Cornerstone is expanding its PR services with the appointment of Robbie MacDonald, the former business editor of the Oldham Evening Chronicle.
Robbie has taken up Cornerstone’s new position of PR manager after working in newspapers and PR across the north of England.
What are you most excited about as a new member of the Cornerstone team?
I am really pleased to have joined Cornerstone, which I have got to know through my previous role as a journalist and a magazine editor.
Having worked with Cornerstone team members previously, I’ve always been impressed with Cornerstone’s friendly, professional and knowledgeable approach; its diverse client base and its strong design, digital and marketing services.
Since I joined, I’ve been further impressed with the range of skills all under one roof. So I’m excited to learn more from all the team and also to help expand Cornerstone’s services with PR services.
We always say ‘Cornerstone is a little agency that packs a big punch’. How does this compare to your previous working experience?
In the past, I’ve worked across the north of England, from Tyneside to Merseyside, in journalism and PR. I’ve worked in towns, cities and rural areas, shipyards, farmyards, offices, factories, large and small businesses I’ve been based in Greater Manchester for 14 years and the future profile and development of towns such as Oldham is a key interest of mine.
Oldham is undergoing important changes and the area’s PR, design and digital businesses have important roles to play in this. So I am delighted to be joining Cornerstone and remaining active in this patch.
While at the Oldham Evening Chronicle, I edited and helped to launch Oldham Business Edge magazine in 2015. The magazine was highly commended in last year’s O2 North West Media Awards.
What do you believe makes a standout PR agency?
From my years in the PR industry, I’ve definitely found that it is integral to be continually developing services and relationships across a wide variety of industries. In the past I have worked for clients in sectors including property, housing and regeneration, law and financial advice, education, health and leisure.
Now, joining the Cornerstone PR team in Oldham, I’m excited to continue this work with their diverse client base from private to public sector companies.
What do you enjoy most about PR agency work?
Always meeting new people and organizing exciting events is definitely something that excites me in this line of work.
In previous PR roles, I represented the Oldham Evening Chronicle on the steering group of the Oldham Business Awards, helping with planning, events, sponsorship and publicity. I also continue to host the Professional Oldham networking group, which I jointly launched with other organisers in 2016.
It’s not only enjoyable to organise and attend these events, but for a PR agency, it’s necessary to continue to develop and give your clients the best PR coverage possible.
