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Meet Lydia and Ellie – our Winning Minds

Last month’s Winning Minds Award went to both Ellie Hattersley, an NBU stalwart, and the excellent Lydia Richmond who joined us just a few months ago. We sat down with them this week to find out more about their passions, motivations and why a career in PR.  

Why did you pick a career in PR and Communications? 

Lydia Richmond: For me, it comes down to being creative. Comms is incredibly broad and there are many opportunities to get your teeth stuck into – I can spend a day writing copy and the next devising a social media strategy. Very cliché but every day is different, which I love, and definitely keeps it interesting.  

Ellie Hattersley: I went travelling for two years after university and did lots of writing during that time. I tried my hand at everything from freelance travel journalism to copywriting about hardware components, to help subsidise my travel around Australia, SE Asia and Central America. The skills I learned weren’t all that different to what’s expected at a PR agency – communications, working to tight deadlines, balancing a varied workload – so when my friend told me about a job opening here, I decided to apply. And I’m glad I did! I’ve worked here over three years now and still learn so much every week – plus it’s super social, and there’s always a new challenge to sink your teeth into. I also know so much more about how the world works now thanks to the tech experience.   

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you? 

LR: Remember to breathe. Take a step back and think about what value you can bring to the conversation before turning into a key board warrior! 

EH: It’s PR not ER! Back when I was an Account Assistant, I’d have a mini crisis basically on a weekly basis worrying about something that was very inconsequential – now I’ve got a lot more perspective… 

Tell us a bit more about your interests – how would you spend an ideal Saturday afternoon?  

LR: I’d go for a really long walk, hopefully find a pub with a wood fire, and stay there all afternoon. Surrounded by friends and family and good food. 

EH: Probably doing something outdoors, ideally ending with good food and a pub. Even better if it’s somewhere outside the UK, which is much more feasible now restrictions have lifted a bit! 

And what are your hobbies? 

LR: I do triathlons – running, swimming and cycling. I also love open water swimming. I’m actually part of the same triathlon club that Alex Yee (GB silver medallist) came from, and we train at the velodrome in Herne Hill. Being active is important to me – NBU’s netball club was a big attraction!  

EH: Looooads of things – reading, cooking, playing football or netball (fellow Bostock Baller here), climbing, cycling, going to gigs. And going to the pub. Is that a hobby? 

 What’s one thing that people should know about you? 

LR: I’ve watched way too many episodes of the US Office. My lockdown binge watching basically just carried on into this year.    

EH: I’m a big nerd — I find so many things interesting. 

What’s one thing that would surprise people about you? 

LR: I’m a dedicated plant mum. 

EH: I have Grade 8 in piano… don’t often tell people because they always then want me to play something for them and I’ve forgotten it all! 

What makes you a Winning Mind? 

LR: I’m relatively new to NB so it’s incredible to see this culture of people always lifting each other up. I put my hand up a lot and people really notice and acknowledge you. People notice if you try. 

EH: Workaholism (just kidding). Probably commitment and always wanting to make sure what I’m delivering is right for that client. 

Any advice for future Winning Minds contenders? 

LR: Always remember that you’re part of a team, and lean into that!  

EH: There’s no set formula – every client’s needs are different. But I would say: don’t just do the same thing because it’s what we’ve done before. There’s always room to do something different or something better – change is a good thing! And Winning Minds doesn’t always have to be about what you do, it can be the attitude that you bring. Working in NB is all about not just working with brilliant people, it’s people you really enjoy being with. 

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News

Does every business need a social purpose?

People with banners protest as part of a climate change march

What has soap got to do with self-confidence? Or fizzy drinks got to do with the black rights movement? Almost every big brand today has begun campaigning to become associated with something beyond what they ‘do’. Whether it’s Skittles associating itself with Pride, or Starbucks with the refugee crisis, every big brand worth their salt now seems to have a social purpose. But why?

Woking up

Good marketing should always reflect the target audience, but traditionally businesses have tended to focus on how their product fulfils their customers’ needs or desires. Our product is thirst-quenching, or it will help you do something faster, or it’ll save you money.

Until now, that approach has been aligned with the values of our society. You want something? You have it! Cheaper, faster and shinier than ever before! As L’Oreal’s slogan goes, you’re worth it.

