Pr For Humans With Mike Sergeant

Robin Kermode is an actor, presenter, keynote speaker and one of Europe's leading communication coaches - working with politicians, CEOs and media personalities. He is also a respected media commentator on all aspects of public speaking and communication. In this episode, he tells Mike the secrets of good speeches, how CEOs prepare and why it's so important to clench the buttocks when presenting!

Mike talks numbers with Britain's favourite mathematician - Marcus du Sautoy. He's the star of the TED stage, numerous TV shows and also professor for the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. In this episode Marcus talks to Mike about how to communicate with numbers, what makes some numbers special and what business and politics can learn from the world of maths. A unique and fresh take on the challenge of numerical communications!

Mike catches up with Simon Lancaster, one of the world's best speechwriters. He started writing speeches for members of Tony Blair's cabinet in the late 90s and has gone on to write speeches for the CEOs of some of the biggest companies in the world.

Mike and Mark take a stroll through Soho - discussing stand-up comedy, communication and public speaking. Mark Dolan is a TV star (Balls of Steel, The Last Word, The Jump), Radio and TV news commentator (appearing regularly on LBC and Sky News) and stand-up comedian (in action in London's top venues). He reveals the stand-up's secrets and how anyone can weave comedy into their presentations.

Mike catches up with the king of mobile training - Gerry Griffin, founder of Skill Pill. Gerry's a seasoned PR pro who led client training at Burson Marsteller before going on to found his mobile training business. He's an engaging authority on reputation, training, content and the new world of digital learning.

Mike talks to ex Edelman comms man Nick Barron now deputy CEO at MHP about the changing nature of PR and what it takes to build a successful agency.

In this episode, Mike catches up with friend and former colleague, Neil Hedges, who has been a senior public relations consultant for more than 30 years. Now he's Chairman of Headland - the successful and fast-growing financial and corporate agency. Before Headland, Neil was the CEO and Chairman of Fishburn Hedges, the agency he co-founded in 1990, which became one of the UK's most successful communications firms. Neil is one of the most respected figures in PR. In a frank and broad ranging interview, he gives his perspective on three decades of change in the world of public relations.

Mike speaks to James Gordon-MacIntosh of Hope&Glory PR - a consumer brand and lifestyle agency. What's the meaning of PR? What's the difference really between corporate PR and consumer PR? Which campaigns cut through? It's all here in a fascinating conversation.

In this episode, Mike catches up with Zoe Thorogood - director in the London office of APCO, one of the world's biggest strategic communications consultancies. Zoe has been a special adviser and press advisor to David Cameron. Now she's heading back to the rough and tumble of Westminster as chief of staff in Conservative HQ. Here she reflects on the connected worlds of politics and PR.

In this episode, Mike catches up with Jeremy Bowen, the BBC's Middle East Editor. Jeremy is one of the most experienced and respected news broadcasters in the world. Here, he tells Mike what the ingredients are of a great story, how to balance analysis with human storytelling, the dangers of war reporting and what business leaders and politicians can learn about media interviews and engaging audiences.

In this episode, we get under the skin of 'reputation' with Rupert Younger, co-founder of Finsbury (one of the world's most successful communications agencies) and founder director of Oxford University's Centre for Corporate Reputation. He reveals the 3 drivers of reputation, explains why it's never a singular concept and why it's possible to 'influence' but not to 'manage'. Required listening for anyone in the PR and reputation game.

In this episode Mike Catches up with Narda Shirley, MD of Gong Communications. Mike last encountered Narda almost 20 years ago in the heady days of the Dot Com Boom. Now she's doing something rather different - trying to put purpose into PR.

In this episode Mike Sergeant interviews Guto Harri - former BBC correspondent and communications director. After leaving the BBC, Guto led a brilliant reputational turnaround at News UK after the phone hacking scandal. Then he took another big job at Liberty Global. Here he talks to Mike about storytelling and how to cut through in business.