Independent practice
From the
moment of attention
to the relationship that holds.
I am Sandrine Williams. I work with government, diplomatic and international organisations, NGOs and defence on media relations, narrative and senior engagement. My interest is not the single moment of coverage. It is what comes after it.
Or email me directly: sandrine@signetcommunications.co.uk
- UK, Europe, the US, the UAE and Asia Pacific
- National press secured in The Times and Le Point
- Engagement at ministerial and senior military level
- Currently engaged by a NATO-accredited institution
Four disciplines, one practice
What I do
Media & Press Relations
Earned media strategy and journalist relationships, in place before there is something to say.
Stakeholder & Institutional Engagement
The preparation, introductions and follow-through that turn a first meeting into a lasting relationship.
Narrative & Executive Positioning
Messaging that holds up under scrutiny, and candid counsel on what to leave out.
Events, Conferences & Speaking Platforms
Platform strategy, facilitation and speaker preparation, so the right conversations actually happen.
Four core markets
Who I work with
- Government departments and public bodies
- Diplomatic missions and international organisations
- NGOs and the non-governmental sector
- Defence and defence technology
Government, diplomatic and international organisations, the NGO sector, and defence. The discipline travels, though. If you have a complex message and an audience that matters, I would be glad to hear about it.
Three principles
How I work
Both sides have objectives
An outcome only holds if both are served. Much of my work is finding where a client's ambition and a counterpart's interests genuinely meet. Agreements reached that way outlast the people who made them.
Standing, not headlines
A headline is easy to admire and quick to forget. I build the pathway beneath it: the structure that establishes a client in the mind of their audience as a voice worth returning to.
How it felt is what remains
People rarely retain the detail of what they are told. They retain how the exchange felt, and whether they would take the call again. That is where the difference is made, and it is the door I aim to open for my clients.
De-identified case notes
Selected work
National press for a platform entering a new market
Secured coverage in two national titles for a client whose software had just been adopted by a European armed force, then developed one of those relationships into a live broadcast interview.
A platform in front of 300 senior leaders
Built the sponsorship strategy for a launch at a major international exhibition, securing a speaking slot in front of 300 leaders including serving senior military figures.
Facilitation for an international institution
Currently engaged by a NATO-accredited institution to shape the programme, prepare the speakers and hold the room at a major annual conference.
Brand and engagement in the public and cultural sector
Brand strategy and stakeholder engagement for a London borough's arts programme and a UK university, across partners whose objectives did not initially align.
Much of my work sits where discretion is part of the job, so I do not publish a client list. It is the same care I would take with yours. Ask me in conversation and I will tell you what I can.
About
Signet is the independent practice of Sandrine Williams.
I have spent more than a decade across broadcast media, publishing, education and defence, leading international PR, media relations and senior stakeholder engagement in the UK, Europe, the US, the UAE and Asia Pacific. Most recently I was sole PR and engagement lead for a defence technology company trusted by more than 50 nations. Before that I led a marketing and communications department in the education sector, and I began my career in broadcast media and in diplomatic communications at the Guyanese High Commission.
I am at ease across the room, from flag officers and ministers to journalists and the person managing the schedule. I ask a great many questions, I prepare thoroughly, and I have never seen the value in making anyone feel small.
I am told I am calm in a crisis. I would add that I am candid in one.
In their words
What people say
“She has a natural ability to navigate complex institutional landscapes, confidently engaging with everyone from flag officers and military leadership to corporate CEOs, government officials and international journalists.”
Général (2e section)
“She possesses a rare ability to put people at ease, build confidence, and communicate with clarity, credibility, and purpose.”
President, North America, technology sector
“She brings clarity, judgement and precision to her work, particularly in complex environments where the detail matters and the audience is often highly nuanced.”
Business Development & Strategy, Aerospace & Defence
Contact
Arrange a conversation
If you have something coming up, whether a launch, a conference or a piece of press, I would be glad to hear about it, and to give you a candid view of whether I am the right person for it.
Email me