Salma is a PR professional with 17+ years of experience in proactive PR, media relations, and crisis communications across diverse sectors, including local government, social housing, and social enterprise.
Born to Indian parents in the red rose county that is Lancashire, she was a bookworm growing up and being a writer was her dream.
Graduating in Linguistics with French, she dabbled in being a journo with her fortnightly column ‘Salma says’ in a regional Asian newspaper. She also embraced a short stint as a job centre advisor, which really drove home to her the importance of empathy and kindness.
Salma’s PR career includes managing a busy press office at a northern council, where her work included leading a team advising politicians, managing PR for high-profile events and leading the comms response in the pandemic. She joined Social, a purpose-driven PR agency headquartered in Manchester, in 2021 and was the proud recipient of the Founder’s Award in 2023.
Over the years, Salma has built a reputation for her ability to lead projects and manage crises for clients. Her expertise in crisis comms has seen her advise organisations on high-profile issues including a BBC Panorama investigation and national media interest following an inquest.
Salma is a passionate storyteller and some of the work she is most proud of when she has used the power of film or words to tell the stories of those whose voices often go unheard.
Describe yourself/your background in 5 words max?
Petite Prestonian with Indian provenance
How did you get into PR/communications?
“Salma, unfortunately you haven’t been successful in applying for the job of a media officer…but we see lots of potential in you, and we want to create a job for you!”
And that, readers, is how it all started.
I saw a job working in a comms team for a council. To this day, I remember leaving that interview with the strongest feeling that I wouldn’t get the media officer job which I had applied for, but that something good was going to happen.
My old bosses, Ronnie and Alf, took a punt on me despite my absolute lack of experience in PR and limited understanding of local government.
Serendipity? Whatever it is, I will always be grateful that they took a chance on me.
What do you love about your job?
So let me do this in threes – I love threes!
1. Honestly? What makes my job special is the chance to tell stories that matter and help elevate voices that often go unheard. At Social, I work with clients in housing and care sectors, and some of the people they support have severe mental health issues. I always feel privileged when I’m working on a video/written case study that people trust me with their stories and want to talk to me.
2. I also do enjoy managing a crisis effectively. Sidenote: interestingly, my name Salma has several meanings including safe and peaceful, and when I work with colleagues or clients they often appreciate and comment on my calming presence (Salma by name, Salma by nature?!).
3. Cliché perhaps but true – the absolute variety. One day I’m in the thick of a crisis for one client, but also juggling this with handling media relations for another and writing a case study for a third. Another day I could be out filming or production managing a shoot, and the next day might see me delivering a media 101 workshop or preparing a pitch.
What are you most proud of?
Completing my Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia in 2016 has to be up there. It was hard, humbling, and emotional. A journey I feel privileged to have been on and one I’d make again in a heartbeat. It really helped me to connect on a deeper level to my faith and despite it being many years ago, it is an experience that will live with me forever.
What’s been the hardest lesson to learn?
You can’t control everything. Sometimes you can have it all mapped out, know exactly what you want and where you want to get to, but the universe has other plans. No matter how meticulously you’ve thought everything through, external factors mean some things are just not in your control. Sometimes you just have to take the hit, recognise that you can’t fix it, or make it all better. And be kind to yourself – and let yourself move on.
Who are your favourite people in PR and why?
Zaria Parvez. Senior Global Social Media Manager at Duolingo, her work with Duolingo’s social media has been a masterclass in how to humanise a brand. She grew Duolingo’s TikTok account from 50K followers to 5m in a year. She’s bold, brilliant and brave. Zaria is an absolute inspiration, and her journey gives hope and optimism to other young diverse PR professionals starting their careers.
What skill do you think every PR/comms person has to nail?
Empathy. Empathy. Empathy. Always this. Whether you’re writing a press release, dealing with a crisis, crafting some internal comms – understanding people and their motivations is essential.
What is your favourite social network and why?
