Gillian Clarke joined Alchemy Communications in 2010 and brings broad communications experience to the business. Her expertise includes event planning and cultural marketing having worked for five years for Temple Bar Properties, in Dublin.

Gillian spent seven years in the U.S. working for a large Real Estate Investment Trust, based in Seattle. Her experience includes crisis planning, training and management. She is also an experienced programme manager having advised a start-up non-profit whilst in Seattle liaising between government planning, regulation and transportation agencies to market and promote alternative public transportation in the core downtown Seattle area.

Since joining Alchemy she has advised the Irish Aviation Authority, Railway Safety Commission, DCS Group and Uniphar.

Operators in most sectors are concerned when announcements are made regarding amendments to the legislation under which they trade.  Alchemy Communications has previously advised clients in the broadcasting, insurance and healthcare sectors in relation to their lobbying efforts in the face of new legislation. Our role involved working closely with these groups to secure amendments to proposed legislation.

Our expertise ensured that the groups were provided the opportunity to put their views on public record and influence the key debates arising as the legislation progressed through the Irish Seanad. Our role included advising on when and how to submit proposed amendments to the bill, editing documentation, advice on lobbing key political spokespeople, and ensuring that the concerns of the group were communicated effectively to the legislators and the relevant Minister.

Our priority was to ensure that our client presented its arguements clearly, factually and persuasively.

For many organisations and groups an early communications challenge is around creating an impact at launch. Often, the official launch, is the first public statement by the group. There is a heightened sense of the importance of getting the tone, content and messaging right. Other considerations include making sure key audiences are addressed and preparations are made for any potential pitfalls, such as negativity in the sector.  There is a raft of logistical issues which cannot be overlooked - from decisions which need to be made early on about invitations, catering and entertainment, to the practicality of the venue, compatibility with presentation equipment, materials for distribution and the order of speakers on the day.

Finally, as well as all of the above, but of no less importance, is ensuring that there is a newsworthy aspect to the launch. Unfortunately, the most expensive venue and highest calibre guests won’t influence the media to cover the launch unless it is of some news value.

The role of communications consultant in assisting companies to prepare for any launch is to consider
all of the factors which will influence a positive outcome.  This includes advising on and managing the logistics, crafting the materials, probing and suggesting suitable media hooks and angles, covering off any potential negative issues, ensuring the client has presentation and media skills training and issuing material and liaising with media at the event and afterwards.

Nothing can guarantee a successful launch. But careful management, of all of the above can certainly improve the chances of success!

A launch is the start of a communications journey. Like the start of any process, a good foundation is key. A launch is successful if it correctly positions the organisation to develop its role and reputation through its ongoing communications activities or campaigns.

Lorna Carney is a founding Director of Alchemy Communications. Lorna has worked as a consultant in the communications industry for 15 years for a wide range of public, private and voluntary sector groups and organisations. She was a Client Director at a large communications consultancy for a number of years.

Lorna has a specialist insight into shaping and managing internal and employee communications programmes and in the training and preparation of client company executives for major presentations, media events or interviews. She has particular expertise in the development of communications structures and mechanisms to facilitate improved communications within large organisations or stakeholder groups. Lorna has advised a range of clients including Bank of Ireland, the Department of Environment and Local Government, the Department of An Taoiseach, O2, Roche, Aventis as well as Wyeth BioPharma. Lorna has a law degree from Oxford University and a Masters in Business Administration from Trinity College, Dublin. She is a Member of the Marketing Institute of Ireland.

Marie-Therese Culligan is a founding Director of Alchemy Communications and has worked in the communications and public relations sector for over fifteen years both in consultancy and in-house roles. Her experience includes advising public and private companies, representative groups and Government Departments. She has worked as an interim consultant in a variety of senior in-house roles at Group Marketing and Public Affairs Level.

Clients she has advised at Alchemy Communications include Aviva Health Insurance, Nursing Homes Ireland, and QBE Ireland. Her expertise is in devising, managing and implementing public relations and public affairs campaigns.

Alchemy Communications Ltd is a privately owned Irish based communications consultancy. Formed in 2007, Alchemy brings together senior consultants with a complementary range of experience.

