Hello from good old England!
As spring arrived in full bloom, the 31-member strong YAP Global team gathered from all over the world for our fourth annual offsite. This year’s destination was the wild and wonderful Port Lympne Reserve in Kent, where we spent four days immersed in nature; learning about communication, creative thinking, and how to make AI a collaborative superpower.
And of course, a lot of wisdom was gleaned — not just from the workshops organised by the more seasoned Yappers, but also from the animal communities we had the pleasure of observing and interacting with.
Our Goals
With so many fresh faces this year from across our hubs in London, New York, Singapore and Cape Town this offsite was the perfect chance for everyone to meet in person after months of virtual collaboration:
Our goals were set and accordingly, we charted a path to achieve them, these included:
- Strategise and Set Goals for 2025/26
- Grow and Build Team Culture
- Refine Quality Standards
While the Going’s Good
The weather gods were definitely on our side, and we were blessed with some of the sunniest, most un-British days. Each morning we woke up to gorgeous blue skies, lounging capybaras and a full English breakfast.
In the evenings, we enjoyed incredible three-course meals in a charming English mansion. The surroundings were breathtaking, the food delicious, and the company even better. A few of us even got to flex our astronomy skills, managing to spot the Big Dipper, Taurus, Cancer, and Hercules under clear, starlit skies that often evade us in the city.
Workshops
This was my first offsite as an Account Executive (AE) and also my first opportunity to meet and interact with a lot of the team in person! Being able to learn and grasp from all my teammates and their diverse experiences was definitely one of the highlights, and I feel like I came back with so many easy ways to do my job better and add value!
It would take forever if I went into details about all the workshops, but here are a few highlights, which summarise everything:
Brainstorming:
Led by Chris Fay (Associate Director, Head of PR and Communications)
Chris encouraged us to think beyond the expected! Challenging us to find unorthodox news hooks that would attract mainstream audiences. Through team activities (including a penguin dance!), we brainstormed fresh campaign ideas that balanced boldness with strategy. Some were a little out there, but plenty were easily actionable ideas that could be pitched to clients.
Personal Branding:
Led by Trisha Goswami (Marketing Manager)
Trisha shared marketing alpha and actionable tips on how to start building a personal brand without it becoming overwhelming. We explored brand archetypes, mapped our own personas, and learnt how to leave a digital footprint we wouldn’t regret.
Implementing AI into Your Workflows:
Led by Andrew Wickerson (Account Manager)
This session opened our eyes to alternatives beyond ChatGPT, especially Claude and showed us how to use AI collaboratively, not as a replacement but as a tool to enhance the work we do. Andy’s shared prompts were incredibly useful! He gave us tutorials on how to use AI to brainstorm new pitch angles, assist with writing and support with business proposals.
Plotting the Communication Chart at YAP:
Led by Imogen Searra (Senior Account Manager) and Tiffany Mac Sherry (Account Manager)
Through fun mnemonics, Imo and Tiff took us through easy ways to practice one of overcommunication. We learned how they structure our days, keep track of priorities, and stay aligned across projects.
My highlight would be incomplete without the team-building activity organised in collaboration with Bite. Split into teams of six, we tackled a challenge that tested everything from communication to power tool skills.
The goal was to create complex toys to encourage problem-solving among the howler monkeys. The best part was that we got to watch the monkeys try out what we built! Seeing them interact with what we built together as a team was extremely rewarding!
The workshops were especially valuable for me as an AE! They were incredibly relevant to the responsibilities and tasks I handle and grounded in actual practical advice. I learned how to prioritise better, work more seamlessly across different time zones, and build genuine relationships with both clients and journalists. The sessions also gave me a fresh perspective on using tools like AI to enhance my work, and how to think more creatively.
Awards Ceremony
While it is true that everyone is a winner, we made space during our hog roast dinner for a YAP Awards ceremony, team members who embodied our five core values: Care, Excellence, Integrity, Adding Value, and Elevate were recognised for going the extra mile.
It was inspiring to see people get recognised for the extra effort they put in — whether by supporting teammates, taking initiative, or simply going above and beyond.
Right, That’s Us Then
Even though I haven’t been at YAP for long, this offsite was the perfect way to feel more connected, not just to my teammates, but also to the company’s mission and culture.
It’s easy to get comfortable with the convenience of remote work and forget how powerful in-person connection can be. But after four days of real-life collaboration, shared meals, stargazing, and a whole lot of laughter, it became clear just how much face time matters. We left Port Lympne with tighter workflows, stronger bonds, and a fresh appreciation for what it means to be part of a truly global team.This offsite was about learning how to work smarter, communicate better, and grow together.
Most importantly, it reminded us why we do what we do—We tell stories, build trust.
