Name: Hannah Devoy LinkedIn: Hannah Devoy Twitter: @Hannah_Devoy
Tenure
I joined Missive in December 2016.
Background
After studying industrial design at university, I naturally chose to pursue a career in tech PR and have been working in agencies ever since. I’ve worked with big brands like Dell and Sage, as well as much smaller companies and startups; at Missive, I work with Naspers and ClearBank among others.
What do you enjoy most about working at Missive?
The people – we all get on so well and there’s such a happy feeling in the office. We can work from home whenever we want but everyone is almost always in the office which, I think, speaks volumes.
It’s also such a great time to be part of the company – we’re growing and the agency is changing at a rapid pace, and we all get to contribute to its development and the direction it goes in.
And the clients are all great to work with, too, and we’re fortunate to work on some really interesting briefs.
Ok, so that’s three things, but I can’t possibly pick just one.
You’ve worked on some big technology clients – what do you think the biggest communications challenges are at the moment for tech businesses?
These days every business wants to be a ‘tech business’ – and therein lies the main problem. Competition for media and audience attention is fierce and, to stand out, businesses need to identify and communicate what their technology is and why it’s interesting in a manner that anyone can understand without falling asleep. You’d be surprised how difficult many companies find that to do.
One tip for any company looking to refine their communications strategy?
Find yourself a decent corporate communications PR agency to do it for you! (I’ve got one in mind…)
Which tech trend do you think will get the most media traction over the next 12 months?
Now, this is a topic I could talk about for a long, long time, so I’ll try and keep it short.
I think artificial intelligence and machine learning will continue to evolve in terms of capabilities and media interest over the next year. It will also be particularly interesting to see what happens in the cryptocurrency market. We’re definitely in a bit of a bubble with it at the moment which is almost certainly going to burst sometime in the next 12 months, but I’m fascinated to see what rises from the ashes.
Cybersecurity will also, obviously, continue to garner a lot of attention. Cyber war is a very real threat which both governments and enterprises should be concerned about.
And anything with the word ‘tech’ attached to it is still going to generate hype. Insurtech, proptech, adtech, pettech…the list goes on.
What do you think larger companies can learn from the ‘start up’ culture?
Allowing people the flexibility and independence to decide how they work and when they work is easy and makes people feel in control of their own working day. That, in turn, leads to a more natural working environment, with happier, healthier staff. If someone arrives in the office at 9:10am or needs to work from home – it shouldn’t matter. If you trust your staff, you should give them freedom – and if you don’t trust them, you shouldn’t be employing them.
Which apps are on your homescreen?
I use a lot of apps. The ones currently on my homescreen, are Whatsapp, Spotify, MealPal, Google Maps, Ocado, the Photo app and the Apple News app. Others that I absolutely cannot live without, are Moneyhub, Headspace, Mindbody, and Uber. I’ve also recently started using Wunderlist and Toggl for work, which I’m now obsessed with. Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with that.
What is your favourite thing about working in a WeWork office?
The buzz, the people (and networking opps), the people watching, the freebies and benefits, and the convenience.
If I had to pick just one, it would probably be the people watching/conversations overheard in the lift. I’ve heard some corkers.
When not in the office, can be found?
Most likely walking the dog with my boyfriend. That sounds really boring, doesn’t it? But it’s accurate – he needs a lot of walking (dog, not boyfriend).
