Meet our new Account Manager.
Q. Karatepe is an intriguing surname? What’s your heritage?
A. It’s my Turkish dad’s surname. He came to England from Izmir when he was just 15 years-old. In time, he met my half-Italian, half-English mum, whose family comes from Naples. My first name represents a happy compromise.
Q. Share some career highs with us?
A. I’ve worked at agencies, Mission, Sidhu and Simon, Sterling, Snow and Boudoir. I most enjoyed the challenges of helping to foster the campaigns of luxury precision brands, such as: Montblanc, and Officine Panerai, an Italian watch conceived for the Royal Italian Navy during the Second World War. I relished travelling to the ‘SIHH’ (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie), an internationally-revered fine watch trade fair in Geneva. More recently, I helped bring life to Remy Martin’s hugely-successful private members’ club: La Maison Remy Martin. As well as working with Louis XIII on press events and trips to the House of Remy in Cognac.
Louis XIII proved to be the brand that ignited my affection for spirits; as it is a cognac that has an exceptional blend of 1,200 Eaux-de-vie and is aged between 40-100 years, I truly appreciated the brand’s dedication to heritage and craftsmanship. But, never neglecting wine, as I also took WSET qualifications at London Bridge, receiving a Merit for my exertions.
Q. Describe your approach to PR?
A. I always take pride in understanding the passion of the people behind a brand, enjoying learning about their stories – these are what make me fond of PR. It’s a people business, which makes it is very exciting.
Q. Can PR be taught, or is the ability to practice good PR innate?
A. While everyone has their personality and particular approach, there is, nonetheless, a fair amount of admin which I believe, can be taught. However, I do also believe that it is important to have a great deal of passion for the brands that you work with, which is something that you can’t teach someone but a quality everyone has to find in themselves.
Q. Do you prefer coffee or tea?
A. Although my Italian mum drinks no fewer than 10 coffees a day, I was, for the bulk of my life, a tea drinker. However, possibly spurred by those George Clooney ads, I gradually became a Nespresso convert.
Q. And, cats or dogs?
A. Definitely dogs. I have three! A border collie called Guinness, a Chihuahua named Prince and Dolly, who is a white and fluffy Bichon Frisé.
Q. If you had a superpower, what would it be?
A. I wish I could fly to avoid London Transport gridlock and just traffic in general!
Q. What is your all-time favourite cocktail?
A. Easy! An Espresso martini. My favourite place at the moment to drink one is at Hemmingway’s in Wimbledon Village.
Q. How do you keep your cool?
A. I spin a lot in ‘my’ time, which is a good way to let out life’s daily frustrations. And I read. In the past year I’ve read 16 books, from autobiographies including The Vogue Factor to fiction, including Gone Girl. I like Richard & Judy’s summer list. This helps enliven the pendulum swing of long tube journeys from Cockfosters to Parson Green.
Q. What’s your least favourite ingredient?
A. Parsley. It’s just so pointless!
Q. What’s your idea of paradise?
A. The sense of peace I encounter near the ocean.
Q. How has studying journalism at the University of Creative Arts informed your role as a PR?
A. Since the age of 14 I wanted to be a journalist. Having briefly gone down that route, I find I’m able to put a journalist’s cap on when looking at a story, thinking about how a journalist might write it. I also studied Photoshop and InDesign, which helps greatly when laying out invitations, for example.
Q. What do you hope to bring to clients via Clementine Communications?
A. I am efficient, and may be relied on for accurate information while bringing new, creative ideas to the metaphorical table. I bring a good knowledge of the UK market to the role, which helps me to advise on, and ensure that, brands are well-perceived…