But something has been happening lately. Perhaps it was the sight of Australia literally on fire, or the cumulative outrage of another death by police brutality, or the global pandemic giving us a very real glimpse of death. Or all of them altogether. But it’s as if we collectively all had a long look at ourselves.

Climate destruction, racism, sexism and homophobia have been happening for a very long time, but in just the last couple of years, it’s like we all experienced a kind of moral awakening and decided that we really need to do something about it.

And something is happening with businesses too. Instead of competing on price, or features, or the quality of customer experience, brands are increasingly adopting another paradigm. Instead of saying to customers: we’ve got what you want, they’re saying, we’re aligned with your values. We are, ‘a bit of you’.

Have businesses simply undergone the same moral awakening? Are we seeing a new era of responsible businesses? Or is this simply a clumsy attempt to hitch onto the next ‘big thing’? Even worse, is it a way for big corporates who often exacerbate these issues, to exploit opportunities to make even more money.

What’s difficult about this question is that it’s often your customers who make a conclusion on your behalf, which is why it’s so important to get it right.

Nailing it vs getting nailed

In 2010, Dove launched its Be Real body confidence campaign. Today, it’s still lauded as one of the most successful marketing campaigns ever. There are a few things it did really well. Firstly, it was first. Dove was one of the leading brands to try this kind of social purpose campaign. But not everybody can win that race.

The second thing they did really well – in combination – is tuning in to something that their target audience felt very strongly about: that they were constantly being berated by society about how they look and sold products to make them meet draconian modern ideals.

The third and fourth thing were the most important though. Dove had a completely relevant stake in the market, because they sold ‘beauty’ and body products, so they could easily be seen as part of the problem. But also, their message ostensibly went in the face of the commercial agenda: We’re not going to neg you to get you to buy stuff, Dove said. And everywhere, women said, aww that’s nice, how refreshing.

Fast forward to 2017 and Pepsi launching their advert about Black Lives Matter, judged as one of the most unsuccessful social purpose campaigns ever. It didn’t just flop, it went down in flames, breathed by millions of infuriated consumers.

That advert looked like the work of the most ham-fisted, insincere marketing initiative. Surely – it seemed like Pepsi were saying – 1 Major Gen Z Insta Influencer (insert any) + This Popular Social Cause (insert any) + Our Product Placement = Instant Success?

Is it worth it?

Marketing Week recently posted an article from Byron Sharp, a marketing professor, suggesting that social purpose is a kind of by-product of a confidence crisis in marketers. That we feel like we have to elevate our work above selling product, to give ourselves a sense of pride in our work. His conclusion seems to be: We should just stick to what we do best – sell stuff and take pride in doing that well; stop wading into all this social purpose stuff.

But social purpose can be successful, it’s just probably not for everybody. Nor should it be, because not every brand can truly say that a social purpose comes naturally to their brand. And that’s really the bottom line: as Kantar says in its recent media trends report, “the raison d’être of brands like Patagonia, Veja and The Beauty Counter is intrinsic, whereas campaigns from other companies might be perceived as opportunistic or insincere.”

The challenge that many brands face, is that they become so big that they feel obliged to have a brand position on major global trends. In support of the Black Lives Matter, for example, Netflix tweeted: “to be silent is to be complicit”, summing up both the societal sentiment and the position that many of the world’s biggest companies are in.

However, most companies are not considered so big or so influential on our daily lives and culture, that their stance on all societal trends are relevant and necessary. For most brands, only certain domains will be of relevance.

While there is no winning formula, here are some considerations for every brand to consider:

  • Check yourself – Good intentions from a marketing team alone are not enough to ensure success; a social cause must be embodied by your whole organisation and seem natural to an outside audience. Before you consider a social purpose campaign, ask the question – what are our credentials for having a voice on this topic?
  • Be consistent – Much like a puppy isn’t just for Christmas, a social purpose isn’t just for Pride week. Nothing screams insincere like ringing up a campaigner once a year to see if you can grasp a share in their cultural capital; or whacking on the LGBT flag on your logo and nothing else. If you support a cause, go all in and make it your concern 365 days a year.
  • Be prepared for stick – Consumers don’t like brands wading into the things they care about, particularly when they don’t think you deserve to be there. Be prepared to be criticised and take a genuine interest in whether that criticism is merited. Be prepared to eat humble pie if you were wrong. 
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“Christmas now, pay later”

Woman doing online shopping at Christmas: she is sitting on the sofa at home, connecting with her laptop and holding a credit card, Christmas tree in the background

Would you eat a turkey in December and pay for it in the New Year? With the rise of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), this is likely to be the first Christmas paid for by instalments!

