Recalibrating business for the 2020s: Brand purpose in a changing society *RECORDING AVAILABLE*

As Communications Director for SUEZ, Naomi has responsibility for both the communications and marketing teams for the UK and Sweden.

From starting her career in agency life working in public affairs, she became a specialist in sustainability communications, crisis management and corporate communications, with experience spanning industries from retail to banking. In 2009, she became SUEZ group’s youngest ever head of department, aged 28.

Naomi has been instrumental in numerous projects during her 11 years at SUEZ, including increasing SUEZ’s media share of voice in the waste management sector from fifth, to first position. In 2015, she project managed the group’s rebranding and repositioning in both the UK and Scandinavia, and has overseen the employee engagement programme resulting in the company being awarded the Sunday Times Best Companies’ ‘Best 25 Big Companies to Work For’ accolade in 2018 and again in 2020, for a predominantly operational and dispersed workforce.

Naomi has co-authored the book 'Managing a Crisis: A Practical Guide' (2006, Palgrave Macmillan).

Is a Chartered member of the CIPR and is a member of the CIPR’s STEM committee.

Rose has spent almost 15 years in ‘the world of brand’ and is grateful to have found her tribe early in her career. Brand strategists are a curious bunch who need to delve, unpick and get as close as possible to a brand. It’s this innate curiosity that’s led Rose to work with businesses such as Google, Three, and Drax. When not discussing the intricacies of brand strategy and explaining how it’s really ‘the glue’ of any business, Rose will probably be debating climate change. The world needs to act, and must collectively embrace the challenges to reach critical net zero targets. Fortunately, her views align with the ambitions of Drax, where she's very proud to work. As the UK’s largest renewable power generator, Drax is committed to tackling climate change head on. By harnessing Bioenergy with Carbon Capture Storage (BECCS) technologies, they are aiming to go beyond net zero to reach carbon negative status by 2030. 

Over the last four years as Head of Media Relations at WWF International, Rebecca has led a diverse team to launch two Living Planet Reports, annual advocacy at WEF Davos, and numerous partnerships, campaigns and scientific research reports. She and the team have spearheaded global issue management on behalf of the WWF network, giving her unique insight on the views of a wide variety of audiences, from global publics to media outlets, corporate partners, peer organisations and other stakeholders, and direct experience of how to manage the sizeable accountability that comes with being a major consumer brand.