Avra Lorrimer listed to PRWeek’s Hall of Femme 2021
We are proud to announce that H+K’s Executive Vice President, New York, Avra Lorrimer, has been listed on PRWeek’s Hall of Femme 2021.
Avra will be celebrated as a Hall of Femme honoree at PRWeek’s Hall of Femme ceremony on Thursday, June 10.
Avra Lorrimer has spent over 20 years at some of the world’s leading agencies with experience in creative brand building, strategic communications, media relations, crisis communications, and corporate communications, earning the merit of being known as a veteran of the industry. Her experience combined with her courageous leadership drives glowing successes wherever she goes and leaves those around her inspired.
Avra began her time at H+K nearly eight years ago when the London agency recruited her to run the Consumer–Packaged Goods team and lead some of the agency’s largest clients, including Procter & Gamble and Ford Motor Company. In search of more opportunities, in 2020 Avra moved to H+K NY to revitalize the flagship office and bring energy, talent, creativity, intellectual capital, and a heartbeat to the U.S and global teams. Driven to bring originality to brands she works with, Avra has crafted award-winning stories for the often ‘undesirable’ products in PR, such as tampons and diapers. She leads the H+K New York office and is the WPP Communications lead for Walgreens Boots Alliance.
Since joining H+K’s NY office, Avra has driven growth, built new capabilities, opened avenues to new opportunities, and encouraged a culture where everyone is recognized, respected, and empowered.
Avra’s most valued accomplishment is, first and foremost, being a mother. Since finishing up higher education, Avra’s passion for learning has continued, having completed Scott Galloway’s Brand Strategy and Ideo’s Design Thinking online courses, and taking post-graduate work at NYU’s Stern School of Business and Sotheby’s Institute. Avra serves as an advisor and board member to The New Nature Foundation, a non-profit focused on conserving wild animals and wild places through education and creative solutions, founded by Avra’s sister. Avra provides recommendations on effective communications to local communities, grant providers, and wider stakeholders such as zoos and conservation organizations.
Avra’s intuition and skills in building brands, as well as her diverse sector experience, allows her to identify key trends and insights in the industry. It was for this reason that she was selected for the UK Superbrands panel for three years running, where she celebrated the country’s most powerful brands.
Avra’s determination to foster positive workplaces shines through her leadership as a co-lead of H+K US’ culture program, focused on building an inclusive environment where employees were encouraged to be brave, creative, and empowered in the workplace culture.
Throughout her tenures at different agencies, Avra noticed that the programs historically benefitted white women and thus began to increase her focus on building genuinely diverse teams. While gathering a first-class team for Walgreens Boots Alliance, Avra concentrated on hiring diverse talent that reflected the customers that Walgreens serves to play a critical role in addressing the vaccine hesitancy amongst the U.S. communities of color. At H+K London, Avra hosted a speaker series based on the premise of “See Her, Be Her” where female leaders were invited to share their stories and their experiences in the industry to raise encouragement and inspire other women.
Whether Avra is speaking to a communications client to elevate their role in the industry, or speaking to marketing colleagues, Avra is a passionate advocate and voice for the importance of communications and its value to business and society. As a communicator, Avra continues to challenge the status quo and make impactful changes. Her history of challenging convention to craft stories where others avoid is inspiring and represented in her award-winning campaigns.