Gillian has over 15 years’ experience working in corporate communications, including six years as a broadcast media spokesperson. Her expertise includes messaging and strategy, campaign planning, integrated communications, spokesperson training and crisis and issues management.

Before joining Sermelo Gillian led the ABTA (The Travel Association) media team for six years. During this time Gillian acted as a media spokesperson for ABTA managing the industry’s response to crises including the Tunisia terror attacks, the Arab Spring revolutions and numerous health and safety incidents affecting British holidaymakers and travel companies. She conducted over 100 TV and radio interviews including BBC Breakfast, Sky News and the Today programme. She helped develop the communications strategy for high profile campaigns including A Fair Tax on Flying, which successfully lobbied for a reduction in Air Passenger Duty and the Stop Sickness Scams campaign, which called on the Government to clamp down on bogus holiday illness claims.

Prior to ABTA Gillian worked in leading consultancies Burson-Marsteller and Freud Communications providing communications advice and support to companies such as Accenture, SAP, Shell, Tiger Woods Dubai, PepsiCo, Eurostar and Swiss International Air Lines. Her industry experience spans travel, technology, food and drink, property and energy.

Having worked in-house Gillian understands the needs and demands of in-house communications teams and uses that experience to provide practical and insightful guidance to clients. She uses her first-hand experience of dealing with high profile crises and issues to help clients prepare for and manage crisis situations.

Gillian has a degree in Philosophy and Literature from Warwick University and an MA in Media Production from Royal Holloway. Gillian is married with two young children, she loves to travel and enjoys running, gardening and pilates