Philippa Ushio
Managing Director
New York
Philippa Ushio leads teams in developing communications strategies and mounting multi-disciplinary campaigns to protect and enhance business value.
Throughout her career, Philippa has provided strategic counsel to clients facing a wide variety of complex issues, focusing particularly on their communications challenges. She has led a myriad of innovative programs around the world that have advanced the business objectives of clients in many different industries, including financial services and fintech.
Previous client experience includes working with brands such as Advisor Group, Bain Capital, Millennium Trust, Barclays Capital, Tata Chemicals, Slack, HSBC, Umpqua Bank, Credit Suisse, William Blair, Schroders and Investcorp.
Before joining Prosek Partners, Philippa was the founder of Wall & Broadway, a consultancy that specialized in providing strategic communications solutions to fintech startups. She began her career in the Middle East with FTI Consulting where she led communications strategy on the restructuring of the Emirate’s government healthcare funding program while also consulting for Lloyds TSB and the Emirates Group.
Philippa has a postgraduate diploma from Cardiff School of Journalism and a MA from St Andrews University. She lives in New York with her family.
Q & A
What are you most proud of in your public relations career?
Learning about different cultures and assimilating to regional nuances has been the greatest challenge and greatest pleasure of my career. I have also worked on some game- changing programs such as the Dubai Health Authority healthcare funding model, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and Theranos.
Name one thing most people don’t know about you.
I have a bit of an extreme streak…I raced a tuk tuk from Bangladesh to Goa, dug the foundation for bridge in Bolivia, hitch hiked in Malaysia, jumped out of a plane over Mexico, drove solo from CA to NY and have I been diving with great white sharks in South Africa.
How would your mother describe you?
Resilient, passionate and sometimes silly. She would also say I don’t take care of myself well enough.
What are your greatest strengths as a public relations practitioner?
I really listen to clients – I try to put myself in their shoes and think around problems from their perspective.
What is your favorite food?
Soup. I eat it almost every day.
Describe your perfect client?
Fun, fair and forthright.
What three hobbies or activities do you enjoy most?
Skiing, walking and running (usually right behind my 3 yr old)
What’s your favorite part of the workday?
Those coverted moments when an account sings…the team are working well together, the results are coming in and everyone is supporting each other. I love those moments – and fortunately for us, they happen every day.
Who would play you in the movie version of your life?
Christian Bale (he is very versatile and also Welsh).
What is your favorite quote?
“I’m not like a regular mom, I’m a cool mom.” – Mrs George, Mean Girls 2004 and ‘Never coast’ Flywheel, Scarsdale.