Name: Anca Jernigan
Job title & company: Media Relations Executive, AXA UK
Finalist: Young Financial Promoter of the Year
Social: LinkedIn – Anca (Enache) Jernigan
How does it feel to be shortlisted for the 2025 Financial Promoter Awards?
I feel honoured to be shortlisted for the Young Promoter of the Year Award. I’m very proud of myself and the hard work and effort I’ve invested in my career in Public Relations, especially my evolution this year!
However, I do have to admit that it does feel somewhat surreal. I hadn’t fully experienced the impact of imposter syndrome before (or so I thought), as I tend to be my own toughest critic and don’t always take the time to celebrate my achievements. Guess it goes to show that even when others recognise your success, those little doubts can still creep in.
What does this recognition mean to you, your team, and your organisation?
Growing up in a non-English speaking country, I’ve often felt that success in the communications and PR industry looks different to me than it looks to my native peers – I won’t be able to progress as quickly or can’t reach certain levels of seniority. This is something that has been at the back of my mind since I decided to join the industry in the UK.
So, this recognition feels like a validation of the impact I’ve made in my team, at AXA and across the media sector as well. It proves to me, and hopefully to my fellow professionals, that success in the communications industry isn’t a one-size-fits-all and that different cultural backgrounds can add valuable insights and approaches to our work.
It also reinforces the importance of diverse perspectives and experiences across financial services, which also makes it feel like a win for other non-native English-speaking people entering the industry.
What part of your work are you most proud of?
Coming from a fintech background, I hit the ground running working with the AXA UK data and AI team as soon as I joined.
My proudest achievement has been enhancing the visibility and promoting the successes of our data and AI department, while also elevating the profile of our senior stakeholders in this area.
Securing major media opportunities such as interviews in key trades like Computing and Insurance Post and speaking opportunities such as panels at Insurance Innovators and Financial Times Global Insurance Summit has been a powerful way to position AXA and our senior stakeholders as thought leaders in the AI-driven insurance sector.
What was the biggest challenge you faced, and how did you overcome it?
Stakeholder management was my most significant challenge. Balancing the diverse interests of AXA’s senior leaders and helping them understand the importance of PR required clear communication, building trust and managing expectations.
Often senior leaders don’t view PR as a necessary department and minimise our role to just getting some media coverage, when we know we’re doing so much more than that. Our work shapes the organisation’s reputation, builds trust with our customers and other external stakeholders and can influence Government decision-making.
Explaining this to senior leaders who have little experience in communications was a real challenge. I eventually tackled it by fostering collaborative relationships, being proactive in my approach, understanding their priorities and aligning strategies to reflect our shared goals.
How do you see marketing and communications evolving in financial services over the next few years?
I believe AI will revolutionise PR and media relations in financial services.
However, I think the human element will remain vital at least for the foreseeable future.
Authenticity, empathy and nuanced understanding will forever remain essential in building trust, fostering meaningful relationships with audiences and managing the reputation of an organisation.
While AI can enable us to streamline processes like media monitoring and content creation, it cannot fully replicate the human intuition and gut feeling, emotional intelligence and ethical judgement that only we, as people, can bring to the table.
As these technologies evolve, it will be vital to embrace and integrate them into our daily routine to enable us to focus on delivering genuine and impactful communication.
But we need to remember that as more people start utilising AI, they will also learn how to spot inauthenticity more easily, which further highlights the significance of the human component.
If you could give one piece of advice to others entering these awards in the future, what would it be?
Focus on the passion you have for your work and your career and remember that everyone is on their individual journey and has their own goals, circumstances and are facing their own challenges.
Are you excited for the gala in November? What are you most looking forward to?
Absolutely, I’m really looking forward to the gala! I’m most excited about the opportunity to celebrate with my team.
It’s also a great chance to connect with other professionals, exchange LinkedIn profiles and just enjoy the evening together.
Plus, it’s always nice to dress up and have a little fun outside of office hours!
How do you and your team celebrate success (big or small)?
We’re a very tight-knit team and we already spend our lunch break together whenever we’re in the office. We like to celebrate bigger wins by trying out new restaurants – we’re all big foodies!
Are you a finalist and would like to get involved?
Please email Megan McCabe, Marketing Manager, at megan.mccabe@rhoticmedia.com.