Alum of the Month

Nicola Nolan

August 2010

New York Program

January 2007 Intake

Having left university with an MA in International Business and French, I still had no idea what to do with my life or what direction to head in. When the chance to work in NYC came along, I grabbed it with both hands! Mountbatten offers candidates every experience and placed me in a British lingerie company, Panache. The office, based in the old garment building on 34th between Park and Madison was small but lovely and team of 3 welcomed me from the outset. Working in a small company meant I was exposed to everything from processing orders to dealing with returns. As I came to learn and love the new lines, so my responsibilities grew; travelling to upstate New York to present the new lines to helping out at the annual tradeshows.

When I was out in NYC I met my flatmate’s sister who is a high flying PR Director. It was her who really inspired me to follow a career in PR and events so when I returned to London, I joined a long line of girls who were interviewing for a job at her agency. A week later I was back in London, ready to start my new job on the health and beauty team.

Life in the PR agency was busy but I loved it. Working across all clients on the team, I helped with new business pitches and also worked to launch everything from new skincare ranges, to makeup and treatments. I was also lucky enough to help our events teams too on projects like the world premiere of Sex and the City: The Movie, to the Summer Exhibition Party at the Royal Academy of Arts. One year on and it was time for a change... I was approached by Neal’s Yard Remedies to apply for the Communications Co-ordinator role and decided an in-house role was exactly what I wanted. After my 3 month probation, I became the PR and Events Manager and haven’t looked back since. Day to day, I work with our PR agency to brief them on projects, sign off releases and work to secure opportunities for the brand. Working in-house means I get to see and experience everything – from planning our launch events, to seeing products being made down at the Eco Factory in Dorset.

As they say, everything happens for a reason and this is where I am just a few years on from Mountbatten...