We are greatly saddened to share the news that, on Wednesday night 15th February, Clea Herrmann, Firefly Munich’s country manager, passed away.
Clea’s death was sudden and unexpected; but her close family were given just enough time to make it to her hospital bedside, where she died of meningitis.
Clea leaves behind her husband, Hubert and her son, Raphael (“Raphy”), aged 4.
Clea worked for Firefly for nearly 15 years, joining the London office in 1998 and moving to Germany in 2001 to set up Firefly Munich. This gave Clea the opportunity to combine her PR career with her personal life – being half-British, half-German, Clea relished the opportunity to be closer to some of her German family and to operate professionally in her two mother tongues.
In 2011, the Firefly Munich office celebrated 10 years of positive trading, the success of which is all down to Clea’s professionalism, drive and stamina, and the great work she inspired of her team.
Throughout her 15 years at Firefly, Clea has been a loyal and much valued client advisor, colleague and friend. Her warm personality and her professional skills will be missed by her colleagues and clients in Munich, as well as across Firefly’s offices. Clea has been a hugely important character in Firefly’s growth, and has touched the careers and lives of so many current and former Fireflies.
While Clea’s death was and still is a huge shock, Firefly ceo Claire Walker and her European management team will pull together to ensure that the high standards which Clea always set for herself and her business, are honoured. Over the coming days and weeks, Clea’s role will be temporarily covered by Henrike von Schau and some UK colleagues.
The Firefly team is very grateful for your on-going commitment and support during this time. It is less than 3 weeks since we lost our UK MD to cancer.
We are respectfully liaising with Clea’s family on the funeral arrangements. Further details of the funeral or memorial service for a much-loved wife, mother and daughter will be a public service, we will share the details on this page or we can let you know by email. Please register for more information via volker.schmidt@fireflycomms,com .
We also hugely welcome your personal messages – if you wish to make them in the comments box below – or by post to Firefly Communications GmbH, 4th floor, Lindwurmstrasse 71, D-80337, Munich, GERMANY.
CLEA Maria Herrmann
2nd October 1968 – 15th February 2012
A personal biography, as written by Clea herself in 2009:
Ever since I was little, I’ve wanted to go into communications. Back then, my social networking hub comprised a small hole in a fence in my back garden through which I watched, and conversed with, the outside world. My childhood was spent split between Germany, Spain and the UK, and the experience and appeal of foreign travel has followed me into adulthood. When, after three years at Firefly London I had the opportunity to set up the Munich office, I jumped at it. My return to Germany also signalled my return to skiing, another childhood passion. Apart from an accidental foray onto an Olympic black run and a near-fall off a cliff, I’m relatively unscathed. I take the same approach to my career as I do to skiing. I don’t do the same old things expecting different results; I get different results by doing something new. This is especially true of pan-regional activity. There is much to consider when shaping an intercultural approach to maximise impact, be it in Germany, or Austria, Switzerland, Poland and Eastern Europe – countries we touch directly from our Munich hub. Communication is all about teamwork – and longstanding client relationships are often borne out of a team relishing a challenge (be it brand or PR) and offering a fresh perspective.
Clea Herrmann im Alter von 43 Jahren verstorben
Wir sind tief getroffen und müssen Sie über die traurige Nachricht informieren, dass am Mittwoch Abend, den 15. Februar unsere hoch geschätzte Chefin und Kollegin Clea Herrmann, Country Manager bei Firefly München, verstorben ist.
Cleas Tod kam plötzlich und völlig unerwartet – auch ihrer Familie blieb nur kurze Zeit, um sich am Krankenbett zu verabschieden. Sie starb an Meningitis.
Clea hinterlässt ihren Ehemann, Hubert und ihren Sohn, Raphael (“Raphy”), im Alter von 4 Jahren.
Fast 15 Jahre arbeitete sie für Firefly. Bereits 1986 begann Clea bei Firefly Communications im Londoner Headquarter und kam 2001 nach Deutschland, um das Münchener Büro aufzubauen. Dies gab Clea die Möglichkeit, ihre PR-Karriere mit ihrem persönlichen Leben zu verbinden – halb Britin, halb Deutsche, bot dies Clea die Chance, ihrer deutschen Seite der Familie nun noch näher zu sein und beruflich in ihren beiden Muttersprachen zu arbeiten.
Im letzten Jahr feierte das Münchner Büro von Firefly sein 10-jähriges Bestehen. Diesen Erfolg verdanken wir vor allem Cleas Professionalität, Dynamik und Ausdauer.