2021 has been a phenomenal year for BNPL. It has accelerated into our lives faster than you might have imagined, and is set to make its mark this Christmas. In fact, 42% of US shoppers plan to use BNPL during the festive period, rising to 60% of Millennials – according to NB client GoCardless.

As fintech continues to innovate, it really doesn’t get much more exciting than BNPL. Just look at the stats. Brits will be spending close to £40bn a year by 2026 with BNPL (Juniper Research). Over half of the biggest fashion, baby and child, and homeware retailers offer at least one BNPL scheme, according to Which? While, from an industry perspective, Zilch has just become the fastest European fintech ever, according to Sifted. 

While the promises of BNPL are enormous, we can’t get carried away. Scare stories and stark warnings are everywhere. Regulation from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is looming and will likely land in the next few years. The core comms challenge facing the market may be large, but not insurmountable. It is important to build credibility, familiarity and understanding. To act responsibly. Look after your customers and they will continue to trust you, retailers and ecommerce players will buy you; and regulators will (in time) treat you fairly.

BNPL is set to be the story of Christmas 2021; with more merchants offering flexible payments than ever before. This “Christmas now, pay later” moment is a great opportunity, not only for record sales, but to consolidate and grow the industry’s reputation. If BNPL players deliver a good, safe and responsible Christmas, we’ve hit another major milestone for innovation in payments. And that is the best gift of all.

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Case studies News

Business travel: do we still need it?

Last week, one of our colleagues went to Lisbon, for a client event at WebSummit. Everyone was giddy. Abroad? On a plane?! It’s like you’re in Mad Men! We’ve spent so long inside our own houses that going abroad still seems wild, even more so if it’s for work.

After a year of broadcasted events and Teams calls, many organisations have found the transition surprisingly successful, despite being cut off from real-life interaction. With such good evidence, will business leaders be able to justify that business travel is needed to meet targets?

Meanwhile, it’s more than ROI we need to think about; more fundamental questions are at stake. Following COP26, the UK treasury has said that firms will now have to demonstrate their plans to achieve net zero when it comes to carbon emissions[1]. Given that plane travel is listed as the number one emissions offender, international travel has started to look like an elephant in the room.

So, do we really need to travel for business anymore?

Boom and bust

The key driver behind business travel is usually to allow in-person interaction. Face-to-face hobnobbing – whether it’s sales meetings, pitches, events or networking – have always been viewed as a crucial part of successful business; a not-so-secret component to how relationships have been forged, and deals struck.

The media world in particular has held a reputation for putting face-to-face relationship-building at the heart of the business model. As Absolutely Fabulous captured so well, this was typically done via long lunches curtesy of the company credit card.

Journalists and PRs alike lament the decline an era when businesses regularly flew cohorts of journalists (and accompanying PR execs) out on business-class, all-expenses-paid jaunts, all in the name of top tier coverage.

This is the hangover from a long period of boom where there seemed to be far less scrutiny than there is today over outgoings, expenses and ROI. Bill Bryson recalled working at The Times in the 1980s: “Overmanning and slack output were prodigious…To say that Fleet Street in the 1980s was out of control barely hints at the scale of the matters. The National Graphic Association, the printer’s union, decided how many people were needed on each paper (hundreds and hundreds)…Managements didn’t even know how many they employed. I have before me a headline from December 1985 saying: ‘Auditors find 300 extra printing staff at Telegraph’. That is to say, the Telegraph was paying salaries to 300 people who actually didn’t work there.”

This era of free-and-easy spending has long been in decline for a number of reasons. Firstly, there’s a lot less money sloshing around in the economy following the financial crash. Even before the pandemic, businesses and agencies needed to provide a robust business case for any expenditure like business travel and client entertainment.

Technology also played a part in the decline; it had begun to provide more creative ways to communicate with business contacts. Why travel to Birmingham for a customer meeting when you can video call? Why run an event in Spain when the whole thing can be broadcast online?

