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Andy McGrath

Profile

W A N T T O F E A T U R E I N A P R O F I L E ? E M A I L U S A T E D I T O R I A L@ PA L I F E . C O . U K

ou might imagine the job of PA to director of television is a life of glitz and glamour.

And there are certainly elements of that – when Andy arrived at our meeting, he had just come from an event at The Cube, a new landmark restaurant in London, and was waxing lyrical about the incredible taster menu he’d enjoyed. He also revealed other perks of the job include attending events like the National Television Awards and the Brit Awards, along with meeting celebrities, such as the judges of Britain’s Got Talent and The X-Factor.

Down-to-earth, approachable and chatty, he instantly puts you at ease in his company. He talks about the daily nitty-gritty of “managing expenses, making sure the photocopier is working and keeping the stationery cupboard stocked”, and the overwhelming feeling is that Andy is no different from any other PA.

An elusive breed, the male PA must be subject to a range of vastly different experiences. Attitudes must be different, working relationships must be different… everything must be very different.

But it seems this is not the case. His trials and tribulations are the same as those of any other PA As our female readers have mentioned, he knows only too well the complexities of a PA’s relationship with the boss. “Managing someone’s professional life is a responsible role. You’re a constant in their life, and you’re the person they rely on to make it work and make it happen, so they don’t have to think about anything other than

their job. But there is, and has to be, a switch-off point. Otherwise, as much as I love the role, you can be completely consumed by it,” he says.

Perhaps it requires particularly ‘female skills’, accounting for the large number of women in the role? His answer is surprising: he doesn’t think being a PA is either solely a man’s or a woman’s job. He’s confident he has all the skills you might need, saying, “Can a man multi-task? Absolutely! I can multi-task with the best of them,” and proceeds to entertain me by describing the looks on the faces of his colleagues as he talks on the phone, answers his boss and finds information on the computer, all at the same time.

Andy replies: “People expect PAs to be female, and sometimes are quite intrigued to meet a male PA, but I’ve never experienced any negativity, whether over the phone or face to face. If anything, they are pleasantly surprised and quite keen to find out more about you.”

At PA Life, in all our experience, we’ve only ever met a handful of male PAs, but for Andy it's a non-issue. The answer becomes clear when he says: “Secretary has the connotation of a woman sitting at a typewriter and typing all day long. But the role has evolved into so much more – there’s more vibrancy, and a PA can do so many things, and embrace different responsibilities, within the job.”

A PA is not just a glorified secretary – it’s a demanding, fulfilling role that can hold equal appeal to both men and women alike. It seems the times have changed. We just need to catch up.

WHEN ANDY MCGRATH, PA TO DIRECTOR OF TELEVISION AT ITV, SAID HE FELT PA LIFE WAS AIMED SOLELY AT WOMEN (YOU CAN’T BLAME US, THERE ARE A LOT OF YOU LADIES!), OUR INTEREST WAS SPARKED. WE SENT

EMMA COOKE TO MEET HIM, AND SHED SOME LIGHT ON BEING A MALE PA IN A FEMALE-DOMINATED WORLD

JUNE 2008 TO PRESENT

ITVEA to Director of Television

MAY 2008

ITVPA to Director of Factual & Daytime

(temp cover)

AUGUST 2003 TO

MARCH 2008

MUSIC CHOICEEA to CEO

MARCH 2002 TO

AUGUST 2003

THE COCA-COLA COMPANY EA to Director, Global & Key

Customer Marketing

DECEMBER 2001 TO

FEBRUARY 2002

ANCIENT ROOTS LIMITED (Alternative Health Products

Company)PA to joint CEOs

AUGUST 2000 TO

NOVEMBER 2001

MOONFRUIT LIMITED (Web Technology Company)

PA to CEO

JULY 1995 TO JULY 2000

EMBASSY OF IRELANDPA to Embassy Press Officers

CAN A MAN

MULTI-TASK?

ABSOLUTELY!

I CAN MULTI-

TASK WITH

THE BEST OF

THEM

CV

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