People: Net zero specialist in at PR firm; three promotions at Acres Group

Zoe Symonds has joined the net zero division of PR and communications agency, Social, as its plans to investing in a new East Midlands office in 2022.

Symonds joins with over 20 years PR and communications experience. Most of her career has been spent in the financial services sector where she worked in The Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) press office for 12 years focusing on the SME and corporate banking sectors. Since then, she has run her own communications agency and freelanced for several PR agencies working mainly across the financial services and legal sector with a recent increased focus on Net Zero and ESG activity.

Symonds said: “I am very fortunate to be working in a sector that has the world’s attention on it. The UK has set legally binding targets for 2050 to produce net zero emissions and it feels because of the scale of the challenge ahead like the momentum is really building to make significant change. I’m looking forward to working with a variety of clients across the East Midlands and beyond to communicate how research and technologies can truly work in unison for us to achieve greater things in the climate challenge ahead.”

Andy Cameron-Smith, director, Social Net Zero, added: “Zoe has joined at an exciting period as the net zero division now enters its second year. Plans for 2022 include investing in a new office in the East Midlands. This is a strategic move that will see the team located at a university campus at the heart of research and home to technology innovators and institutions. We are engaged in discussions over availability and hope to get this secured in the first half of this year. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to leveraging Zoe’s experience and working with her on the delivery of our strategy for the year ahead across the region and beyond.”

James Bridgett, Steve Taylor-Wilson, Steve Clayton

Nottingham’s Acres Group has promoted a trio of staff.

Steve Taylor-Wilson moves from marketing manager to a new head of marketing role, while architectural technologist James Bridgett is promoted to an associate position, and Steve Clayton will oversee all aspects of the new OMVP division as production manager.

Founder Edward Acres said: “It’s great to recognise and reward the efforts of these three individuals. Since joining the group they have demonstrated a willingness to go above and beyond their roles and their can-do attitude has led to some amazing wins.

“We will continue to grow the business and we want to fill a number of vacancies across the divisions to help us realise our ambitious targets in 2022.

“We’re now in the fortunate position of being able to bring forward and inflate our planned recruitment drive.”