From an agency perspective, it’s become a lot harder to get journalists out of the office. Publishers are short staffed and struggling to get by; an afternoon out of the office needs to be worth it.

The new normal

2020 really expedited this trend. Global business travel expenses contracted by 52% in the face of lockdowns and ongoing restrictions. Yet, despite no face-to-face meetings or events taking place, the world continued to turn – we simply went online. So, in the aftermath of Covid-19, it’ll be harder than ever to justify expense to finance departments.

Meanwhile, many of us have got used to working from home, spending less time in the city and becoming less available – or indeed willing – to travel to meet others. People don’t want to do their old commute anymore, let alone haul themselves to another city for a coffee with a customer in the name of relationship maintenance. In fact, in a recent piece of research by McKinsey, only 15% of B2Bs expect in-person sales meetings to be the norm going forward.

But that doesn’t mean that it’s over. McKinsey finds that firms think that sales reps have more confidence in a hybrid approach which doesn’t always default to one way or the other: “83 percent of B2B leaders believe that omnichannel selling is a more successful way to prospect and secure new business than traditional, “face-to-face only” sales approaches.”

Considering sustainability

Beyond just budget cutting and cultural change, sustainability is another powerful argument against business travel. Sustainability has become front and centre of discussions about corporate responsibility over the last couple of years. It’s not really good enough to say you ‘recycle (where possible)’ anymore.

It’s not just that the government is going to be scrutinising businesses, but it’s customers too. The last few years have seen a huge surge in interest, concern and activism around the impact we’re having on the planet. People simply don’t like buying from, or working with anyone who looks like ‘the bad guys’ anymore, so a lot of big brands are under pressure to demonstrate that they don’t fall in that camp.

IRL connecting

So, if there are 101 reasons to quit business travel, why is this even a discussion? Why are agencies still encouraging PRs to take journalists and clients out? Why do over 90% of businesses still expect in-person sales meetings and customer events to return – at some level – by Q1 2022?

The truth is, not everything can be replicated through even the best video calls. IRL bonding has a hugely important role to play in business. As every agency worker can tell you, you can make more headway in bonding with your client from two hours in the pub, than you can make in two years of emails.

People simply don’t behave the same way when they’re presenting themselves on camera as they do when they’re really spending time with someone. For a start, people are less guarded, more likely to say something ‘off-script’ which can tell you a lot more about them.

But also, we shouldn’t try and get away from the fact that we’re not really logical creatures. A lot of our decisions (even big financial ones) are not really based on the facts, but a deeper ‘gut sense’ that comes from how we feel. And face-to-face interactions are important to creating those lasting attachments.

So, what does this mean for responsible businesses? Like all sensible strategies, it involves balance. The era of throwing the credit card at customer and client entertainment might be dead. That’s probably a good thing for companies’ financial outlook, as well as for reducing unnecessary carbon emissions. But that doesn’t mean we should wave goodbye to face-to-face. We’re not all robots yet and strategic relationship building is so important, but maybe those crucial bonding conversations can happen in a pub a tube ride away instead of on a golf course in California.

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News

Buy-Now-Pay-Later’s reputation is on the line…and ‘cool’ influencers aren’t the answer

Barclaycard launched a new TV campaign last week which mocks ‘cool’ Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) players like Klarna. Partnering with pop queen Grace Jones, the campaign tagline reads “Why does everything have to be cool these days?”

And you probably know exactly what they’re talking about. Klarna has enlisted a slew of celebrities including Snoop Dogg and A$AP Rocky to promote its BNPL service. It’s a marketing strategy that’s helped Klarna become the most famous BNPL brand around. As the space heats up and consumer awareness builds, great PR and marketing has been essential for providers with near-identical offerings to differentiate.

It’s clear that Barclaycard is positioning itself as the safer BNPL option; as a traditional player that consumers know and trust. In the ad, Grace insists she doesn’t want her payment solution to be cool, but rather offer protection and help build her credit score. And with regulated banks like Monzo and big names like MasterCard entering the race, we can expect to see this tactic grow.

It’s a well-timed campaign.

Unregulated BNPL schemes were coming under fire again last week, with reports of UK consumers racking up to £4bn in debt so far this year. It’s clear that BNPL players like Klarna and AfterPay are facing a much bigger PR problem: how to win over the regulators. The challenge now is proving they can protect customers and ensure risks are communicated clearly. This is most likely a key reason behind Klarna’s launch of a Pay Now feature last week that encourages users to pay in full immediately if they can.

