth decided to open his own PR company called River PR.[1]

In 2008 he was appointed media director at the UK Ministry of Defence. During this time he served with 11 Light Brigade in Helamand, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.[2] Most notably he was worked as media ops centre director for the British Army at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, and according to PR Week 'Smyth's main role is to chaperon journlaists.. However, if it is deemed too dangerous he takes out a combat camera team to gather information and report back on the action.[3]

After this, Smyth became some freelance work as a strategic communication consultant, occasionally working on behalf of Bell Pottinger.[4]

He was then appointed director and senior consultant at Hill and Knowlton Strategies in August 2012.[1]

He is currently a freelance strategic communication consultant and an army reserve officer in the British Army.[1]

Background

According to PR Week:

Smyth decided to become a soldier relatively late in his life, after seven years spent in various PR roles in the UK. He recalls that it was a childhood ambition, but it was not until he realised he could transfer the skills he had achieved in his PR career to the Army that he decided to enlist. He has now completed tours in Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan. Despite telling his wife, with whom he has two children, that he 'just needed to get it out of his system', he is still loving the role seven years later: 'In terms of experiences, the things that I'm doing at the moment are once in a lifetime.'[3]

Among his roles Smyth was involved in the British retreat from Basra:

Smyth was heavily involved with the comms planning for the withdrawal of troops in Iraq, which is one of his proudest achievements from his Army career.
'To have the honour of orchestrating events in our British history like that is absolutely amazing. Deep down, although I'm a tiny cog in a massive team here, I am hoping that I'm making a valuable contribution and a bit of difference.'[3]

MOD

Paul Smyth has created a raft of WEB2.0 projects including Blog and online projects for the Ministry of Defence:

Education

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Paul Smyth Linkedin, accessed 16 January 2015
  2. ↑ Shooting on the Front Line: One Soldier’s War in Afghanistan - A New Photographic Exhibition at the River & Rowing Museum Kallaway, accessed 16 January 2015
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Gemma O'Reilly Profile: Major Paul Smyth, media ops centre director, British Army PR Week, 3 March 2010, accessed 16 January 2015
  4. ↑ Melanie Newman PR Uncovered: Bell Pottinger’s links to government The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, 1 December 2011, accessed 16 January 2015
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