Amandeep started her career in the non-profit sector at Learning to Work, an Education Business Partnership. Working with organisations including Mars, Heathrow, O2 and VMware to develop programmes for students, she was introduced to the comms sector and transitioned into a role in PR.
Amandeep has worked across small, medium and large B2B/C agencies, developing a varied range of skills and experience across her career. Prior to her current position, she played a pivotal role in shaping the team and agency culture at Harvard. Having recently joined Delphi, a strategic comms consultancy helping exec level leaders achieve comms as a competitive advantage, Amandeep is working with the team to grow the company with a relentless focus on hiring the right talent and delivering results for clients.
Amandeep prides herself on driving meaningful activity across her client roster, building trusted relationships with her colleagues and clients, establishing herself as a strong advisor and consistently producing high-quality work across her accounts.
Amandeep also places importance on the role she plays in making the comms sector more accessible and inclusive for people from diverse backgrounds. At Harvard, Amandeep led the agency’s socio-economic pillar, was part of VCCP Business’ race and ethnicity network and led a working group on introducing degree apprenticeships across the agency. Outside of the workplace she is an active ambassador for NoTurningBack 2020. It’s for these reasons she was recognised as PR Week’s 2023 Game Changer of the Year.
Describe yourself/your background in 5 words max?
Somewhat funny ambivert from Slough.
How did you get into PR/communications?
A lot of people say they “just fell into the industry” and as much of a cliché as it is, that’s me. I didn’t know what PR was until I was 23 and I only found out because I was working with CA Technologies on a project with Learning to Work, and the wonderful Rebecca Taylor-Cottle said I might enjoy a career in comms.
I still remember being sat on the floor of the staff room at the school we were based in at the time, with Rebecca on the phone telling me what paid, earned, owned and social media is. And the rest is history (or also described line-by-line on my LinkedIn page).
What do you love about your job?
I’ve had a lot of conversations recently about how PR is a young person’s industry which suggests being treated like an adult should be a given, but that’s not always the case. It can be difficult to establish yourself as credible and trustworthy to both your colleagues and clients if you don’t feel like you have the authority to be in the room.
There is no feeling similar to being given the space and being empowered to make mistakes and learn from yourself and the incredible people around you – so being in a place that enables me to do that is what I love most about my job.
What are you most proud of?
Having the ability to approach my job like a human being, and not a corporate machine. I’m a person first and a PR pro second, and that’s the way it will always be.
What’s been the hardest lesson to learn?
That some people don’t like it when you supposedly blur the boundary between personal and professional of your own accord – they want to dictate the boundary and keep you within its confines as it serves them. But hand in hand I’ve learnt that just because someone is more senior to you it doesn’t mean they’re always right, and that it’s okay to seek advice from friends and colleagues, admitting if you’ve made a mistake or pushing back when you’re within your rights.
Who are your favourite people in PR and why?
My favourite people are my people. Whitney Simon, Maddie Bates-Willis, Simran Lalli, Milly Putt, Puneet Sandhu, Annabel Harper-Fenwick, Immy Tait, Joanna Jones and Dom Connolly. My peers and my mentors who constantly play the role of my sounding board and – through some painful conversations and hilariously brilliant moments – have moulded me into the PR pro I am today.
What skill do you think every PR/comms person has to nail?
Empathy. We’re a people business, so be a person.
What is your favourite social network and why?
Instagram – I love seeing what my fam and pals are up to and sharing my equally exciting (…) updates.
What’s your favourite podcast and why?
Is it embarrassing if I say The Property Podcast? My Dad who was basically telling me to buy my first property as I came out of the womb will be happy at least. I think it’s one of the most useful podcasts out there and it will be playing a vital part in helping me create my property empire (I joke, of course).
Who is your favourite journalist and why?
Allie Nawrat, Chief Reporter at UNLEASH. From her insane work ethic to having shared several, “are we in an alternate reality” moments watching The Backstreet Boys perform at Qualtrics’ tech conference. Allie says it how it is, will tell you (nicely) if your pitch is barking up the wrong tree, produces fantastic and engaging content and is an all-round delight to hang out with.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Don’t forget who made you and remember money isn’t as important as your relationships – say my parents (with my Dad reminding me to get what’s mine salary wise, obviously). As immigrants they are a product of the people who made them, and the balance of humility and self-worth they’ve maintained across the years is the reason for the strong personal and professional relationships they hold today.
This piece of advice rings in my ears constantly and serves as a useful reminder whenever I’m at a crossroads between the conflicting parts of my personality.
Biggest PR campaign fail and yay of 2024 so far?
Barclays’ ‘Make Money Work for You’ has to be my favourite. I’ve quoted the 7-year-olds featured in the advert far too many times to not mention it here. It focuses on the idea that people’s relationships with money are formed at the age of 7, and resonates with me given the financial mentality I’ve been brought up with. I don’t think we talk about our financial wellbeing enough (classic British awkwardness), so I love that Barclays is encouraging us to have these conversations through a hilarious way (please watch the ad if you haven’t seen it already).
And then the worst is going to have to be Bumble’s tone-deaf anti-celibacy campaign. It was disappointing to see ads plastered on the tube about the fear of becoming a nun if you give up on dating, from a brand that is supposed to be empowering women in the dating world. While I understand the logic around injecting humour into what can be a frustrating situation, in my mind there is no way that was ever going to land well.
Finally, on the D’ word… What can the sector do to encourage diversity?
Speaking personally, a lot of South Asian people will be getting pressure from their parents – and themselves – to enter financially viable careers, so people need to know you can earn bank in this industry if you put in the work.
This is why we need to champion senior comms people in their epic roles to show the career progression possible – talking about the cool things that cool people who look like you are up to is crucial and the only way to actually see where you can end up. Not that your parents’ approval is everything, but it makes it easier to have a conversation about not wanting to be a doctor, engineer or lawyer.
Connect with Amandeep Turna on LinkedIn.
Amandeep was awarded a place on The Xec. Leadership Scheme for UK-based Black, Asian, Mixed Race, and Ethnic Minority PR and comms pros. She is part of the class of 2025.