The BNPL market has a long way to go to shirk its unwanted image as, what Labour MP Stella Creasy calls the “next Wonga waiting to happen.”  Established and trusted brands like Barclaycard and MasterCard joining the race have a head start. What they lack in ‘cool’, they certainly make up for in inherent confidence among both consumers and regulators.

As the saying goes, trust takes years to build and seconds to break.

How can BNPL players boost credibility?

It’s about acknowledging the risks and taking responsibility. There have been oversights and failings in how unregulated BNPL services have been marketed to consumers. Clearly stating the risks is an obvious first step to get the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on side well ahead of expected regulation in the next few years.

Brands must build confidence for the industry. It’s the responsibility of ALL players, from Klarna and Barclaycard to Openpay and AfterPay, to encourage healthy spending and to strive for more transparency across the board. After all, the reputation – and therefore success – of the BNPL industry is in the balance.

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#Cybersecmonth – it’s noisy out there, but is anybody listening?

We often talk about “finding a hook”. Something that will make a story feel really timely and relevant to the audience – and therefore be widely seen and shared. #Cybersecmonth is a campaign run by the EU (and US Government in tandem) in October to raise awareness of cybersecurity threats and how people can protect against them. This timebound event gives companies the opportunity to ride on the coattails of the EU’s initiatives and get in front of the swathes of audiences who are now tuned in to cybersecurity content. But are people really listening?

We took a look at the data to see what’s happening.

There is a lot of noise on social – but unfortunately it’s almost entirely one way

#cybersecmonth is busy with mentions alongside campaigns and news from brands in the space. From traditional cybersecurity companies to big tech behemoths like Siemens and IBM, it’s clear all are looking to educate and inform to help promote the good fight. And at first glance it looks like the campaign is achieving cut-through, however dig a little deeper and comments and shares are few and far between. The target audience might be seeing the content, but they aren’t engaging with it.

The only posts that generated more than 25 likes for this year’s campaign were from the EU itself around its #thinkb4Uclick campaign. The picture is the same in the US, where the Government’s #BeCyberSmart campaign has received little engagement beyond their official posts.

Journalists are saturated with cybersecurity news and content

A meme tells a thousand words. Danny Palmer (senior ZDNet reporter) drew inspiration from Game of Thrones White Walkers to describe his experience:

It’s reflective, however, of how many security and tech journos are feeling this month. Overwhelmed, fatigued and ultimately switched off to the noise. To them, it’s likely none of this is new, it just makes it harder for them to dig out the real ‘news’ landing during the month of October!

News coverage of the event is low

It’s hardly surprising that journalist fatigue is reflected in the media coverage numbers. There were only 468 English-language mentions of Cybersecurity Month, mostly within the US media. Coverage centres on announcements from the US Government, which made significant promises to address the urgent threat after the reality of the likes of the Colonial Pipeline hack. Real news.

The overall picture for #cybersecmonth may not look brilliant. But for the EU and US Governments, it serves as a focal point in the year to get some positive initiatives out to the public and hopefully prove cybersecurity is a growing threat that is being taken seriously. Even if engagement is low now, the tips and advice content will live on well beyond the end of October. Anything that helps educate people around how to stay safe is a worthy and worthwhile initiative without question.

For cybersecurity companies though, it’s no time to jump on the bandwagon without real news that will get you the cut-through you’re looking for. While education is one thing, our analysis shows that your £s and $s may be better spent elsewhere this month – delivering more airtime and differentiated storytelling.

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News

What does ‘Innovation’ mean to you?

We turned the camera on our team to find out what they’re most excited about when it comes to technology and innovation.

This is clearly a passion point for us. We love to tell stories about innovation but also look for ways to innovate from within. Look out for more from us on this subject.

What does innovation mean to you? Let us know by commenting on: LinkedIn, instagram or Twitter.

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Nelson Bostock – our story

Today we launched a new face for Nelson Bostock, bringing together the agency, team, clients and our work in a way that allows us proudly to tell you more about the impact we’re making in the world.