Alchemy Communications Limited
17 Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin 2
Tel: + 353 1 234 37 22
Fax: + 353 1 622 0365

Email: info@alchemycommunications.ie or lorna.carney@alchemycommunications.ie
Website: www.alchemycommunications.ie

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It’s time to prepare the Annual Report is a sentence which can strike a chord of terror into the heart of the most experienced Marketing Director. Hours of editing, drafting, liaising with co-directors, shareholder services, finance, commissioning photography, managing agencies (advertising and PR) overseeing the production, final proofing and printing…the list can seem endless.

Our expertise includes advising companies and organisations in the development and production of a variety of marketing communications materials from Annual Reports, to Corporate Brochures and Launch Documentation.

We take the headache out of the production process. We will advise on content and tone. As corproate communications advisors, we will ensure these are true to your communications messages and corproate objectives. Through our network of contacts in photography, design, print and distribution we will aid in the selection of the appropriate agency for your work and negotiate an appropriate and fair cost for you.

Whether a corproate brochure, annual report or other key communication, our services include :

• Clarifying the strategy
• Linking this with design, tone and visual presentation
• Project managing production
• Drafting content (where appropriate)
• Advising on media mangement on publication

For any organisation, protecting corporate reputation in a time of crisis is paramount. There are many threats which an organisation could face to its reputation – financial market issues, industrial accidents, fraud, ethical concerns, widespread service failure – as well as more subtle issues that can develop over time and undermine an organisation’s ability to compete or be effective.

To deal with these complex issues, senior management teams need experienced advisors who can help guide corporate policymaking to protect the company and align the support of the relevant stakeholders. We work to ensure key managers are sensitive to what could constitute a crisis of reputation and help them to anticipate and recognise potential threats as early as possible. We make sure they are trained and ready to deal with any situation or any audience, internal or external. We help clients build issues-management and crisis-response infrastructure to support business operations and corporate objectives. We establish clear lines of responsibility for issues management, crisis preparedness, and crisis response. We develop specific protocols for crisis response. We also recommend that clients put in place a regular system of monitoring and evaluation designed to continuously refine plans and strategies.

Sometimes the easiest audience to forget is the one closest to you - your employees, your members or your business partners.

Best practice in internal communications is about ensuring that you have the structures, mechanisms and policies in place to allow an efficient, timely and targeted flow of relevant information around your organisation. It means that you have a means of communicating with your staff as easily and well in a crisis as on a day to day basis. it makes sure that your employees never feel exposed and uninformed, reading about what is happening in their organisation in the morning papers before they hear it from you.

One of Ireland’s leading internal communications experts, Alchemy Communications, Director, Lorna Carney has advised on, developed and implemented internal communications strategies and structures for leading organisations in the public and private sector. 

Alchemy Communications advises on:

• Employee engagement programmes
• Internal communications audits
• Design and development of internal communications mechanisms
• Communication of change
• Intranet content and use of online and mobile media
• Compliance with EU Directive on Employee Information and Consultation
• Internal communications awareness training for managers
• Preparation to communicate crises eg redundancies, closures, sale etc

Alchemy Communications comprises senior personnel - Lorna Carney, Marie-Therese Culligan and Gillian Clarke each of whom brings relevant expertise to the team from the sectors they have worked in – Lorna Carney in legal, management consultancy, multinational pharmaceutical and information technology corporations, Marie Therese Culligan in insurance, financial services and corporate communications consultancy, and Gillian Clarke in crisis management and project management. The combination of experience across the team positions Alchemy Communications with the insight and expertise to ensure effective delivery on behalf of our clients.

Alchemy Communications offers specialist expertise in preparing groups for an appearance before an Oireachtas Committee whether that is to seek support for their issue as a representative group, on a commercial matter, or, to answer a call for accountability as a public sector organisation.

Our expertise is recent and first hand. We have advised clients in appearing before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children and the Joint Committee on Communications. Our consultants also have expertise advising companies in the financial services sector in preparing for and appearing before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise and Small Business.

