Ayesha Aslam Faisal

Writer, Editor & Communications Specialist

Professional Experience

As a communications specialist with 18 years of experience, I have expertise in developing, writing, and editing short-form and long-form content for internal and external audiences. I have undertaken a diverse range of writing and editing assignments for development agencies (such as the World Bank and UN Women/Aurat Foundation), government bodies, multinational corporations, start-ups, and established businesses across an array of industries, such as healthcare, public infrastructure, and education.

My communication skills entail producing new content and refining existing written materials for both traditional and digital mediums. This includes writing fresh content and revising copy for websites; creating engaging social media content for platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube; drafting press releases, articles, and interviews for newspapers, and writing and editing printed materials such as annual reports, corporate profiles, research reports, newsletters, marketing brochures, and flyers.

I have also authored five children’s books titled ‘Lost and Found‘; ‘The Mealtime Battle‘; ‘School Rules‘; ‘Brushing Teeth‘ and ‘Going Greener and Cleaner‘ published by Oxford University Press Pakistan, and edited a book titled ‘The Rausing Legacy’ published by the Lahore University of Management Sciences.

Work Experience

Communications Specialist, Freelance
May 2016 – Present​​

– Working as an independent, freelance communications specialist on writing and editing projects (print publications and digital channels) with organizations in a variety of industries including development agencies, healthcare providers, multinational corporations, start-ups, small businesses and advertising agencies.

– Projects include content writing and editing for social media, websites and publications (annual reports, corporate profiles, newsletters, marketing brochures, flyers, posters, fundraising materials); drafting social media communication strategies; book editing, and writing video scripts, blog posts, newspaper articles and press releases.

– Clients include Aga Khan University; Aga Khan University Hospital; Aurat Foundation; Chughtai Lab; Fatima Group, and Infrastructure Development Authority of the Punjab (IDAP), among others

–  Collaborated with a team of graphic designers, videographers, client account managers and digital media executives

Senior Editor, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
​November 2010 – May 2016 

– Hired as Editor in Nov 2010; promoted to Senior Editor in May 2015

– Supervised the Communications Team on the university’s publications projects, press releases, social media and website management (included liaising with social media agency)
– LUMS website content generation e.g. feature stories, news and events coverage
– Editing of monthly newsletters, annual and bi-annual publications e.g. research reports, profile books, alumni magazines and annual reports (including the LUMS Annual Report 2009-10 which received an Honourable Mention in the Annual Reports category at the PR, Marketing and Communications Awards 2011, organised by the Association of Commonwealth Universities)
– Development of promotional materials, including academic programme brochures and flyers
– Writing newspaper advertisements, press releases, scripts for radio advertisements and LUMS promotional video
– Edited a book titled “The Rausing Legacy – 6 Decades of the Rausing Family in Pakistan”
Content Writer, Sofizar
July 2010 – November 2010

– Writing education related articles

Editor, AboutUs.org
November 2007 – June 2010

– Content creation for AboutUs.org (a wiki-based community website with offices in Lahore, Pakistan and Portland, Oregon)

Freelance Writer/Editor
January 2005 – December 2009

– Researched and wrote city guides for an international travel website

– Regular contributor to Pakistan’s Daily Times Sunday magazine
– Wrote articles for Pakistan’s The Friday Times & Dawn newspaper
– Proofread and edited graduate students’ assignments/dissertations
Marketing Officer, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
September 2003 – December 2004​​

– Marketing strategy development and implementation; marketing budget preparation
– Preparation of marketing materials; media planning & newspaper advertising; organization and coordination of LUMS’ events

IT Officer, ICI Pakistan Ltd.
July 2002 – June 2003​

– Part of a large team implementing SAP R/3 at ICI Pakistan; worked in the Sales and Distribution module (Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Agrochemicals, Seeds) during all aspects of the project (blueprint, configuration, training, testing, go-live phases)
– Creation of training manuals in the form of AVI files and text documents; training of end users on SAP Frontend

Education

University of Leicester

​2015 – 2017 

MA in Mass Communication​s

Graduated with Distinction

Lahore University of Management Sciences

1998 – 2002​

BSc (Hon) in Computer Science