When Roger Nelson and Martin Bostock set up the agency back in 1987, they intended to generate pitch perfect PR work for clients, but also to build a business where employees felt valued and respected – and had fun. The duo first met in El Vino, the media haunt on Fleet Street. Martin was serving, Roger was drinking. Armed with a shared vision, Amstrad word processor and fax machine they set to work in an attic on the Portobello Road. Among their very first clients were Toshiba, American Express and Sega!

Martin Bostock and Roger Nelson, circa 1987

Nelson Bostock has grown through understanding and innovation to meet our clients’ needs, but the values they instilled remain true to this day. We are ambitious, honest, open, proud and creative. Their focus on the ‘work’ and on the well-being of all employees is still what makes Nelson Bostock thrive today.

For over 30 years we’ve brought life to our clients’ innovations. From printers to robots, desktops to wearables, SaaS to AI, we’ve built tech leaders. A few highlights:

  • 30+ years with Toshiba – one of Roger and Martin’s first ever clients, we supported the brand with their famous ad campaign in the 80s ‘hello Tosh, gotta Toshiba’. Today our work is integrated – spanning PR, social and content marketing
  • 20+ years with Canon – from running the celebrated ‘The Other Side of the Lens’ campaign in 2003 which launched an online gallery of exhibition pictures taken for charity by celebrities, including Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie and Kate Moss. Through to developing an industry-first in-housing model to deliver PR and content marketing across EMEA in a truly integrated way with the client team
  • 10+ years with EE – from launching the brand into the market to drone racing around Wembley and, of course, being the first to launch 5G in the UK
  • 5+ years with Twilio – establishing the cloud communications leader in the UK market and evolving its user base – from developers to CIOs
  • 5+ years with BT – fielding press office enquiries, communicating the rebrand and promoting their important digital skills support during the pandemic
  • 4+ years with Google Cloud – bringing technology stories to the market through product innovation and customer storytelling, such as their work with ZSL
  • 3+ years with GoCardless – announcing 2 rounds of funding and taking this brilliant business to “nearly Unicorn” status

Ben Smith at PR Moment recently described us as “the quiet man of tech PR”. And perhaps that is true. We are always inclined to shout about others before ourselves. But, at the same time, we’re very proud of our work and our incredible clients. So, please take a closer look. We are not so quiet any more.

The Nelson Bostock Team today
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5 minutes with Stefan Chilingirov

Stefan joined Nelson Bostock as an Account Assistant just one month ago and he’s already scooped a Winning Mind Award! Let’s find out more about the face behind the accolade.

Why a career in PR and Communications?

It’s actually something that I fell into by chance after studying journalism. I’m very creative and I knew I wanted to write, but not as a journalist. I like the organisational side of PR and I’m very curious! Tech PR combines lots of what I like into one job.

Tell us a bit about your background and how you came to join Nelson Bostock

I grew up in Bulgaria and first heard about NB two years ago, when I moved to the UK. I had such a lovely experience interviewing – it was like relaxing and speaking to friends. I decided to take an offer elsewhere – and then detour for a year to do a Masters in Marketing – but NB always stayed with me. I graduated my Masters during the pandemic and had no idea how tough the job market would be. I love tech, so was excited to grab an internship at Voi Technology. When the contract was coming to an end I noticed a role was open at NB and it felt serendipitous. I even got the offer the day after my birthday. Totally meant to be!

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?

Whilst in the States more than 10 years ago as an English language student at Juilliard, I was speaking to one of the teachers. Her advice was taken from a beautiful song by Bjork:

“You can find love and happiness all around you.”

So if you don’t like what you see, turn your perspective to another side and explore what’s there to find the positives.

Tell us a bit more about your interests – how do you spend a Saturday afternoon?

I’m so happy that lockdown is over – I love London and there is so much to explore. You’ll most likely find me at a show. I love musicals. Anything very art-related; cinema, theatre,…

What’s one thing that people should know about you?

People struggle to put me in a box. I love tech, science and space, but also love musical theatre.

What’s one thing that would surprise people about you?

I don’t like travelling that much! When I travel it’s usually for really big trips like my travels to China and Pakistan as a journalism student.

What makes you a Winning Mind?

While I won the award as an individual for my enthusiasm and proactivity, I don’t take it as a personal achievement. You can’t be a winning mind if you can’t collaborate. It’s the people around you that raise you up and inspire you to be the best you can be. Working with passionate people, those who are friendly and open is really what makes me a winning mind.

