Victoria Hartley, former contributing and group editor of Mortgage Solutions, has joined PR and marketing agency Square 1 Media as client services director.
Hartley worked for AE3 Media’s Mortgage Solutions for 14 years, managing the news content, editorial strategy and reporting team. She also presented the company’s events and hosted videos and podcasts discussing developments in the market.
In her time at Mortgage Solutions, the editorial team won 20 industry awards, including Hartley’s two individual best mortgage/trade journalist awards from Headlinemoney and Santander.
Hartley has 24 years of experience in financial journalism and also freelanced at titles such as Which? Money and The Guardian.
She will start her role at Square 1 Media in September and manage existing client relationships, develop internal structures and identify opportunities for existing and new clients.
She will work closely with Paul Hunt, managing director of Square 1 Media, and its directors Alex Hammond, Scott Philipson, and Rob Griffiths.
Hartley’s appointment follows the recruitment of Crofton Bonney as a PR account manager in August. He joined from Foundation Home Loans, where he was a marketing and events executive.
Earlier this year, financial journalist and copywriter John Fitzsimons joined Square 1 Media as client services director.
Hunt said: “Our goal at Square 1 Media is to recruit experienced professionals who have either worked in PR and marketing already, or who have a formidable skill set in related sectors, such as financial journalism. Victoria clearly has the experience, the knowledge, the contacts, and the skills we are looking for, and will be known right across all the sectors we specialise in, particularly the mortgage market.
“We have no doubt she will be both a huge asset to our existing client base, and to the business as a whole, and we’re looking forward to welcoming her to the team as we grow our offering and continue to deliver the best results for our clients.”
Hartley (pictured) added: “I’m really excited to be joining the team at Square 1 Media and can’t wait to get started. The calibre of the personalities involved in the firm with its quality- and relationship-driven approach to PR were my incentive to join this growing firm with an excellent reputation for delivering first-class financial services PR.
“I look forward to building on this and putting my knowledge and strategic experience to good use.”
Shekina is the deputy editor at Mortgage Solutions and commercial editor at Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions. She has nearly eight years of experience in the B2B publishing market, having previously covered the hospitality, retail, pet, accounting and jewellery sectors.
Shekina has worked for Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions for almost five years. Here, she covers the market’s breaking news stories, engages with professionals in the sector, and oversees any commercially agreed content in partnership with mortgage-related companies.
This includes presenting webinars and hosting roundtable discussions on developing themes in the mortgage sector.
She is an NCTJ-trained journalist and was nominated for the Headline Money Awards Mortgage Journalist of the Year in 2021.
In her spare time, Shekina likes to read, travel, listen to music and socialise with friends.
She currently reports on current events in the mortgage market and liaises with financial clients to produce sponsored content.
Follow her on Twitter at @ShekinaMS
