My business card says I am:
PR Manager, Friends Provident

The main areas of the financial services market that I cover are:
The corporate side of the business - pensions, group protection and other group level responsibilities.

I was prompted into working on the press/communications side of the business by:
Sheer chance. I took a temp job in the press office at AEGON UK in Edinburgh and it was so much fun I stayed to find out what it was all about... I'm still working on that!

The biggest influence on my career so far as a communications professional is:
By far and away the legendary Scott White who now runs his own firm, Black to White PR.

The best piece of advice I have ever been given is:
Just be yourself. Don't try to be something you are not.

The best piece of publicity I have achieved for a financial services company is:
Widespread national broadcast coverage post the Standard Life Special General Meeting to vote on the demutualisation and flotation of the company.

The first big decision I would make if I took over the regulation of financial services in the UK is:
To cut out all the jargon and get rid of the mystique that surrounds savings and investments. For an industry that claims to be committed to educating people about their pension, we still use ridiculous words like ‘disenfranchised' and ‘disengaged'.

The column/feature in the wider media which I always read is:
Mandrake in the Telegraph - brilliant for a bit of celeb news.

The column/feature in the financial services media which I always read is:
Anthony Hilton in the Evening Standard. Succinct and always well researched.

The last book I read was:
I'm reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which I avoided because everyone was reading it. But now I know why.

I would invest a £500,000 windfall in:
A lovely flat in Highbury, North London - it might just cover it!

The most memorable press trip/press event I have ever arranged for the financial services media is:
When I was at Aegon - the trip to the Edinburgh festival. Always great fun, but hard work for those who have to put it all together.

If I weren't doing my current job I would probably be a:
A detective.

My guiltiest pleasure is:
Holidays. I love visiting new places and taking time out. I'm off to Tuscany with my family next month.

My most irritating habit is:
Not finishing sentences.

If I was invisible for the day I would:
Check out how the people in the nursing home really look after my grandparents, or watch my nephew in action at school.

My top money saving tip during the credit crunch is:
Read Stylist magazine which is free and pocket the money saved from buying Grazia. Genius.

You won't know this, but I'm very good at:
Scrabble and making up words!