Während ihrer 15 Jahre bei Firefly, war Clea eine treue und hoch geschätzte Beraterin, Chefin, Kollegin und Freundin für uns. Ihre warme Persönlichkeit und ihre beruflichen Fähigkeiten werden von uns und den Kunden in München sowie im gesamten Fireflyteam sehr vermisst werden. Clea spielte eine wesentliche Rolle für das Wachstum der Agentur und hat die Karrieren und Leben von so vielen aktuellen und ehemaligen Feuerfliegen maßgeblich beeinflusst.
Wenngleich Cleas Tod ein unermäßlicher Schock für uns ist, wird Firefly CEO Claire Walker und ihr europäisches Management-Team eng zusammenarbeiten um sicherzustellen, dass die hohen Standards, die Clea für sich und ihr Unternehmen gesetzt hat, auch zukünftig bestehen bleiben.
In den kommenden Tagen und Wochen wird die Rolle von Clea vorübergehend von Henrike von Schau und unseren britischen Kollegen übernommen werden.
Wir unterstützen Cleas Familie so weit und so respektvoll wie möglich bei der Vorbereitung ihrer Beerdigung. Nähere Informationen dazu erhalten Sie auf Wunsch per E-Mail über volker.schmidt@fireflycomms.com.
Wir freuen uns natürlich auch über Ihre persönliche Kondolenznachrichten – wenn Sie möchten, können Sie uns diese im Kommentarfeld unten mitteilen – oder gerne auch per Post an Firefly Communications GmbH, Lindwurmstraße 71, D-80337, München.
CLEA Maria Herrmann
2. Oktober 1968 – 15. Februar 2012
Eine persönliche Biographie, 2009 von Clea selbst geschrieben:
Bereits als Kind war es mein Wunsch, später einmal in der Kommunikationsbranche zu arbeiten. Damals bestand mein Social Hub primär aus einem kleinen Loch im Zaun unseres Gartens hinter dem Haus, durch das ich mit der Außenwelt in Berührung kam, sie beobachtete und mit ihr kommunizierte. Meine Kindheit verbrachte ich vor allem in drei Ländern: Deutschland, Spanien und Großbritannien – diese Erfahrung und das Interesse an Auslandsreisen prägten mich bis ins Erwachsenenalter. Als ich nach drei Jahren bei Firefly London, die Chance sah, das Münchener Büro aufzubauen, habe ich mich sofort auf dieses Abenteuer gestürzt. Meine Rückkehr nach Deutschland bedeutete schließlich auch endlich wieder Skifahren, eine weitere Leidenschaft aus Kindheitstagen. Abgesehen von einem Ausrutscher, der mich auf eine Olympia-Piste brachte und einem Beinahe-Absturz habe ich das Skifahren auch stets unbeschadet überstanden. Bei meiner Arbeit verfolge ich denselben Ansatz wie beim Skifahren: Ich kann nicht immer das Gleiche Tun und dabei unterschiedliche Ergebnisse erwarten – vielmehr komme ich zu anderen Ergebnissen, in dem ich etwas Neues anfange. Dies gilt insbesondere für überregionale Tätigkeiten.
Es gilt viel zu beachten, bei der Gestaltung eines interkulturellen Ansatzes um die Reichweite einer solchen Kampagne zu maximieren, sei es in Deutschland, Österreich, der Schweiz oder Polen – Ländern, die wir direkt von unserem Münchener Standort erreichen. Bei der Kommunikation dreht sich alles um Teamwork – langjährige Kundenbeziehungen werden oft von einem Team getragen, das gerne jede Herausforderung annimmt und neue Perspektiven bietet.
Dieter Roskoni
I like her “family” style and friendliness in a tough business environment and I remeber the nice x-mas invitation to a munich event 2 years ago where we had a wonderfull evening with her and her team.
Dieter Roskoni (ex. Lawson now Ciber)
Jo Pratt
A really special colleague, and human being. I’m so sad. God bless you, Clea xx Thinking of your family and everyone at Firefly reeling from another devastating loss today.
Stine Pitney
I struggle
to believe what has happened. I feel happy and fortunate to have known and
worked with Clea. My heart and prayers go out to her family and especially her
little boy.
K_m_Richardson
Life can be so utterly unfair. Clea was a lovely, lovely person and we worked together closely when she first moved to Germany and set the office up, on the likes of Avaya and TDK. My heart goes out to her little boy and her family especially x
Jennyhatter (Faulkes)
I started at Firefly 15 years ago on the same day as Clea. I feel so lucky to have known her, she was an incredible person, filling the lives of those who knew her with love and laughter. My heart goes out to her family at this incredibly difficult time.
