Archive for the ‘Ruder Finn people’ Category

In the Ruder Finn UK Corporate and Technology division we love Moo cards and we’ve been blogging about the images we use on the back of ours. Next in line is me.

This shot above is of the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. Hugely controversial at the time - should public money be spent on more worthy causes? - and only open to the public in 2005, it has swiftly become a Portsmouth icon. Like many people I have mixed feelings about the town where I grew up and I guess if I loved it that much I wouldn’t have moved out at the first opportunity. But the Spinnaker Tower does give me a sense of pride about Pompey, with its incredible design and the breath-taking views it provides.

Next up is the obligatory childhood shot. I chose this one because, well, I think I look cool - resplendent in 70s knitwear and rocking my grandad’s hat, quite a look. I particularly like this because I can see the similarities between me and both of my daughters, it is quite uncanny.

This next shot looks about as close to paradise as you can get and the reality was the same. This is Mauritius, one of the most relaxing and beautiful places I have ever been. Its also where I proposed to my wife so its a hugely significant place to me, as well being one of the best holidays I’ve ever had.

This final one is very topical, with England having just beaten Australia in the Lord’s test match. This is my ticket from the final day of the Oval test in 2005, aka the day England finally won the ashes. As a cricket fan during the 80s and 90s I watched England suffer defeat after defeat against Australia, so this win was all the sweeter for the long wait. And the ticket was cheap too - far and away the best tenner I have ever spent!

At our team kick-off team meeting in January, we decided that the pictures on our new Moo cards should be personal to us rather than business focused to reflect the diversity of our team. We were given a pretty open remit, so we wanted to provide a few insights into the snaps that we chose.

A favourite place pic
In 2007, I was lucky enough to spend three months on secondment to our New York office. It was a truly amazing experience both for my career and personally. This was taken from the top of the Rockefeller Centre soon after I arrived. The big apple is definitely one of my favourite places in the world.

Two home pics
Home for me is Southend-on-Sea in Essex. Nick, our Managing Director, doesn’t believe that these snaps are taken on the beach by my house but its true - they are! Now you know why the Eastenders crowd come to Southend for their summer holidays; long sweeping beaches (a few stones and a bit of seaweed never hurt anyone) and a beautiful sunset - all only an hour’s train journey from London. It works for me!

A kid pic
Loving my 80s retro reins and pink jump suit, which I’m sure my mum still has somewhere in the loft. Look at my sticking-out little ears.  I’m still growing into them.

A pet pic
A rather sweet shot of my cat Amanda when she was a little kitten. Her brother Charles wouldn’t sit still for long enough to let me take a picture so he missed out. They are the most ridiculous and spoilt cats in the world.

A fav pic
I am not really known for my photography skills but have always loved this picture. It was taken a few years ago somewhere in Majorca in late March. This was one of the only times that it stopped raining during the week we were there. You can just about see the rain clouds threatening above. I’m a sucker for a sunset.

When we decided to move our business cards to Moo (green) cards earlier this year, we decided rather than a company logo or a set of pictures we all had to adhere too, we’d choose 6 designs each that represented our lives so far.  From baby photos to pets, favourite shots to where we grew up, the team has all selected designs based around their own personal story. Here are mine:

Me aged about 8 and looking cheeky.

A view from the French Alps in Tignes, the place that reminds me of my husband and a place we both love.

Our cat. the first addition to the family, now aged 6 and the size of a small dog.

A Thai fertility shrine off Raileigh beach, where we spent our honeymoon in 2003.

My favourite view - a beach in Cornwall, near Godrevy lighthouse, at sunset.

On a day off, I walked to Loe Bar in Cornwall with my two year old and someone had carefully created a mini Stonehenge on the beach. It was about knee height on my daughter.

I love this shot.

A random collection of shots but explaining them in meetings is always fun!