8 Jul 2014

New community, new city and new job!

Dear readers, hope you have enjoyed my last post - a quite long one - resulting from my enthusiasm about the creation of a new area within Public Relations, which should consider the extremely important variable of culture. Therefore, why not institutionalise InterCultural PR in the Academia as well in the practitioners world? I really do not see any reason why not!

But today I have some great news... One week ago, on July 1st 2014, I have started my new role as Community Manager and moved to Amsterdam to work at UBM Live - a division of UBM. In this very exciting position I will be in charge for managing the online communications of the Pharma portfolio of digital services & events.



After a very warm welcome given by Liz Wakefield, Rhylie Luan Weir and an amazing team of intelligent, good will and moody colleagues from all around the world, I felt comfortable to do what I like most: communicate. If I mention communication, I think it is always interesting to dig a bit into things' history, in this particular case, of the etimology of the word "communication".



Can you see how much sense it makes, specially on today's globalised sharing digital society? I do. A lot. Communication is about sharing perspectives, of explaining your ideas in a understandable way. Communication is key to avoid conflict and essential to solve. I believe that what cannot be solved with Communication, dialogue, be a chat or a negotiation, cannot be solved at all.

On top of that idea, I remember Marshall McLuhan, one of my literary mentors, when predicted the world we live in today with his concept of "a global village" - a place where people would be able to communicate as in a village without concern to geographical position. McLuhan predictions were made in the 1960's, a way before IBM launched personal computers (PCs) and decades before the WWW became popular and internet became part of a considerable part of Earth's inhabitants.

Internet has always fascinated me. Communication and technology. What a great combination. Unifying cultures through the power of dialogue, of sharing perspectives and being able to analyse different paradigms, different ways of seeing and experiencing life. Cultural studies teach us that much of one culture is hidden to oneself and that at the same time culture will exert great influence over individuals' communication behaviour.



That is why after conducting my Master's studies with focus on Intercultural Communication, PR skills and Digital Communications allied with around 7 years professional experience in a diversity of communication-related jobs ranging from foreign correspondent for several magazines (USA, UK, China) and media relations at the #WCFDavos, [loads of] academic and market research, intercultural induction sessions, photography coordinator - I am, indeed, very excited about this brand new position of Community Manager which I have just started to work as, being the very first person to occupy such role at UBM Live.

I like challenge. I know it is going to be one. Integrate different cultures on a mutual level of understanding is not an easy task. CPhI Worldwide, #CPhIWW, one of the largest events on the planet, is one of the events organised by UBM Live Pharma Portfolio, it gathers 2,200 exhibitors and more than 35,000 visitors. This year edition will take place from 6-9 October in Paris, France.

UBM Amsterdam is located in Toren A (the middle tower) with amazing views
You can have an idea of the complexity of the communication process and have an idea of the multitude of cultures that I will have to interact with. But I am up to do it. I want to do it. I am an Intercultural PR enthusiast and completely passionate about communication. I will do it. With the collaboration of an amazing team of talented professionals that I have found there, I do believe we will do great things together.

Another great thing is to be back to Amsterdam and now to live as local is like a dream that comes true. I have been coming to Amsterdam since 2006 when I was a student in Lyon, France, and decided to backpack in the Netherlands having the chance to visit at that time not only A'dam but also Den Haag, Noordwijk and Leiden.


I felt in love with this city and the country when I first stepped my feet here the first time and now I come to live and do what I like best. Then, I came back for my Master's and was luck enough to live two amazing years in Groningen - dankjewel allemal in het leuke en mooie stad!!! :-)

Groningen, jij bent in mijn hart!

I will keep you posted! - but for that, you need to keep an eye here too!! ;-)

Check out my Twitter account and my Facebook fanpage. Please do not hesitate to share comments about my ideas, the main "idea" here is to "share" - that is the real meaning of communication!



Muito obrigado, meus queridos amados pais, irmão Daniel & Borboletinha, e todos os amigos (a família que a gente escolhe) por toda torcida, suporte e principalmente pelo AMOR! Paz, luz e alto astral :-)))
~ and keep on smiling :-)

2 comments:

  1. Excellent post Flavio! Cross-cultural communication is key in a large organisation like UBM and especially with the complex communities we serve. Your expertise will be very needed. Look forward to working with you! Kevin

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    1. Uaww Kevin... Please accept my apologies for my late reply.. Thank you very much for your kind words and eagerness to cooperate in the same direction.. I am very happy of being working with you guys and think we will accomplish great things together!!

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