Milly Hill
Clea Maria, mir fehlen die Worte. I’m so grateful for all the fun times that we shared during that summer in Munich. Du und Hubsy waren meine einzigen Freunde außerhalb der Arbeit. Not many people loved all things German as much as you (and I). It’s like we were German kindred spirits. When i think back about our times at FF London together, I will always think of you with your red lippy and leopard prints, and being blonde…my thoughts are with you, Hubert, Raphy, your family, friends and your colleagues. You will be sorely missed. Ich habe dich so lieb. Dein Millychen xx
OliviaF
I remember meeting Clea on my first day as a grad at Firefly 12 years ago and thinking… I want to be as good as her one day at PR. I am very sad to hear the news. Deepest sympathy to her family and also Claire and all at Firefly on the loss of Mark too. Very difficult times x
James Gunn Atanasov
Very sad. Deepest sympathy to Clea’s family and colleagues, James
Tristan
What terrible news of the loss of such a great person. We were at school together, way back . She was such a popular colleague. We kept up to date via Facebook. Let her special energies remain electric at Firefly. Rest in peace Clea.You shall be greatly missed XXXXXXXXXXX
richardbagnall
I met Clea very early on in her career when she was with Portfolio Communications and Metrica, in start up mode, was sharing an office with them. We had a huge amount of fun together and became good friends. Of course since those days Clea went on to further her career initially with Euro RSCG Biss Lancaster and then on to Firefly where she was so successful.
She touched so many people’s lives with her fun and positive outlook on life. Her colleagues, network of fellow communicators and of course especially her family are all in my thoughts and prayers and all of those from Metrica who worked with her and still count her as a friend.
In deepest sympathy,
Richard Bagnall, Managing Director, Metrica
Sam Bevans
I’m really shocked and saddened by this – my deepest sympathies to Clea’s family and friends. I didn’t know Clea very well, but I worked in FF London for several years during her time running the Munich office. My memories are of a really genuine, lovely person, and a brilliant communications professional. .
Jaime Gill
Unbelievably sad. And so sudden that I find myself struggling to find the right words. Clea was a huge part of my early days at Firefly, a major source of the immense talent that won Agency of the Year and the immense fun that made it such a wonderful place to work. I worked with her in London, and went on three working visits to Firefly Munich where she was the most wonderful host imaginable (as well as a brilliant leader to the FF German team). One night she ordered her gay friends to take me on a bar crawl around Munich’s gay haunts: they were as charming and fun as she always was. And i remember a very cold, snowy Saturday in Munich Christmas market, both of us giggling on gluwhein. Mainly due to geography, I hadn’t seen Clea in quite a few years. But somehow I never doubted that I would again. And I knew that there wouldn’t be any awkwardness, we’d be laughing within minutes. I can’t quite believe that won’t happen now. I’m so sorry for her family.
Michael Warburton
Am shocked & saddened to hear this news. Clea always had seemed to have a smile and a glow about her, a positive aura. My deepest condolences go out to her Husband & Family at what must be an incredibly difficult time. Shocked.
Kate Hartley
This is so sad and such a shock. I hadn’t seen Clea in a number of years, but we spoke on the phone every few months, to catch up, or for a gossip. I’ll miss those conversations; I always felt better after talking to her. Clea had a wonderful way about her: warm and light, always considerate and thoughtful, and she made me laugh. Like everyone else, my thoughts are with her family.
Annika Sander-lofmark
Words are not enough today and all my thoughts go to Clea’s husband and son. We only started working together in August and I thought it would be the start of a long cooperation. I am so happy that I got to meeet her and spend some time with her because she was a very special person. The Firefly team is a wonderful group and I can only imagine how they feel today. Clea sent me a picture last week of Raphael in his new knight oufit showing how proud she was of him.
Annika Sander Löfmark
Head of Public Relations
BabyBjörn AB
Ccranton
Does anyone remember Clea dying here hair red & I mean RED? That’s how I will remember her – that and laughing at me pregnant and waddling!
Sheila Gimson
Oh this is such terrible and sad news. Clea joined us at Portfolio Communications as the first step in her PR career, and we watched her grow into a successful operator, with us and beyond. She was always so bright and bubbly – we loved having her with us. I only just reconnected with her last year, and now she is gone! It must be heartbreaking for her family and friends, as well as work colleagures. We’ll all miss you so much, Clea.
