Jessica Kirby

"From being the National Higher Apprentice of the Year in 2013 to winning PR Week's 30 Under 30 in 2016, Jessica has consistently been recognised for her outstanding industry contributions. A finalist for Young Communicator of the Year and winner of The Grocer Top New Talent and PRCA Dare Awards Rising Star of the Year, Jessica has become an inspiration for those working around her as emerging professionals. 

 At the heart of her career trajectory is not just a story of professional accomplishments but evidence of Jessica's unwavering commitment to growth—both as an individual and as a professional. From apprentice to Head of B2B in a span of twelve years – aged just 30, Jessica’s journey is one of resilience, adaptability, and an unyielding pursuit of excellence in communications. 

 Jessica began as a PR apprentice at Cirkle in 2012, deemed a non-traditional entry route for communications at this time. While immersed in the UK’s first PR apprenticeship scheme, Jessica worked across many household brands, including Mr Kipling, Hovis, and Walkers. This baptism of fire, aged just 18, was the beginning of Jessica's love of diving into B2B industries and developing an understanding of how to communicate with different customer audiences. This passion has followed her throughout her career. 

  Jessica rapidly ascended through the ranks, a testament to an innate ability to not only adapt but thrive in the dynamic world of public relations. During the last 12 years, Jessica has proved her ability to manage high-profile campaigns for clients such as Arm, SolarWinds, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, AB InBev, and BayWa r.e – delivering award-winning and commercially-successful results for clients. An example of this is her latest campaign with an animal pharmaceutical company utilising B2B influencers which resulted in a 40% sales uplift. 

In a full circle moment, Jessica returned to Cirkle in 2021 where she now holds the position of Head of B2B, epitomising a true homegrown success story. In this role, she is steering the ship for the B2B division with a strategic vision, elevating the 23-strong team to new heights – doubling the headcount in a year, with a growing client portfolio of highly esteemed businesses including Dyson, Haleon and AkzoNobel’s Dulux. She has increased fee income by 21% in a 12-month period. 

 Beyond the confines of daily professional duties, Jessica has actively contributed to the broader community, exemplified by her role as a Volunteer Committee Member for the Veterinary Marketing Association since July 2023. This commitment to the industry encapsulates Jessica’s holistic approach to professional growth."