Links Presents

1. Tell us about what you do?

Literally everything! If you ask me what I did in a day I honestly couldn’t tell you. Of course if you read my job spec, it would read like a typical EA to a CEO role but in reality it is so much more than that. You name it, I have probably done it: I had a rental car sprayed a different colour cause my boss wouldn’t drive a white car, I have sourced rare-breed hen’s as a wedding anniversary gift, received a thank-you note from President George W. Bush for hosting his daughter Jenna, for a weekend at the Veuve Clicquot vineyard, been flown to Beijing for 36 hours to manage an advisory board, arranged for Nick Mason to bring his £65millon Ferrari to the privatised Goodwood race track for UHNWI clients, project managed an 800 person marketing conference, and even fallen asleep on the shoulder of the former US ambassador to France during a long car ride in Singapore.

2. How did you get your career started as an EA?

It genuinely wasn’t the plan. I was a professional ballet dancer until I was 19, but when I was suddenly injured, I had to rethink my life-plan. I went to university and after completing my undergraduate degree in History of Art, I thought I needed some business skills. I enrolled in a 3 month post-grad course at, what was at the time, Lucie Clayton and learnt all the essential PA skills, such as touch-typing, shorthand, and all the Microsoft packages.

3. What was your experience of finding your first support role?

During my course at Lucie Clayton, various recruitment agencies came to meet us which is where I first met Emily Bain. I remember telling her I wanted to be the best PA in London! My first role was as a receptionist and team assistant when I was 22, at a boutique headhunters in Sloane Sq. I quickly started to ask for more work to keep my busy as I hate being bored at work. I noticed how the 3 Founders’ EA’s had far too much to do so I would ask them if I could help. I realised quickly I was not satisfied with being a receptionist and wanted more responsibility to ultimately become the right-hand of a global CEO, which I achieved by the age of 25.

4. What has been your most challenging PA role to date and why?

All my roles have been challenging in different ways but you learn most when you are challenged. My current role is possibly my most challenging as I am now Chief of Staff so it’s not just the CEO relying on me but the whole leadership team. I’m on call 24/7 and what ever time zone my boss is on, I am on duty.

5. What about your role do you like most?

That every day is different and the day is never dull and never drags. Most of the time I wish there was more time to get everything done. I also have an amazing team around me. The Ennismore Founder and Co-CEO has two amazing EAs and along with my assistant, we share an office. It’s great having other EAs around you everyday as they are only colleagues who truly understand what a weird job have. We can run things past each other to sense check or just let of steam and have a rant with each other.

6. What’s the biggest hurdle you have had to overcome as a PA?

Being unemployed during Covid. I was made redundant in March 2020 just as the pandemic hit. Having spent 15 years being headhunted left, right and centre, I suddenly found myself unemployed. We all assumed the pandemic would last a few weeks but of course that wasn’t the case. All the senior roles were put on hold and I was deemed over-qualified and too expensive for more junior roles. In the space of 15 months I had 4 job offers fall apart when different Covid variants developed and just as I was about to sign a contract, the role would go on indefinite hold. That was incredibly stressful and emotionally challenging and I started to question if I should change career path.

7. If you could pick up a new skill what would it be?

A third language. I’m bilingual (English and French) and having worked for 2 French conglomerates, it is invaluable. I would love to add Italian to my skill set but finding the time to actually learn another language proves to be a challenge.

8. What advice would you give to candidates finding their first job in a support role in London?

Be open to trying different things when you’re young. I have worked in multiple industries (finance, art, luxury goods, hospitality). Being an EA means you have very transferable skills which gives you the luxury to experience different things to see what you like best.

9. What makes your day easier/what or who couldn’t you live without?

My dog, Sybil. In my current role I am lucky enough to be in a dog-friendly office. So she has come to work with me every day since she was 8 weeks old. Add endless coffee and I can handle anything.

10. What three attributes do you think make a good PA?

There are definitely more than 3 attributes, to be honest!!! Discretion, being incredibly organised, keeping your cool, pivoting on a hairpin when everything changes, the ability to judge when is and when is not a “good time” to grab your boss’s attention for something, diplomacy, having numerous back up plans up your sleeve, the list goes on. But the major attributes in my opinion are:

The art of anticipation. If you aren’t thinking 5 steps ahead of your principal then you don’t bring value to their life. We are there to make their life easier, and if you haven’t thought about what comes next and what can go wrong and have a back up plan then your principal will suffer for it.

Understanding what and who to prioritise. This is an art that comes with time. As gatekeeper to your boss, people will often say something is top priority. However it might be the most important thing to the person asking, but when you work for a CEO, there are often 20 far more important things on your boss’s mind.

Looking after your boss’s welfare. They work so hard, they carry enormous stress, they travel constantly, they never get time to work out or eat well and they barely get time to breathe some days. It super important to keep an eye on these things and not just on their diary and inbox.

11. What advice would you give to a young PA starting their career?

Some people aren’t cut out for this line of work. If you’re not naturally organised or get flustered easily, this isn’t the job for you. Also don’t go into this thinking it’s a foot in the door into another career in a certain business. It can be hard to pivot. You should also figure out what type of EA you want to be. Really evaluate if you want to 9-5 job and keep a work life balance or if you want to make the jump to C-suite and sacrifice that work life balance for an intense but very stimulating career. I have travelled the world, lived in 3 different countries, experienced some truly incredible things and met the most inspirational people thanks to my job but it has meant sacrifices. Long hours & lots of travel doesn’t leave a lot of room for other things.

12. How different do you think the role of EA/PA will differ in 10 years?

I have seen a lot of changes in my career and certain things aren’t relevant now but I do think there will always a place for a true right-hand EA who literally runs someone's world. That can’t be replaced by AI or Chat GTP!

13. When you’re not being one of London’s top PAs, what do you enjoy doing?

Sewing. Cause my brain is always thinking about the 5 million things I need to get done, I’m not good and switching off. I do very elaborate tapestries as stress relief and its a very soothing activity while I try to wind down.

14. What are you looking forward to professionally in the future?

Retiring to a remote corner of Italy, floating about in Pucci kaftans and filling my house with animals.