Strive Notes

I mentioned in my earlier post about how speakers shouldn’t try to avoid having reporter in the room, because anyone in the audience could be a citizen journalists.  So just to prove the point, I thought I’d write about Daniel Pruce who spoke at the Manx Euroclub meeting last evening. 

Daniel is the head of the Economic and Central Europe Group in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.  He’s done stints in the PMO press office and in the UK’s permanent represenation to the EU in Brussels. 

Word has it that he wouldn’t be interviewed by Manx Radio before the event and asked there not be any recording equipment in the room during his presentation.  He didn’t ask if there were any bloggers in the room though!

Anyway I don’t know why he is so shy about it. He is a great performer and authoritative speaker, and he didn’t say anything too controversial, I thought. Maybe it’s just because he got his fingers burnt when he was seconded to the PMOs press office and he got caught trying to spin the WMD controversy. Probably. 

But for 60 minutes last night he held the room’s attention with an entertaining presentation about current EU issues, the UK’s position within the EU and Europe’s role on the world stage.  Clearly Daniel is expert in his subject.  And, he did an excellent job fielding some pretty tough questions and cynical comments from the floor.  I thought about asking him much he enjoyed his time in the PMO, but it seemed…well rude.  It was a great evening out. 

Other Strive Notes about the Isle of Man Euroclub you might enjoy include:

• Caroline Jackson answers the questions
• Up close and personal explores the benefits of networking

Filed under: public relations