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JOURNALISM & PUBLIC RELATIONS - Tony McDougal OM'84
What is your profession and current position?
Journalism and Public Relations. After years working on daily newspapers and weekly trade press, including a stint as Political Editor of Farmers Guardian, I worked in communications in the Civil Service at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for 14 years, serving in a range of roles including Chief Press Officer and Head of Strategic Communications. I then moved back to Dorset to look after my ageing parents and set up my own PR and journalism business. My current main work is a communications and engagement manager for the Dorset Care Record, which brings together electronically health and social care records across acute, community, physical and mental health settings.
How did Monkton get you ready for the world of work?
Monkton instilled in me a sense of discipline, helping me meet deadlines, as well as encouraging me to have a strong and moral work ethic, very important in both journalism and public relations.
What is your biggest professional achievement?
Probably running the climate change communications for the G8 and EU Presidency under Tony Blair in 2005
What has been your most challenging professional moment?
Almost certainly the debacle around and ultimate failure of selling off the public forests during the Cameron administration when Ministers were not prepared to listen to either the public or civil servants.
What inspires and motivates you at work?
A sense that you are helping, in a very small way, to make a positive difference to the world. My current role is enabling the sharing of data across health and social care professionals which is helping save lives. My faith, which stems from my days at Monkton, is a huge influence on what I try and do.
What is one piece of advice you would like to share with pupils or OMs about getting into your profession?
In either journalism or public relations, my advice would be enthusiastic, passionate, curious, independent-minded, listen and react to the science and evidence-base and above all be clear, open and transparent in all that you do. Good luck!