We are able to offer our clients a unique insight and advice on how to communicate effectively in these settings. This insight and advice means that our clients are best prepared to get heard and get results with key political audiences.

When experienced professionals with busy jobs need communication skills training, it’s usually for a specific purpose – perhaps because they’ve been promoted and need to influence at Board level for the first time, because they need to get through to customers or stakeholders more effectively or because they are facing into a crisis that will demand more of them and their ability to communicate than ever before.

Alchemy Communications prepares tailored communications skills courses specifically for each client – we make sure that we understand your issues, your objectives and both your internal and external audiences. We concentrate on the practical skills and the real situation. We put our clients through their paces in a challenging but supportive way. We won’t just tell you about best practice and let you to your own devices to meet that elusive standard. We’ll give you the specific and personal feedback you need to improve your performance. Our experienced and insightful trainers know how to ask you the hard questions the media will ask because they’ve been there – as producers, reporters or advisors at a senior level. We work with individuals and small groups to build their skills and confidence in the areas of:

• Message Development
• Presentation Skills
• Media Skills
• Key Opinion Leader/Expert Spokesperson Training
• Crisis Communications eg handling closures, product recalls – internal & external communications
• Facilitation Skills
• Executive Coaching

Alchemy Communications offers expert solutions to enable our clients devise, manage and implement effective public relations strategies and tactics. Our focus is on preparation, protection and excellent execution. Because we believe that understanding our clients business is crucial to the success of our own, we advise companies and organisations in those industries and sectors where our consultants have direct experience from having held senior in-house roles or senior advisory roles on specifc projects. Our ares of sector expertise include: Government Relations, Health and Pharmaceutical, Legal and Professional Services, Financial Services and Technology.

Our services include:

• Public relations strategy development and implementation
• Advice and input on public image and public positioning
• Crisis management, public relations advice and support
• A range of supporting communications functions, such as:          

              Media relations 
              Creating and delivering industry and consumer presentations
              Company & product launches 
              Financial calendar management 
              Project management of reports and publications e.g. Annual Reports  
             

Faced with the prospect of legislative reform of your industry or sector, or simply seeking to ensure that the voice of your organisation or group is heard by the correct audiences in Government, then you need insight into how the Irish political system works and advice on how to find an effective route into and around it.

Alchemy offers a deep understanding of, and expertise in, the workings of the Irish political system, at several levels: Leinster House, local Government and the workings of Government departments. Each of our consultants is experienced in advising clients on communciations strategies and tactics to manage their relationships with key regulatory audiences and stakeholders.

Alchemy Communications offers expertise in influencing the outcome for our clients.

We provide our clients with an insider’s understanding of how to influence key audiences directly, via the media, and through the political process.

We devise tailored and targeted communications strategies and campaigns to ensure that our clients’ communications activities are impactful, whether the purpose of that activity is to build awareness of an organisation, to support key operational objectives, to ensure business continutity in times of crisis, or to improve relations with members or employees.

Our current clients include Government Departments, State Agencies, Financial Institutions, Representive Groups and Charitable Organisations.

Alchemy Communications services equip our clients to manage all communications situations. We help them build the required issues-management and crisis-response infrastructure to support business operations and corporate objectives.

We offer the best available public affairs insights into how the Irish political system works and the best possible advice on how to find an effective route into and around it. We have the expertise to develop and execute public relations strategies and tactics in a range of sectors, where we have built up direct relevant experience.

We offer tailored communications skills courses ensuring our clients have the practical skills to deal with any communications presentation situation. Our internal communications offer ensures that our clients have the structures, mechanisms and policies in place to allow an efficient, timely and targeted flow of relevant information around their organisations -a means of communicating with staff as easily and well in a crisis as on a day to day basis.

Alchemy Communications Ltd is a privately owned Irish based communications consultancy. Formed in 2007, Alchemy brings together senior consultants with a complementary range of experience and a shared commitment to insightful and effective delivery of results to clients across a range of sectors.

Our experience spans the financial and corporate world, the political and public sector, at both local and national level, and the multinational and professional services sectors.

We bring hands-on experience and understanding of the Irish media and political landscape to the benefit of our clients.