Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
In this episode of the PRCA Fuse Podcast, Heather Blundell, UK CEO at Grayling, breaks down how she built a standout career in agency life, while juggling leadership, motherhood, and the fight for real equity at work.
We talk about:
- The meeting she thought would end in being fired… and instead ended with her becoming Managing Director at Weber Shandwick
- Why women often don’t throw their hat in the ring and how to seize rare breakthrough moments
- Moving from Edelman to Weber Shandwick to Ketchum and finally to Grayling as UK CEO
- Modelling motherhood and leadership while living in Manchester and leading from London.
- How Grayling achieved a 0% gender pay gap and 50/50 gender representation at the board and advisory level
- Why diversity of thought, background and experience is now a commercial advantage, not a box‑ticking exercise
- Heather’s biggest piece of advice for people starting out in PR: put your hand up and chase the work others avoid
00:00 – Intro
00:13 – Who is Heather Blundell?
01:55 – From grad at Edelman to CEO in 14 years
03:23 – The “I thought I’d be sacked” meeting that made her MD
06:04 – What senior leaders really saw in her
07:06 – Hustle, new business and surviving today’s pitch landscape
07:40 – Moving to Grayling as UK CEO
08:28 – Why she started by listening, not “fixing”
09:02 – Responsibility, tough quarters and no one coming to save you
10:33 – Knowing when to leave a role (and why people don’t care as much as you think)
12:38 – Leading a London agency while living in Manchester
13:47 – Juggling two young boys, leadership and boundaries
16:02 – Bringing her son into the office and dropping the “perfect leader” act
18:15 – How Grayling got to a 0% gender pay gap
20:39 – Maternity, paternity and why policy equality would transform careers
22:29 – Diversity as a commercial advantage (Birmingham FC, Grindr, Visa, National Grid)
24:09 – Reputation, AI and the 2026 comms landscape
26:43 – What would make 2026 “her year”
27:35 – Heather’s career advice for people starting out in PR
___________________________________________________________
Connect:
LinkedIn: Heather Blundell
Website: grayling.com
______________________________________________________
Follow Adrian Ma on Social Media:
LinkedIn: Adrian Ma - Fanclub PR | Fanclub PR
Website: Fanclub PR
_______________________________________________________
Like and subscribe if you enjoyed this episode!
Podcast Manager and Producer: Ike Mgbenwelu
ike.mgbenwelu@prca.global
LinkedIn: Ike Mgbenwelu
Socials: PRCA_HQ
Disclaimer: Views expressed by the guest are their own and not necessarily endorsed by the Fuse podcast.
In this episode of the PRCA Fuse Podcast, Heather Blundell, UK CEO at Grayling, breaks down how she built a standout career in agency life, while juggling leadership, motherhood, and the fight for real equity at work.
We talk about:
- The meeting she thought would end in being fired… and instead ended with her becoming Managing Director at Weber Shandwick
- Why women often don’t throw their hat in the ring and how to seize rare breakthrough moments
- Moving from Edelman to Weber Shandwick to Ketchum and finally to Grayling as UK CEO
- Modelling motherhood and leadership while living in Manchester and leading from London.
- How Grayling achieved a 0% gender pay gap and 50/50 gender representation at the board and advisory level
- Why diversity of thought, background and experience is now a commercial advantage, not a box‑ticking exercise
- Heather’s biggest piece of advice for people starting out in PR: put your hand up and chase the work others avoid
00:00 – Intro
00:13 – Who is Heather Blundell?
01:55 – From grad at Edelman to CEO in 14 years
03:23 – The “I thought I’d be sacked” meeting that made her MD
06:04 – What senior leaders really saw in her
07:06 – Hustle, new business and surviving today’s pitch landscape
07:40 – Moving to Grayling as UK CEO
08:28 – Why she started by listening, not “fixing”
09:02 – Responsibility, tough quarters and no one coming to save you
10:33 – Knowing when to leave a role (and why people don’t care as much as you think)
12:38 – Leading a London agency while living in Manchester
13:47 – Juggling two young boys, leadership and boundaries
16:02 – Bringing her son into the office and dropping the “perfect leader” act
18:15 – How Grayling got to a 0% gender pay gap
20:39 – Maternity, paternity and why policy equality would transform careers
22:29 – Diversity as a commercial advantage (Birmingham FC, Grindr, Visa, National Grid)
24:09 – Reputation, AI and the 2026 comms landscape
26:43 – What would make 2026 “her year”
27:35 – Heather’s career advice for people starting out in PR
___________________________________________________________
Connect:
LinkedIn: Heather Blundell
Website: grayling.com
______________________________________________________
Follow Adrian Ma on Social Media:
LinkedIn: Adrian Ma - Fanclub PR | Fanclub PR
Website: Fanclub PR
_______________________________________________________
Like and subscribe if you enjoyed this episode!
Podcast Manager and Producer: Ike Mgbenwelu
ike.mgbenwelu@prca.global
LinkedIn: Ike Mgbenwelu
Socials: PRCA_HQ
Disclaimer: Views expressed by the guest are their own and not necessarily endorsed by the Fuse podcast.
