Brenda Hutchings, Communications specialist

Brenda Hutchings

Communications specialist

Emirates Group

Location
United Arab Emirates - Dubai
Education
Bachelor's degree, Economics and English
Experience
16 years, 3 Months

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Work Experience

Total years of experience :16 years, 3 Months

Communications specialist at Emirates Group
  • United Arab Emirates - Dubai
  • June 2004 to August 2020

Specialties

Internal communications strategy and employee engagement
Public relations
Leadership and change management communications
Website and intranet content and management
Copywriting and proofreading
Writing for the web, newsletters, press releases, executive messages, speeches and video

Internal Communications Specialist, The Emirates Group, Dubai
Corporate Communications, Marketing & Brand. June 2008 - 13 August 2020

Highlights of my role

- Launched the Emirates Group intranet with new, engaging content making it the main channel of communication for 80, 000 staff. Improved reach with an external site and app.
- Introduced social features on the intranet encouraging conversations across the group fostering a feeling of community across the network. Awarded for this.
- Developed a channel strategy that used every internal communications channel including the intranet, company newsletter, manager briefings and social channels like Yammer.
- Launched a daily e-newsletter for all group staff and worked on a content strategy.
- Wrote key management messages and managed a dedicated site during the COVID crisis.
Honourable mention at the Ragan awards for employee engagement.

Responsibilities

- Driving the internal digital communications strategy of the Emirates Group. This included managing the group intranet, a corporate broadcast system and digital newsletters.
- Working with leaders on strategies to achieve desired outcomes. Setting up information sites, writing management messages to reinforce company culture and policies and ensuring the messages were shared throughout the organisation, enabling leaders to effectively communicate with their teams.
- Writing and enforcing social media policies and driving the adoption of Yammer internally.
- Managing the content, production and distribution of a range of collateral, corporate material and email communications including a daily newsletter for all group staff.
- Developing communications plans detailing deliverables, owners and deadlines.
- Developing messaging guides with key information for business units and the organisation.
- Tracking and reporting effectiveness using google analytics, read counts and surveys.
- Crisis management including managing the company dark site for emergencies.
- Distilling change impacts into clear, easy-to-digest communications pieces like management messages FAQs, videos, how-to guides and articles for the intranet and newsletters. This involved working with stakeholders to develop sites, feedback mechanisms and tool kits.
- Before I took over as internal digital lead, I handled the company print newsletter, as well as all print collateral requirements for group departments.

Media Relations Controller, The Emirates Group, Dubai
Corporate Communications, Marketing & Brand. June 2004 - June 2008

I handled PR responses, liaised with media for positive coverage for the group, wrote press releases and statements, organised press conferences, responded to media queries and co-ordinated media interviews with senior management. The role also involved writing and editing content for in-house newsletters, speeches, articles and content for annual reports.

Education

Bachelor's degree, Economics and English
  • at Lucknow University
  • July 1990

Specialties & Skills

Communications
Content Management
Change Management Communications
Intranet Strategy
Employee Engagement
Time management
Critical thinking
Teamwork
Microsoft Office 365
Interpersonal skills
Communication
Problem solving
Leadership
Bi-lingual

Languages

English
Native Speaker
Hindi
Expert

Training and Certifications

Certificate in Internal Communications (Certificate)
Date Attended:
July 2012
Black Belt in Internal Communications
 (Certificate)
Date Attended:
May 2014

Hobbies

  • Travelling
    Exploring the world and learning more about cultures and people.
  • Drawing and painting
  • Creative Writing
    Published children's book Articles written for media and personal blog. Can be provided on request.