Q&A with Chris Dobson, Group Executive Officer of Mmd, the public affairs and corporate communications consultancy.
Mmd is a corporate, public affairs and public relations agency with offices across Eurasia, Central and Eastern Europe, and South East Europe. Mmd received a Stevie Award for Communications Campaign of the Year in Europe in The 2009 International Business Awards.
 What book are you currently reading?
Madame Bovary  by Gustave Flaubert. It’s been on my reading list for about twenty years. Finally got around to it!
What was the last movie you saw, and would you recommend it?
Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino , and yes, I would, very much so.
What is your favorite sport or hobby?
I love cricket and football (soccer), plus listening to music, reading—nothing too original, I’m afraid…
Who is your favorite historical figure?
A tough one, and depends on my mood and whether we’re talking politics, commerce, or culture. I’ll be non-controversial and plump for Elvis—a trip to Graceland a few years back was a real highlight.
Who is your favorite living person?
Easy: My three-month-old son, William.
If you could choose another profession, what would it be?
Until the last year or two, I’d always wished I’d been a trader in the finance sector. Now I’m not so sure!
What do you think is the worst bad habit to have at work?
At work or anywhere: smoking. And indiscretion.
What quality or qualities do you most value in your business associates?
Indefatigability. (I also like the word…)
Is there anything you'd like to improve about your own work practices?
Plenty, as I’m sure my team would testify. I think maximizing efficiency in time management is an ongoing battle for us all nowadays.
As someone at the top of your profession, what keeps you inspired or makes you hit the ground running in the morning?
I think we all aspire to continue to improve and progress in our careers. I have never sat back and thought I have hit the ‘top,’ whatever that might be. I am driven by a great desire to repay our people and clients for their dedication and loyalty, and to help them achieve their collective and individual goals. My job is challenging but great fun; it’s really as simple—or as complex—as that.
What do you consider has been your greatest achievement in business?
Helping set up and grow the only pan-Central European international PR network in existence, throughout a decade when many others tried and failed. Gosh, that sounds arrogant …
What advice or useful tip would you give to someone who is just starting out in business?
They may be clichés, but I would talk through all the boring virtues such as perseverance, dedication, loyalty, and going that extra mile in all directions and relationships. At the same time, I would be quizzing them about media consumption, lifestyle choices, and consumer behavior. The most fascinating aspect of our industry right now, I feel, is the juxtaposition in patterns of behaviour across different generations. The future of our industry depends on our ability to bridge this gap.
About Chris Dobson:
Chris Dobson has held the COO role at Mmd since 2005. He is responsible for all group operations and performance as well as partner relations and international business development. Dobson entered the world of public relations in the early 1990s, spending his formative career in the London agency world. There, he worked across a varied UK and pan-European client base, with a particular focus on supporting corporate clients entering the UK and European markets.
Dobson joined Mmd’s European operations in 1999 as General Manager of its Hungarian office. During his five years in this role he was a founding member of the Hungarian PR Agency Association. He oversaw the growth of the Hungarian office, helping it develop a clear leadership position in the Hungarian market. He also managed a 30-plus team across a strong and varied Fortune 500 client base and set up the now thriving Hungarian public affairs division. In tandem with his stewardship of the Hungarian office, Dobson played a key role in developing Mmd's organic network of offices in the early part of this decade.
In 2004, Dobson took on a pan-regional role based in Hungary, then in 2005 assumed the full COO role. In early 2007 he re-located to Mmd's largest market, Russia. From there he oversees Mmd's growth and development across its eighteen markets, and also maintains key partner relationships in Brussels, London, and Washington, DC.
Chris has led a number of client relationships at the national, regional, and international level, and across a variety of industry sectors, but with particular focus on financial services and energy. He has also run in-depth PR, media, and crisis training programs—both internal and external—and is a regular speaker at industry events and a contributor to industry journals. His experience spans all countries covered by Mmd, with particular focus of late on Russia and the emerging markets of Central Asia.
About Mmd:
Mmd is the leading public affairs and corporate communications consultancy across Eurasia, Central and Eastern Europe, and South East Europe, with 20 offices across 19 markets. Mmd works with a long list of the leading global companies in areas of considerable corporate sensitivity and in some of the most challenging operating environments of the world.
In the constantly evolving political and business environments of Eurasia and New Europe, Mmd is currently the only consultancy providing this level of service and support through a network of organically developed offices within the region. The company has developed in-depth understanding and expertise across a spectrum of industries including energy and heavy industry, financial services, technology, consumer, and pharmaceutical. Mmd is experienced in the crafting and delivery of both pan-European and global corporate and public affairs campaigns for regionally inspired companies structured across the key corporate centers of Washington D.C., New York, London, and Brussels.
Mmd, part of Huntsworth plc, is to merge with sister companies Trimedia and Grayling to create a new global public relations and public affairs firm, which will carry the Grayling name from January 1st, 2010. The new company will have a global footprint, with 44 key offices across Europe, the USA, and Asia Pacific, and will rank in the top three independent PR firms in the world. For more information go to www.mmdcee.com |
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