News veteran Celia Hall joins elephant communications

Celia Hall, an award winning former national newspaper journalist and former Medical Editor of The Daily Telegraph has joined new consultancy elephant communications as Consultant Director.

Celia has spent more than 40 years in journalism, including eight years with the Independent, 11 years with The Daily Telegraph, ten with The Birmingham Post and four years in consultancy. Beyond her specialism in health, during her career she has been fully involved in features writing and copy editing, written for national magazines, had spells as a woman's editor and even as an agony aunt.

In joining the elephant team, Celia will support the firm’s creative and insight service offers, which have proved popular in the market and comprise a range of new and vibrant communications consulting services that are purpose built to help clients grow their brands in a changed world.

Celia said: “I had moved on from media and consultancy life last year. Then I saw what elephant was about and wanted to be part of it. I am a big believer in ethical PR and I find the elephant offer original and special. Its ethos and way of working has an originality and excitement that grabbed me immediately. The community investment programme elephant runs has deservedly won the team praise and is work that justly makes everyone involved with elephant proud to call themselves a PR. I am also really excited to join forces with Guy in helping to build something that already has a strong and loyal following.”

Guy Bellamy, Managing Director at elephant commented: “We are thrilled Celia has joined us. She lives and breathes news and is passionately curious in the way she looks at the world, something we rate highly at elephant. First and foremost a veteran from the newsroom, she has the knack of asking the important questions, getting to the heart of the matter, kicking PR jargon out the window and helping people tell complex stories in plain English. Her artistic interests, whether this be the fine art she creates or the amazing jam she makes, also gives her a creative edge that has genuine depth and allure. We are building a business of senior advisers that are known as strong, curious thinkers and Celia brings enormous wisdom, energy and intellect to our client offer. We’re building a different kind of consultancy and that calls for extraordinary people: Celia is just this.”

Commenting on the appointment, David Norman, CEO of TCF Investment said: “As a client I want big brain thinking and experience, with small company nimbleness. The elephant team has put that together brilliantly.”

Client briefs Celia will support include: The Philharmonia Orchestra, HPI Research, Schroders, the AA and international work for Elephant Parade.