Any advice for future Winning Minds contenders?

The biggest rewards are the ones that come very naturally. Don’t set a goal to win an award – focus on the work you’re doing for other people.

The Winning Minds Award is given each month to the Bostocker who has most clearly embodied our values – open, honest, ambitious, proud and creative.

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The impact of ransomware on critical infrastructure drives bold commitments during #Cybersecmonth

Here at Nelson Bostock, we’re talking cybersecurity week in, week out thanks to our mix of clients that tap into this sector. So, it doesn’t take Cybersecurity Awareness Month for us to indulge in the latest news, but it has been a particularly interesting few weeks in terms of industry news.

The US initially took the lead with some bold commitments

Biden’s administration took the lead early in the month by announcing a range of measures to help bolster the U.S. governments’ understanding of the ransomware threat and how cybercriminal enterprises operate.

In fact, he set his stall out early, by kicking-off Cybersecurity Awareness Month with an official statement on Oct 1st that outlined his commitment to “strengthening our cybersecurity by hardening our critical infrastructure against cyberattacks, disrupting ransomware networks, working to establish and promote clear rules of the road for all nations in cyberspace, and making clear we will hold accountable those that threaten our security.” What followed was a series of specific commitments against this pledge.

First off, a new law was proposed to compel U.S. businesses to disclose any ransomware payments made in the event of a cyberattack within 48hrs of the transaction taking place.

Following that, the Transportation Security Administration made a commitment to introduce regulations to compel high risk railroad and airport operators to improve their cybersecurity procedures by naming a chief cyber official, commit to disclosing attacks and ensure draft recovery plans are in place if an attack occurs.

And finally, it was the announced that Biden has committed to setting up a National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team to crack down on the misuse of digital currencies, an act that feels directly related to the severity of the DarkSide ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline in May, which shut down the major U.S. fuel pipeline that supplies an estimated 45% of diesel, gasoline and jet fuel to the East Coast, for several days.

I’m sure there is more to come before the month is out.

According to the recently launched CB Insights Cyber Defenders 2021 report, the U.S. is also leading the way when it comes to creating a healthy business environment for cybersecurity companies to thrive. CB Insights estimate that 75% of the 2021 Cyber Defenders are headquartered in the US — mostly in California.

U.S. and UK appear unified around Ransomware

It’s not just the U.S. that is concerned about the impact of cybercrime, specifically ransomware attacks, to impact critical infrastructure and cause real damage. Just this week Lindy Cameron, the head of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), spoke at Chatham House’s Cyber 2021 Conference and in her speech, she claimed ransomware and Covid-related cybercrime to be one of the ‘biggest threats to UK security’, adding that cyberattacks linked to the Covid-19 pandemic were also likely to be prevalent for many years to come.

Echoing the narrative that it doesn’t pay to pay, she set out a clear warning to companies in the UK that there is no guarantee that paying a ransom will result in cybercriminals returning encrypted files or sensitive data and in fact, paying ransoms has the potential to embolden these criminal groups.

Something our client, Sophos, has been saying for a long time. Earlier this year, we launched the findings of Sophos’ 2021 State of Ransomware report, which revealed that of the companies that paid the ransom, on average, only 65% if their data was recovered. In fact, only 8% of companies managed to recover all their data, and 29% recovered less than half. One you’ve paid, you still have all the remediation work to address the damage of the attack and the associated disruption to the business to deal with.

We’re speaking to press every couple of days supporting Sophos’ mission to regularly engage with and add value to the security community, feeding journalists the highlights from SophosLabs to ensure business can stay protected against the latest threats and one thing is clear, Cybersecurity Awareness Month or not, ransomware is the biggest topic in the industry right now and has relevancy for every business.

Lindy Cameron’s call for businesses to be prepared, to build cyber resilience and make cybersecurity a board-level issue, has to resonate. Summarising her first year in the role, she states that “the vast majority […] of these high-profile cyber incidents can be prevented by following actionable steps that dramatically improve an organisations’ cyber resilience.”

Her revelation that many firms still have no incident response plans or processes in place to test their cyber defences, after the eventful year we’ve had, is hopefully the wake-up call those trailing behind need. With all the advice flying around from cybersecurity companies this month, let’s hope some of it sticks!