The red thread through a career

Corporate affairs and issue management have been some of the red thread through the career of Michael Patten.

But there were times when life might have been different.  Like been in  Washington DC on 9/11 when he should have been in New York at dinner in a restaurant in one of the Twin Towers.

Coming from a family immersed in media, the creative arts and politics, Sunday lunch in the family home was full of fun and debate which set the tone for his business career..

The conversation in this episode tracks across his career which involved learning about communications, agriculture, food and drink sectors and international business, He began in a relatively small agency specialising in agriculture and moved to high profile corporates working internationally and then to becoming a board member of organisations in the media, forestry, management and state sectors

Michael pivoted through agencies such as Sheedy Communications and Fleishman in Dublin and then in-house with Waterford Foods, Avonmore Foods, Glanbia plc, (twice) and Diageo plc.

Throughout his career he developed interests and accepted challenges at a senior level in reputation management, people management, climate and environmental issues, public affairs, business culture, best practice and purpose.

At one point in the conversation Ellen describes him as a ‘challenge junkie’

You will also hear in this conversation discussions around farmers as great adapters of change, how Irish people integrate so well into international business, particularly in the US and the contribution the Garda Siochana (Irish police) have made to Irish life.

An important career lesson from Michael as someone who has been through a  wide variety of organisations is not to interpret purpose narrowly in the ‘me’, because purpose is more powerful if you make a difference to others.

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