Can someone call Osher please? We’ve got a love story here that could rival any season of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette.
Vanessa Menser, friend of and contributor to The Water Cooler. Some call her the ratings queen, some call her a beacon of knowledge, and some just call her Ness.
Regardless, Ness has just returned to the office after four weeks of romance and every single beach along the East coast of Australia where she got engaged to her Serbian prince.
She sat down with the Editor of The Water Cooler over a very expensive bottle of Dom Perignon and a vegetarian charcuterie board to give us the exclusive on her engagement story.
Tell us about your role and what it entails.
What does a Communications Manager do apart from run around the building and tell people to attend internal events? The short answer is, I know the answer to your question, but if I don’t, I know the person who does. I write ratings releases, media releases, business releases, sales newsletters and internal emails (not the funny ones, they belong to Emma). I make friends with trade journalists (Mumbrella, Mediaweek, AdNews, B&T etc.).
I support our executives at thought leadership events and in interviews, enter them unwilling into business awards and make them take awkward photos.
I help do the Tweeting and LinkedIn-ing from our corporate accounts (yes we have a Paramount ANZ Twitter and LinkedIn, get around it people).
I pitch in to support the hard-working Publicity team at awesome events, and help our internal comms team (that’s Emma) with internal events. I also help with the Water Cooler! I support Paramount Gives fundraising and volunteering (give me a shout if you want to help).
Plus, a whole bunch of other random stuff that looks like your kitchen draw where everything that doesn’t have a place ends up.
What do you love most about working at Paramount and why is it Emma Turner?
I love your punny internal emails!
I also love that our staff and leadership team stand up for what they believe in, and effect change in Australia. We were the first commercial network to portray a same-sex relationship and the first to air a same-sex marriage (Neighbours), as well as The Project interview that was part of the movement for the same-sex marriage referendum. We were the first to use Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander place names on our prime time 10 News First and The Project, and also the first commercial network to enact a reconciliation action plan. We were also the first commercial network to have a sole female anchor on our prime-time news.
Recently, our US and UK leaders were here and said that they could feel the energy in the Australian office, and it was unlike anything they’d seen anywhere else. The people we work with are incredible, talented, friendly, supportive and uplifting.
We understand you recently got engaged. Please tell us everything, as a Water Cooler exclusive.
Ha yes, I just got engaged! I met my fiancé, Dragan, last year while I was visiting friends in Serbia. My friends called him to take me sightseeing in Serbia and we fell in love instantly.
After annoying him for a few days in Serbia, we had to say goodbye. But I told him to join me at the end of my European holiday in a little Greek Island called Paros. He rode his motorcycle for two days across Europe to Athens and then got a Ferry to Paros. We spent a week riding around the Island, and then we had to say goodbye again.
For five months we’ve been video calling each other every morning and night. He finally arrived for a holiday in Australia last month and he loved it here, but I turned him into a shire snob and he only likes Cronulla ha!
On the day he proposed, we got up early and walked to the beach, he picked me a bright pink hibiscus flower, we watched the sunrise, had breakfast at a café on the beach, and then went for a morning swim. As we headed back to the towel, Dragan asked me to pass him the flower he picked. I went to pick it up and saw the open ring box sitting underneath it with a beautiful engagement ring.
I smiled a cheesy smile, and so did he. I waited for a good minute before I asked him: “So… Are you going to ask me something?”
He just smiled and looked at the ring and I rolled my eyes. He said: “Will you allow me to be your pain in the ass forever?”
And I laughed and said: “Yes, of course. Are you going put the ring on me?” He eventually worked it out.
We just said goodbye again, this time for about three months until I go back to visit him in Serbia. Then we will say another goodbye and he will come back to Australia in October – so he can watch the Philip Island MotoGP…
Who is Vanessa Menser outside of Paramount? What do you love to do in your spare time?
I love a good sunrise on the beach while drinking coffee and listening to a podcast. I wake up at 5am to do reformer (lazy) Pilates, spend a lot of time with friends, at the beach and video chatting with Dragan over WhatsApp. I’m also studying counselling, which has helped me a lot with my personal and professional life.
What the best piece of advice anyone’s given to you?
All that matters is your health. You are no use to anyone else if you aren’t well. Look after yourself with a good diet, body movement and sunshine.
What are your plans over the Easter break?
Dragan is Serbian Orthodox so I’ve been reading up on the faith and practices. Serbian Orthodox uses the original calendar, so their Easter is actually the 16th of April.
In the Orthodox faith, Easter traditions include spending time with loved ones, fasting, colouring eggs and praying.
I will also try to stay away from chocolate…
