Humans of Berkeley – Alejandro Arango

The idea of the ‘American Dream’ has been subjected to a lot of satire over the years. However, as a Colombian kid who moved alone to the States, worked through the system, started a family, and has had the privilege of leading global PR teams in-house and at leading agencies, I can tell you…there is a great deal of pride in achieving it.

I’ve been working in communications since the very beginning. My dad owned an advertising agency in Bogota, Colombia – where I grew up – and I had my first job there working as an intern. I was in the media department at the time, running errands, planning logistics and organising videotapes and equipment, while agency executives worked with clients and talent shooting TV commercials and recording radio spots. This experience ignited an early passion for the industry.

While I enjoyed advertising, I knew very little about the PR side of communications. Then, as I was looking at what to study in college, I found a PR major at Boston University’s School of Communication. And the rest, as they say, is history.

A passion for PR

Once I started the courses in college, I immediately fell in love with PR. I loved how intricate the process is, and how much of a focus on people, persuasion, perception and shifting public opinion there is in the industry. In advertising you pay for your spot, you put the ad together, and you’re the one telling the world how great your product or service is. But in public relations it is totally different. Sure, you’re still creating an awareness and a perception about a brand, product or person and what they offer, but you have to earn it – you’re working with the media to get them to tell people about you, about your story. You are looking for that extremely valuable third party, objective validation.

After graduating, I was fortunate enough to land a job with an agency in Boston called Brodeur. We did a little bit of everything, but I found myself predominantly working with tech companies, organisations like Fidelity, Philips and Toshiba. I was there for nine years, starting as an intern and working my way up to group manager, giving me the opportunity to see and learn every step of the PR process, and really understand what needed to be done to succeed for our clients.

Following my time with Brodeur and Jeffery Group in Miami, where I focused on Latam communications, I spent 14 years in-house with Kaspersky, starting as a public relations manager and leaving as the global head of public relations. During this time, we took Kaspersky from being known as a Russian-born cybersecurity company to one of the leading voices in cybersecurity around the world. It truly was an amazing experience, working with colleagues from all over the world, and working directly with the CEO.

The biggest challenge, however, was dealing with the company’s heritage and the geopolitics around it. We faced hacks, bans, allegations against the CEO and alleged ties with government organisations. It was difficult, but it taught me a huge amount about crisis comms, strategic media relations, and company positioning.

These experiences, and countless others, have helped me shape and refine my approach to PR and storytelling for Berkeley’s clients.

Challenge vs. opportunity

My life, much like everyone else’s, has been incredibly varied. I’ve travelled, golfed, fished, and sailed my way around the world, hit some incredible professional milestones, but I’ve also failed my fair share of times as well. The most important thing I’ve learned through this is that it is all just a matter of perspective.

We all have challenges in life, and we all go through difficult times. But if you can see those challenges as opportunities then you are heading in the right direction – and there will no doubt be something positive at the end if you really channel that way of thinking.

This is something I live by, and something my wife and I try to instil in our kids. Be grateful for what you have and inject positivity into everything that you do. This reminds me of the popular saying: Good thoughts, good words, good deeds. I just love that and try to live by it.

That, and being present. With the sheer amount of information being thrown at us from all over the place these days, it can be difficult to stay focussed and really pay attention to what matters most. But when you have the opportunity to talk to someone, to have a real conversation, be fully invested in that moment. It will make a big difference for you and the other person.

I am personally immensely grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given, the people I’ve connected with, and the experiences I have had. And I’m incredibly excited to continue this adventure, leading the Berkeley Communications US team as we help our clients navigate the complexities of today’s communication landscape. On we go!

Favourite storyteller? My dad. Pick any subject and he has a story to tell about it. We once spent an afternoon just going through the letters of the alphabet, with him creating a story for each letter.

Karaoke song? Under the Bridge, Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I can hold my own.

Most used app? Instagram.