Scottish public relations agency Holyrood PR has bolstered its team with the appointment of respected journalist Laura Sutherland.

The former Daily Record staffer made her name as one half of the paper’s showbiz team, The Razz, where she spent two years interviewing stars and celebrities.

Now she has joined Edinburgh public relations firm Holyrood PR as Account Executive and is taking a leading role on a number of the agency’s consumer-focused clients.

Laura, a journalism graduate from Napier University, grew up in Newport-on-Tay and is a former pupil of Dundee High School.

Public Relations Edinburgh

She spent a number of years in her family’s hairdressing and beauty business, before following a career in the media. After graduating she worked with a press agency and a small PR firm before joining the Daily Record.

The full-time role at Holyrood PR’s Edinburgh base came after a three month contract demonstrated a promising fit.

Laura said: “I’m delighted to be returning to PR. My previous experience was more like dipping a toe in the waters – at Holyrood PR there is no alternative but to dive right in.

“It is a full-throttle place to work and I’ve already learned more in a short space of time than I have in any previous job and there is a lot more feedback.”

As account executive Laura is based at Holyrood PR’s offices in Bonnington, Edinburgh and works across clients including style bar, restaurant and hotel Rick’s, corporate couture expert NKD Clothing, and Vittoria’s family Italian restaurant.

Experts in Digital PR

She added: “I knew from newspapers that the agency is extremely well regarded in the traditional media. What really surprised me was the depth of Holyrood PR’s digital work.

“The clients I am working with give me tremendous scope to be creative. Most have a strong consumer focus and that in itself makes the work really enjoyable.

“But what I get here that I couldn’t get anywhere else is intense exposure to and schooling in website content, online PR and real leading edge digital training in video and audio.”

Since launch in 2002 the Edinburgh agency enjoyed a growing client and media profile, built on the extensive newspaper credentials of founders Scott Douglas and Raymond Notarangelo.

Now it is equally well-known for its digital PR, including online profile enhancement, web news profiling, social network building and creative use of video and audio.

Scott Douglas said: “We’re delighted to have landed someone of Laura’s calibre. She brings bags of experience, good ideas and a perfectionist’s eye and will do very well at Holyrood PR.”

The appointment is the latest bright news for Holyrood PR, which this month earned a nomination for Best Campaign £10k and Under in the CIPR Scotland PRide Awards.

Earlier this year the company also successfully relaunched its website, www.holryoodpr.co.uk to put it on the digital map with its PR photography and PR video services.