Lex Young
Hugely sad news. Clea was a lovely, open, generous woman who looked after me incredibly well when visiting Firefly’s Munich offices. Such a tragedy that she should die so young. Lots of love to all her family. X
Andy Rogers
She was such a gem. I can’t believe it. My thoughts are with her family.
Kate
It’s too hard to think of how much we’ll miss Clea. What a dreadful shock. Thoughts and prayers to everyone mourning her very sad loss.
Ronan
I did not know Clea in a professional capacity, she was a friend of a friend of my wife’s, but the few times I met her I was impressed by her and by her kindness and generosity. Our thoughts are with her husband and child and her extended family.
Vicky Sharp
I was lucky enough to know Clea socially before she joined FF through a very special mutual friend. I will remember particuarly dancing at Bratts into the early hours, Clea with her red lips and nails and worrying about her roots. She was such a lovely, fun, generous girl so bright and full of life. I feel so sad for all her friends and famiily but especially her husband and little boy who looses his Mummy, what a terrible terrible loss. You are all very much in my thoughts.
Richard Wright
Desparately sad news and my thoughts are with her family. I knew Clea in a professional capacity but her warmth, integrity and diligence transcended the usual corporate relationship. A lovely lady who will be missed greatly.
Eva Richter
I just heard the news some minutes ago – I worked with Clea and her team together for many years securing good PR work for Lawson, at the moment there are no words left for me, only tears – I met not only a business woman but a warm-hearted wonderful person and friend.
Joe Thornton
I had the opportunity to get to know Clea first as her client (while I was at Lawson Software), but we also became good friends. I was so saddened to hear the news today. We stayed in contact even after we stopped working together, and I was fortunate to be able to call her a friend. She will be missed more than words can express.
Denise Colgan
I am so shocked and saddened by this news. Clea was a wonderful, warm person and I enjoyed catching up with her when I travelled to Munich. We planned to meet up – with Johanna – for dinner in a few weeks time. I will miss her. My heart goes out to her family. Such a great loss.
Awdalziel
Terribly, terribly sad news about Clea, She was such a young and vibrant person. It was always a pleasure to speak to and work with her – warm, friendly, positive, extremely professional and always happy to go the extra mile to help. My heart goes out to her husband and son.
Deepest sympathy.
Andrew Dalziel
Annabel
What a terrible tragedy …. Clea was a lovely girl and I remember interviewing her 15 years ago, hiring her and then working with her for another five years. She was always smiling and cheerful. My heart goes out to her family at this difficult and sad time.
Mark Westaby
Devastated. I have memories of some very funny moments working with Clea, with whom I shared a typical love/hate relationship, at the very start of her PR career. One minute we’d be arguing about something and the next laughing like mad. I cannot begin to think how her husband, son and the rest of her family must be feeling. I’d always hoped to see her again but, of course, never found the time and now I wish I had. Her colleagues at Firefly must also be devastated and my best wishes also go to them.
Keren Haynes
We are so very saddened to hear the terrible news about Clea. A lovely person, so friendly and kind. Our thoughts are with her husband and son.
Keren Haynes and Catherine Bayfield
Kit-kat75
I just can’t believe what I am reading, having only just heard the news about Mark’s passing. I go to know Clea while working at Firefly in the early 2000s. We often worked on a few clients together and she was always very professional and good fun to work with.
Please send all my best wishes and thoughts to her family, I just can’t imagine what they must be going through. With best wishes,
Katy Stollery (Nee Windsor)
Rozz Boy
Words cant describe the sadness of this loss. A beautiful woman that showed so much kindness to all those around her. A fantastic colleague to work with. I will always remember her for the warmth and love she showed every person around her. Rest is peace special lady. xx
Rozz Boy
Nat_Chak
I am shocked and saddened by this sudden news. Clea was a wonderful woman.
We are greatly saddened to share the news that, on Wednesday night 15th February, Clea Herrmann, Firefly Munich’s country manager, passed away.
Clea’s death was sudden and unexpected; but her close family were given just enough time to make it to her hospital bedside, where she died of meningitis.
Clea leaves behind her husband, Hubert and her son, Raphael (“Raphy”), aged 4.
Clea worked for Firefly for nearly 15 years, joining the London office in 1998 and moving to Germany in 2001 to set up Firefly Munich. This gave Clea the opportunity to combine her PR career with her personal life – being half-British, half-German, Clea relished the opportunity to be closer to some of her German family and to operate professionally in her two mother tongues.
