Staff Q&A: A brief encounter with Judith Doherty

Here at CDS, we’re incredibly proud of our 170-strong team – after all, they’re the ones who make all the comms magic happen.

That’s why, each month, we’re giving our blog readers the chance to get to know each member of the CDS family, in our employee Q&A series.

Next up in the hot seat, it’s account director, Judith Doherty. With just 10 minutes on the clock, let’s go…

1. Sum up your role at CDS in one sentence:

Helping to grow the SimpleUsability business by supporting existing clients as well as introducing new ones.

2. What’s your favourite thing about your job?

I love getting to grips with our clients’ business challenges, which are pretty much all focused on either fixing, avoiding or accomplishing something. Unravelling those challenges and proposing a solution is something I never tire of.

3. How did you become an Account Director? (i.e. past jobs, the route taken to CDS)

I’ve spent my working life in agencies — from a Leeds-based PR group to London advertising organisations, and then back to Leeds working in retail and digital. I love the diversity – different clients, different teams, and keeping one step ahead of the market.

4. What drew you towards choosing CDS as an employer?

I’d really enjoyed meeting the CDS group in recent years while partnering on projects and pitches. When SimpleUsability was acquired by CDS, I jumped at the chance to become a permanent member of the team.

5. Describe the CDS ethos in just three words:

Commitment, integrity, passion.

6. What’s been your favourite project so far and why?

That’s a really difficult question – there are so many to choose from. I’ve really enjoyed getting more involved in the inclusivity and accessibility conversation and helping clients to understand the value of making their digital products and services accessible to all.

7. And, which brand would you love to work on a comms project with?

Hyperloop — working with uber-smart people on a market-creating product that is genuinely transformative.

8. Complete this sentence: For businesses, employing an effective communications strategy means…

Really grasping what their customers want. Deep customer understanding is the most significant step you can take to making your product or service successful — despite what Henry Ford said!

9. For a bit of fun, if CDS were a variety of biscuit, which would it be and why?

A Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer – substantial and multi-layered once you take off the wrapper.

10. Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to your 10-year-old self, what would it be?

Enjoy every minute — even those currently spent eating hideous school lunches of fish fingers, lumpy mash, and tinned tomatoes — because life really does go faster as you get older!