Kirstin MacLeod, MSc Politics & Communication, 2016.
- Programme Studied: MSc Politics & Communication
- Year of graduation: 2016
- Linkedin profile
How was your experience of studying at LSE?
I had a great time at LSE, not least due to the people I was able to meet here. Some of them have become my closest friends and luckily we’ve been able to stay even tough we’re spread all over Europe and the UK. LSE and the course really challenged me to think outside the box. The different backgrounds and nationalities of my fellow students opened my eyes to political and societal challenges and ways of thinking that I would have probably not been exposed to otherwise. I am very grateful that I got to be part of such a driven and unique international community. This experience has strongly influenced my career choices so far.
Tell us about your career journey after graduating.
After graduating I joined the communications advisory firm, Brunswick Group, in Berlin. Brunswick is an international firm with offices worldwide and I was able to work for a wide range of clients across Europe and international teams on corporate and crisis communication, as well as public affairs mandates. After nearly three years on the agency side, I was keen to move into an in-house communications role, which led to me to Airbnb. There, I was responsible for Corporate and Policy Communications in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and Central Eastern Europe for two and a half years. A year ago, I joined Meta to lead Policy Communication for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
What’s the best piece of career advice you have received?
Be open to new ideas and challenges, and trust your gut.
What’s the greatest challenge you had to overcome?
So far, overcoming frustration at work, e.g. when things don’t go the way you planned or when you make mistakes. In my experience, you start growing in your career and life when you get to move past the frustration, don’t give up and try to learn from it - it won’t work every time, but the times it does, you’ll likely learn a lot about your own strengths and weaknesses.
What is your greatest achievement?
While I hope it still lies ahead of me just reflecting on the last few years, I’d probably say it was making it to and graduating from LSE. (Promise, we were not paid to say this!)
What is your fondest memory of your time at LSE?
So many, but especially the afternoon after our last exam comes to mind: Lincoln’s Inn Fields; lots of happy, relieved students and maybe one or two beers…