Do Communicate was established in 2000 by Debbie Owen, an experienced CSI and communications practitioner, who decided to embrace the world of self-employment after more than 15 years in the corporate and media sector.
Debbie, a former editor of specialist/trade magazines, has since used her extensive PR, media, publishing and communication experience, as well a track record in the Corporate Social Investment and NGO field, to assist organisations large and small.
Currently working full-time for the award-winning Simon’s Town School’s Lawhill Maritime Centre (www.lawhill.org), Debbie continues to provide select communications services to the maritime industry on an ad-hoc/part-time basis, in partnership with various full-time communications, PR and social media professionals.
In 2015 Debbie was one of two South Africans selected as a Maritime Ambassador for the UN’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO). She is also a winner of publishing awards.
Debbie Owen’s past working experience includes:
• Global Media Manager, PR and International Communications Manager for Safmarine, international shipping company;
• PR Manager: Africa for Iridium Africa, satellite phone company (media liaison in 52 African countries);
• Editor: Three specialist magazines - George Warman Publications (George Warman Publications is now part of Primedia). One of her magazines won her an editing award from the Specialist Press Association, whilst another magazine was Highly Commended;
• Editorial Manager for Industrial Newsmen, a specialist PR Consultancy; and
• Editorial Assistant for Cannon Publications, publisher of specialist magazines.
Do Communicate's career highlights:
• Liaising with media in over 40 countries, including several African countries. Predominantly liaised with 300+ journalists in the USA, U.K., Africa, India and the Middle East for more than a decade - from 2002 -2014.
• Gaining extensive experience in crisis communications and communications relating to change management
• Conceptualising, editing and producing the Safmarine Navigator magazine, a 40 page quarterly magazine, distributed globally (1998 – 2014).
• Conceptualising and launching an online Safmarine Media Centre (2008).
• Promoting Safmarine CSI projects, particularly the flagship STS Lawhill Maritime Centre programme and other programmes in the award-winning Containers–In-The-Community initiative which was launched in 1992.
• Conceptualising and managing the 2006 visit of Danish pro-cycling Team, Team CSC (Computer Sciences Corporation) to South Africa to create brand and media awareness for CSC in South Africa and development cycling in SA. Team CSC subsequently used its 2007/2008 Tour de France as a fundraiser for the Velokhaya Life Cycling Academy – www.velokhaya.com. (Team CSC won the Tour de France in 2007).
• Conceptualising the Velokhaya brand in 2006 and establishing its first website and social media channels as well as funding an internship/mentoring position for one Academy member (Shaun Doch).
• Negotiating the filming of a 30 minute Velokhaya/ African Voices program by CNN (Nov 2013).
Before founding Do Communicate, Debbie Owen’s career highlights included:
• Spearheading the development of Safmarine global marketing materials following merger with Belgian shipping line, CMBT, in 1996.
• Conceptualising and launching Navigator magazine to support integration of CMBT and formation of Safmarine Container Lines.
• Managing the global Safmarine 50th anniversary branding programme and global events.
• Initiating a successful partnership with the Red Cross Society of S.A. (included a fundraising campaign with the SA Red Cross Society with President Nelson Mandela as patron).
• Assisting with the development of the first Safmarine website in 1996 – one of the first South African companies to establish an online presence.
• Providing global change management communications’ support for the Safmarine/AP Maersk integration in 1999 and the Safmarine/CBMT integration in 1996.
• Winning the Specialist Press Association (SPA) award (September 89) for journalistic excellence (LMS - Laboratory Marketing Spectrum magazine).