Two years ago, I would have said X and whilst I still think X is the place to keep on top of the latest breaking news (albeit you’ve got to sift through a LOT of fake news/porn bots), for me it now has to be the treasure trove that is TikTok – it actually inspired my 60-second pitch for the Xec.!
It makes me laugh and I learn from it – I also very much use it as a search tool. What’s the best niche perfume? Let me check TikTok. Top restaurants in this new place I’m visiting? TikTok. Help, I need to nail a recipe for a bake that I’m struggling with – always, TikTok!
It’s also literally the place for the latest trends and what’s happening culturally. I love that it offers a space for storytelling to everyone, and it can create stars out of everyday people doing everyday things interestingly.
TikTok is very helpful, very thoughtful, very considerate…sorry, I know we’re already over this trend!
What’s your favourite podcast and why?
Truthfully, I’m not a huge podcast listener (more of an audio book fan!) but when I do want a bit of a news digest on a commute, my go-to is The News Agents. The hosts have the ability to break everything down simply and make it interesting. Also, I’m a fan of Lewis Goodall and his entertaining posts on X where he shares messages from his mum. They always make me laugh!
Who is your favourite journalist and why?
It has to be a Palestinian journalist. There are so many I am in awe of and it’s hard to choose. One I particularly admire is Bisan Owda. An activist and filmmaker in her twenties, she has been at the forefront of reporting from Gaza since last October, bringing the stories of Palestinians to a global audience.
Bisan constantly shows bravery amid danger. Her fearless reporting gives a voice to those who are unheard. She has been an informative and trustworthy voice from the ground in a war that has killed more journalists than any other in recent memory.
In September, she deservedly won an Emmy award for her documentary ‘It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive’, produced by Al Jazeera’s AJ+.
Senior executive producer for AJ+ Reports John Lawrence, as he accepted the award on Bisan’s behalf, captured it perfectly when he said: “…this award is testimony to the power of one woman armed only with an iPhone who survived almost a year of bombardment”. I am constantly in awe of her courage.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Trust others. Rewind back many years – I was managing the PR for a festival which I loved, and even though I had meticulously briefed my team, I showed up on my day off. Ostensibly to say hi, but if I was being honest, it was more to keep an eye on things and check everything was going to plan.
A few days later, my manager took me to one side and gave me brutal but fair feedback. I’ll always appreciate her doing that. It taught me that I needed to trust in the abilities of the people around me. Whilst they may not do the job quite like me, that didn’t mean that it wouldn’t get the results.
Biggest PR campaign fail and yay of 2024 so far?
A campaign with impact? Norwich City Football Club nailed this hands down. The film ‘You Are Not Alone’ crafted by the club’s in-house media team was released on World Mental Health Day in October 2023. Storytelling at its finest.
It was shot in a single evening by their videographer in a single location, with minimal resources – two actors, some extras, and a few changes of clothes. The video shows two football fans portraying the subtle, often overlooked, signs of mental health struggles. The gut-wrenching revelation at the end made me and millions worldwide stop in our tracks.
It really opened up the conversation around mental health. In the week of its release, Samaritans cited the film as a factor for 63% of people getting in touch.
As for nay – the Captain Tom Moore Foundation. The feelgood story of lockdown all went a bit sour in 2023. Hannah Ingram-Moore, Captain Tom’s daughter, and her husband had plans to develop a luxury spa in their garden under the foundation’s name.
The public outcry was swift, as many felt it was a gross misuse of funds raised in her father’s name for charity. Despite their insistence that the funds were not misappropriated, the damage was done. A veritable case study in the importance of integrity.
Finally, on the D’ word… What can the sector do to encourage diversity?
Use positive action in recruitment. Offer more genuine opportunities e.g. through internships/apprenticeships. Nurture the career development of diverse professionals so they can become leaders.
Whatever you do, do more than tick a box. Drive change to see change.
Connect with Salma Nakhuda on LinkedIn.
Salma 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.
