#Newsmaker: Thrishni Subramoney, Flow Communications head of social media

Image supplied: Thrishni Subramoney, head of social media at Flow Communications

We chat with Subramoney to find out more about her new role, what she’s excited about, and some tips for using social media effectively…

Congratulations on your new appointment! How are you feeling about it?

Excited to be starting a new chapter at Flow, and really grateful to be part of a growing, evolving company that’s serious about purpose-driven work.

Tell us a bit about your career background, how did you get to this point?

My background is in journalism. I was a broadcast journalist for more than a decade before joining Flow, first at the SABC and then at East Coast Radio.
Flow Communications was my first step away from journalism, and it’s been a rewarding journey. I’ve been at Flow now for seven years, working as a content specialist, and in the past few years as head of training and social media training.

What will your new role entail?

I’ll be leading Flow’s social media team, helping guide strategy, and consolidating some of the award-winning social media best practices that Flow has become known for, so that we do even better work for our clients.

What do you love most about your work and your industry?

I love that it’s an industry that’s evolving. While the fundamentals of strong, effective communications never change, the tools and platforms do change frequently. I’m endlessly curious, so I find the opportunities and idiosyncrasies of each platform fascinating.

Tell us about some of your biggest career highlights.

The best thing about being part of a company like Flow is having the opportunity to do purpose-driven work. We work with and have worked with, so many worthy organisations that are doing phenomenal work in areas like climate change, healthcare, and social justice.

Career highlights for me: Getting to be part of the team that’s covered the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture for about the past five years now (yes, including the ones with Barack Obama and Bill Gates); and being part of Flow’s Climate 360 conference team last year - a groundbreaking climate change conference that put the spotlight firmly small businesses that are working on the sustainability in truly innovative ways.

What impact would you like to make in the industry, especially now that you are in this new role?

I believe, quite honestly, that humans are at our best as a species when we learn to understand each other and collaborate more effectively - and at the heart of understanding is communication. We need to communicate clearly and with purpose.

When communication is relevant and empathetic, you can do some truly amazing things. Sometimes it feels like this industry plays lip service to story-telling. It’s great to work for an organisation that has an eye toward making those good stories happen.

These are often the foundations, local and international agencies and governments we work for, from the Rockefeller Foundation to the German Information Centre to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the SciBono Discovery Centre. All great examples of groups of people who are involved in a myriad of actions that are improving lives.

What is essential for brands and agencies to stay relevant in the social media landscape, in your opinion?

Keep your eyes open. Be aware of the conversations happening in your space, but don’t be seduced by every new bell and whistle. Keep your strategy front and centre, and that will help you decide if your communications and social media are serving your overall objectives.

How does social media play a role in effective PR strategies?

Speaking as a former journalist myself, social media weighs heavily on the news agenda due to its immediacy. This means that, increasingly, a strong PR strategy works hand-in-hand with a strong social media strategy.