In this episode John Saunders talks to Jim and Ellen about his fascinating career which moved from being a well known radio sports presenter and public announcer at international football games in Ireland to leading the US based Fleishman Hilliard, one of the world’s largest PR and communication agencies.
At age 14 John Saunders set up his own sports newspaper, in his late teens he became the public address announcer for Ireland’s most successful football club, Shamrock Rovers as well as at Irish international football games. He also became a household name presenting sports news on RTE the national Irish broadcaster.
Every morning for five years he presented a morning slot on radio with such regularity that many Irish people their set morning schedule on his opening words.
His love of sport and his tenacity led him to engage with Anheuser-Busch, owners of Budweiser Beer and Fleishman Hilliard when the Budweiser sponsorship of the Irish Derby at the Curragh Racecource was announced.
At that stage he had moved from RTE and was in the PR/Communications world with a small agency. He describes how through months of constant engagement he eventually took over the Budweiser Irish Derby PR and communications, one of the biggest sponsorship deals in Ireland at the time.
This work led to Fleishman Hilliard entering the Irish marked in a joint venture as Fleishman Hilliard Saunders. Eventually John became the major shareholder in the company which was acquired by the Omnicom Media Group as part of an international deal.
His career with Fleshman Hillard flourished from MD of the Irish office to head of regional offices, global CEO and now global Chair.
Not only does this entertaining episode deal with his career but it also covers Irish-US relations, being a Grand Marshal at one of the largest St Patrick's Day Parade in the US, speaking at international events, dealing with tech and industry changes and his acknowledgement of the many Irish and US leaders who provide support and friendship throughout his career.
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