A Birmingham PR agency has unveiled a new-look leadership team which has seen its first ever employee become a director and the founder's husband join the firm.
Sophie Drake is now deputy managing director of city centre-based Story Comms, having been recruited by founder and managing director Amanda Lowe in 2015 after studying a communications and media studies degree at Birmingham City University.
In her new role, she will take ownership of the firm's client service, standards and growth.
The management board has also welcomed Tom Lowe as chief operating officer. He was most recently an editor with the ITV News team in Birmingham and has more than 20 years of experience in broadcast news to boost Story Comms' video and content services.
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He will also lead the firm's operations as it looks for expansion opportunities. The agency's clients include National Highways, housebuilders Berkeley and Spitfire Homes and financial services giant EY.
Mrs Lowe, who launched the business in 2014, said: "Story has evolved at speed over the last two years - it's been quite the ride.
"While a definite challenge, covid put a rocket on many of our plans for new services and growth. We've buckled down, put in the work, invested in our team and now we're ready to go.
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"Sophie and Tom both have a passion for storytelling done right and an ability to make the seemingly impossible happen. I'm excited for them to make their mark and help take Story to the next level."
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Ms Drake said: "The last few years have made the human aspect of comms and strong storytelling more important. We've never been more confident in our proposition. This next bit is where things get really tasty and I can't wait."
Mr Lowe added: "The ability to tell a story in a way that makes people feel something is increasingly rare.
"I know firsthand from being on the other side as a journalist that Story Comms does that and I'm looking forward to working with the team to build the agency's DNA into a broader range of services."
Experienced industry veteran Stephen Waddington has been a non-executive director of the firm since summer 2020 and will remain in situ on the new-look board, working as a consultant on innovation and growth matters.