FREELANCE PR CONSULTANCY
BIEN MEDIA
Working with clients in the property and mortgage industries to maximise their media exposure and build their brands.
Melanie Bien, Director
Melanie is an award-winning PR, author, former journalist and ex-personal finance editor of The Independent on Sunday. She founded boutique public relations consultancy Bien Media in 2012 after a decade working as a financial and property journalist, followed by five years as head of media relations at Savills Private Finance (now SPF Private Clients).
She has featured in The Telegraph’s Property Power List of the 25 most influential people in British property. She won Press Spokesperson of the Year twice in a row at the British Mortgage Awards and Best Mortgage PR at the Headline Money Awards. She is CeMAP-qualified and a judge for The Negotiator awards.
Melanie is the author of four For Dummies books – Renting out your property for dummies; Buying and selling a home for dummies; Buying a home on a budget for dummies; and Sorting out your finances for dummies.
Testimonials
“A consummate professional, Mel picks things up very quickly and delivers what is needed on time with minimum fuss. I have worked with her for 25 years, initially in her role as editor of The Independent on Sunday money section, and her move to the ‘dark’ side when she became a PR and started working with us, has been met with unrivalled success. She remains an absolute pleasure to work alongside.”
Mark Harris
Chief Executive, SPF Private Clients
"Around a decade ago, Mel agreed to act as our PR consultant, formulating our responses to property stories and arranging TV, radio and other media appearances.
She never fails to amaze with her multiple industry connections, as well as energy and enthusiasm to achieve the best possible outcomes for our business. Mel invariably finds a different angle on a story and always tries to ensure our comments gain attention in a highly-competitive marketplace."
Jeremy Leaf
Principal, Jeremy Leaf & Co
“Mel has been a valuable contact since I began more consistently writing about the mortgage and property markets in early 2022. She has a wide range of useful clients who consistently provide insightful commentary and stories on mortgages, commercial and residential property, and even investing oversea. They help with analysis and figures and can help explain complicated concepts – not least the Swap market, how rates are moving and what that means. She is consistently responsive and quick with client commentary, and appreciates how journalists are often working to tight deadlines which were commissioned at very short notice.”
George Nixon
Senior Money Reporter, The Sunday Times
"Having worked as a journalist and editor herself, Mel always delivers what I need from her clients in super-quick time and never misses a deadline. She is extremely well-connected and the ultimate PR professional who is a pleasure to work with."