Andrew Mccleave
I’VE BEEN working with AE Consulting for a month. Part of the appeal was because I knew I’d be working with Topflight and they are so involved in skiing. I have competed for Ireland in skiing since I was 13.
I started skiing when I was four on a family holiday in Mayr-hofen, Austria. My parents put me in the kindergarten and the instructors noticed I was good. When we came home I started on the dry slope at Kilternan.
Pretty soon I competed whenever I could get time off school. I’ve almost retired from competitive skiing now, but I can’t quite say I’m completely finished. When I saw Shane O’Connor step out on the Olympic team last year, it made me think about giving it one more try. But I’m 28 now and, in ski terms, it’s a little old. Not impossible though.
It’s great to be working with ski clients because I can honestly say I know every single ski resort in Europe first hand. I’ve even skied in Cyprus, which amazes people, but yes, there is a tiny ski resort up a mountain there with one chair lift.
I also get to work with other great clients such as the Irish Tag Rugby Association and Toys 4 Big Boys, so it’s good fun and every day is different.
I get in to work at about 8.45am and spend my morning talking to clients, writing press releases and going to meetings. I bring my lunch in with me because I like to keep fit and it’s healthier this way.
Apart from skiing I love mountain biking and CaniX, which involves tying a bungee harness to my Samoyed Husky dog and running after him up mountains. They are bred to pull sleighs, so they love it.
The thing I love most about skiing is being up off the first lift in the morning and having a mountain to yourself – the silence, the freedom and the fresh air, and the adrenaline.
That said, I only had my first real ski holiday a couple of years ago with my girlfriend. Prior to that I was always training and competing. I even, finally, got to do après ski. It was great.
After lunch I might be preparing a presentation or working on bringing in new business, but every day is different.
No matter how busy or stressful the working week is, I know that come Saturday I’ll be up a mountain somewhere thinking about nothing but the fresh air.
- Andrew McCleave is account director with public relations firm AE Consulting
- In conversation with
Sandra O'Connell