Manchester Airport's high-flying press and public relations chief is taking off for a senior role at a north west pharmaceutical giant.

Sally Sykes, who was named PR professional of the year at the IPR North West Cream Awards in 2001, will begin a new role as communications director for the drugs giant AstraZeneca in April.

She will lead a team of eight people working at the company's base in Alderley Park, Cheshire.

She said: ''I have always seen myself as being a communications director at some stage of my career and this was an opportunity not to be missed.

''I have really enjoyed my time at the airport. It has been a big learning experience.''

Sally, 39, from Altrincham, has been heading up Manchester Airport's press and public relations department for five years.

In her wider work, Sally is a leading student mentor and a former examiner for the University of Central Lancashire's public relations degree course.

She holds a masters in public relations and a degree in English and has previously worked with pharmaceutical companies, including Ciba Geigy.

Awards

In addition to being named PR professional of the year in 2001, Manchester Airport's in-house team also won the IPR North West Cream Awards prize for best in-house campaign for its work in launching the second runway.

She said: ''The second runway was a big challenge. On the day evictions started there were 165 journalists and 120 protestors at the airport. It was certainly very interesting.

''At one point there were 1,000 stories worldwide about the airport's second runway.

''One of the things that we always held fast to during the campaign were the economic benefits of the second runway.''

Sally Sykes joined Manchester Airport from Littlewoods' Liverpool-based Home Shopping Division.

She played a major role in smoothing construction of the airport's second runway, as well as overseeing media relations, internal communications, and education and arts sponsorship programmes.

Sally added: ''My role at AstraZeneca will be all about emphasising the massive amount of intellectual investment that the company has made in the north west and forging links with the community.

''It will be about making sure policy makers and regional bodies understand the amount of good work that is done there.''

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