Welcome, Gillian Duncan!
Alder is excited to announce the appointment of Account Director, Gillian Duncan, who brings nearly two decades of experience as a journalist to Alder’s team.
Drawing on her insight into how journalists think, Gillian will help clients anticipate media responses and navigate high-pressure situations.
We recently sat down with Gillian for a quick Q&A to hear more about her career to date and what inspired her to cross over to the world of communications.
What did you do before you joined Alder?
I was a journalist for almost 18 years. More than a decade of that I spent abroad working in Abu Dhabi, mainly for the UAE’s English language newspaper, The National. But I also worked as a freelancer for a time, writing for titles including Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East, Gulf News and others.
When and why did you move back to the UK?
We moved to the UAE as a newly married couple with a five-year plan in 2011 and ended up staying 11 years, returning to the UK in 2022 with two children and two cats. Our eldest daughter was moving into Year 4 and we wanted her to attend senior school in the UK and for my girls to grow up here.
Why did you decide to leave journalism?
Newspapers are under threat from many sides and several organisations are making redundancies. I was worried that if I moved jobs in the industry, I would be next for the cut. And while I had always assumed that I would likely one day leave journalism for communications, as many in the industry do, I could never quite bring myself to make the leap because I thought I would miss working in news. I was a breaking news reporter, so I was used to working under pressure. But when I learned that I could specialise in crisis communications I was sold.
What crises did you cover during your time as a reporter?
Lots – while I worked as a reporter in Aberdeen, my home town, early in my career after training as a journalist, I covered a helicopter accident in which all people on board died, and ditching in which everyone survived. In Abu Dhabi, I covered the first Covid cases in the Middle East, as well as many of the related major government announcements, including the closure of the country’s borders as cases began to spread. I also wrote about the loss of the Titan submersible and sinking of Mike Lynch’s yacht. There were many more. But these are the ones that stick with me the most.
What are the biggest misconceptions about journalists?
Journalists are just doing their jobs. They’re not out to ‘get’ anyone, so don’t take their questions personally. It’s a high-pressure job and they’re working under short deadlines. Often the story they’re contacting you for a comment about is one of several they may be writing about that day. They appreciate background and quick answers. Working with them, even if you can’t comment officially, is more effective all round.
How has journalism changed?
There has long been a sense of distrust among some about journalists and their work. But talk of the ‘fake news media’ in the last decade has really escalated. And it’s had a big impact, contributing to falling readership. That in turn has resulted in redundancies and restructures in many news organisations. The reality is there’s no mass conspiracy. Newspapers have political leanings, but laws exist to protect people’s reputations. Other threats include AI, which could replace jobs in the industry.
Finally, what will you bring to the new role?
I’ll use my experience to help advise Alder’s clients on how journalists will cover crises that could arise for their businesses. Because I know the likely questions that will come from journalists, I’ll also help train them to deal with the press.
