This week marks the end of an era for one of our Executive Leadership team, Katherine Diaz, our Chief Financial Officer who retires after a 34-year career in business finance and management.

Katherine has been with Aurora for the last eight years, having previously worked with both Neil and Claire at CPR Worldwide and subsequently Fleishman Hillard. Claire comments: ‘Neil and I have known and worked with Katherine for twenty-two years, which hardly seems possible. We will miss her good sense, wry humour and total professionalism. We all wish Katherine a very long, happy and healthy retirement.’

Neil adds: ‘I met Katherine in the lift coming up for her CPR Worldwide interview all those years ago. She claims my being so friendly swung her decision to join that company. She helped us with the finances of the Aurora business plan. She’s guided and then worked with us. Such wonderful support.’

Katherine and her husband Miguel are planning a big lifestyle change and will be relocating to the Scottish Highlands, where they look forward to a change of pace, lots of fresh air and becoming active members of the community.

Katherine says: ‘It’s been a privilege to have been part of Aurora’s story from the beginning and a pleasure to work with this amazing team for the past eight years. Neil, Claire and I go back a long way and I’ll miss them as friends as well as colleagues. But I’m excited about embarking on my next adventure in the Highlands.’

The team gathered together this week to wish Katherine well with some very well-chosen gifts and thoughtful messages. She will be missed.

The finance team are left in the extremely capable hands of Duncan Lewis who takes over the role of Chief Financial Officer for This is Avalon Group. Duncan was previously at 90TEN for over three years and has held Finance Director, Chief Financial Officer and Financial Controller roles in SMEs and international groups in PR, marcoms, media, publishing, advertising and manufacturing.