Allyson Gaskin an accomplished executive assistant and virtual personal assistant with over 35 years experience of supporting Chairs and Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) of FTSE companies spanning commercial, private and third sector.
I began my career as an in-office PA in London's private sector, culminating my role supporting one of the UK's most prominent businessmen. Serving as Chair of a major FTSE company and advisor to the Prime Minister, this individual played a pivotal role in shaping British business and policy. I held this role for over 16 years, during which time I took maternity leave and began working virtually—a relatively uncommon practice in the early 2000s. Inspired by remote working I decided to transition to full-time remote work and in 2003, I made the bold decision to leave my established position and launch my online services. My reputation and network enabled me to acquire my first client and thereafter my client base rapidly grew. This led to the creation of Online Angel Ltd a company dedicated to providing remote support to clients in the UK and worldwide. One of those clients was the late Dame Helen Alexander whom I supported for 10 years. Helen held several Chair and NED roles, served as the first female President of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), and co-chaired the Hampton-Alexander Review to champion women on boards. She was also involved in the education and non-profit sectors, advocating for education and social causes.
With the help of my experienced Online Angel team we provide expert support to high-profile individuals across diverse professions and industries. With a global reach and no industry, sector, or geographical limitations, Online Angel offers versatile and tailored services to meet each client's unique needs.
What would I bring to your business?
"Ally brings class to the business" - Paul Drechsler, former President, CBI
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My aim is to provide very productive results while delivering value to my clients
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No geographical restriction
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Ability to work with little or no guidance
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Complete flexibility across all time zones
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Flexible working hours according to demand
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Absolute discretion
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No training required
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Decreased operational costs i.e. no office space or employee benefits
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Pay according to requirement
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Speed of work, no office distractions
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Ability to communicate at a high level across a broad section from business, politics and the arts to Government officials
Virtual Assistant support - what do I offer?
A complete support structure ...
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​Diary management
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Travel arrangements / visa applications (for business and personal travel)
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PDF conversions
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Minute taking and transcription
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Psychometric analysis
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Mailouts
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Proficient with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) etc.
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Adept in Xero and Quickbooks
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Website creation
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Recruitment
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IT support
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Finance administration
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Managing personal staff and properties
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Domestic bill paying
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This is only a summary of what I can provide, my client range is wide therefore I have vast experience across many different genres.
Event Management:
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Provide support for events ranging from small leadership team events/ private parties to global attendee events
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Budget planning
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Organise and liaise with suppliers
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Source venue
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Organise on-line invitations
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Manage guest list
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Organise guest travel
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Liaise with speakers
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Arrange food tastings
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Co-ordinate printing of event materials
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Liaise with corporate sponsors
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On-site management and support
Trusted by companies and entrepreneurs
Ally slipped seamlessly into my portfolio life, helping me to prioritise, at a time when I was struggling to make sense of it myself. She helps me navigate between my different roles (and time zones), with good humour and endless patience. Nothing phases her. She is used to connecting with high level people but is equally charming to people from all walks of life. She makes me feel as if I am her only client while I am eternally grateful she fits me in at all.
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Baroness Camilla Cavendish
Harvard University Research Fellow, FT columnist, former head of Number Ten Policy Unit
Since 2008 Ally has been involved in the organisation and management of the Franco-British Colloque of which I was the UK Chair from 2014-2020. The Colloque is a high level conference which brings together representatives from business, finance, public policy and the media at the most senior level. Ally has sole responsibility for all the delegate and speaker arrangements. She handles her role with great poise, energy and care for detail. Ally also manages with great sensitivity our contacts with cabinet ministers and CEOs, whose offices regularly commend the style and efficiency of her work. In addition to the delegate management she also organises the work of the UK Colloque Committee (which makes decisions about the conference agenda and invitees), arranging all our meetings, producing agendas, advance papers and minutes and ensuring effective follow up. Ally’s conscientiousness, capability and unflappable nature is an essential part of what makes each Colloque a great success. I cannot commend her highly enough.
Lord Turner of Ecchinswell, previous UK Chair, Franco-British Colloque
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See Client Testimonial tab for further testimonials
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