In 2011, the Firefly Munich office celebrated 10 years of positive trading, the success of which is all down to Clea’s professionalism, drive and stamina, and the great work she inspired of her team.
Throughout her 15 years at Firefly, Clea has been a loyal and much valued client advisor, colleague and friend. Her warm personality and her professional skills will be missed by her colleagues and clients in Munich, as well as across Firefly’s offices. Clea has been a hugely important character in Firefly’s growth, and has touched the careers and lives of so many current and former Fireflies.
While Clea’s death was and still is a huge shock, Firefly ceo Claire Walker and her European management team will pull together to ensure that the high standards which Clea always set for herself and her business, are honoured. Over the coming days and weeks, Clea’s role will be temporarily covered by Henrike von Schau and some UK colleagues.
The Firefly team is very grateful for your on-going commitment and support during this time. It is less than 3 weeks since we lost our UK MD to cancer.
We are respectfully liaising with Clea’s family on the funeral arrangements. Further details of the funeral or memorial service for a much-loved wife, mother and daughter will be a public service, we will share the details on this page or we can let you know by email. Please register for more information via volker.schmidt@fireflycomms,com .
We also hugely welcome your personal messages – if you wish to make them in the comments box below – or by post to Firefly Communications GmbH, 4th floor, Lindwurmstrasse 71, D-80337, Munich, GERMANY.
CLEA Maria Herrmann
2nd October 1968 – 15th February 2012
A personal biography, as written by Clea herself in 2009:
Ever since I was little, I’ve wanted to go into communications. Back then, my social networking hub comprised a small hole in a fence in my back garden through which I watched, and conversed with, the outside world. My childhood was spent split between Germany, Spain and the UK, and the experience and appeal of foreign travel has followed me into adulthood. When, after three years at Firefly London I had the opportunity to set up the Munich office, I jumped at it. My return to Germany also signalled my return to skiing, another childhood passion. Apart from an accidental foray onto an Olympic black run and a near-fall off a cliff, I’m relatively unscathed. I take the same approach to my career as I do to skiing. I don’t do the same old things expecting different results; I get different results by doing something new. This is especially true of pan-regional activity. There is much to consider when shaping an intercultural approach to maximise impact, be it in Germany, or Austria, Switzerland, Poland and Eastern Europe – countries we touch directly from our Munich hub. Communication is all about teamwork – and longstanding client relationships are often borne out of a team relishing a challenge (be it brand or PR) and offering a fresh perspective.
Clea Herrmann im Alter von 43 Jahren verstorben
Wir sind tief getroffen und müssen Sie über die traurige Nachricht informieren, dass am Mittwoch Abend, den 15. Februar unsere hoch geschätzte Chefin und Kollegin Clea Herrmann, Country Manager bei Firefly München, verstorben ist.
Cleas Tod kam plötzlich und völlig unerwartet – auch ihrer Familie blieb nur kurze Zeit, um sich am Krankenbett zu verabschieden. Sie starb an Meningitis.
Clea hinterlässt ihren Ehemann, Hubert und ihren Sohn, Raphael (“Raphy”), im Alter von 4 Jahren.
Fast 15 Jahre arbeitete sie für Firefly. Bereits 1986 begann Clea bei Firefly Communications im Londoner Headquarter und kam 2001 nach Deutschland, um das Münchener Büro aufzubauen. Dies gab Clea die Möglichkeit, ihre PR-Karriere mit ihrem persönlichen Leben zu verbinden – halb Britin, halb Deutsche, bot dies Clea die Chance, ihrer deutschen Seite der Familie nun noch näher zu sein und beruflich in ihren beiden Muttersprachen zu arbeiten.
Im letzten Jahr feierte das Münchner Büro von Firefly sein 10-jähriges Bestehen. Diesen Erfolg verdanken wir vor allem Cleas Professionalität, Dynamik und Ausdauer.
Während ihrer 15 Jahre bei Firefly, war Clea eine treue und hoch geschätzte Beraterin, Chefin, Kollegin und Freundin für uns. Ihre warme Persönlichkeit und ihre beruflichen Fähigkeiten werden von uns und den Kunden in München sowie im gesamten Fireflyteam sehr vermisst werden. Clea spielte eine wesentliche Rolle für das Wachstum der Agentur und hat die Karrieren und Leben von so vielen aktuellen und ehemaligen Feuerfliegen maßgeblich beeinflusst.
Wenngleich Cleas Tod ein unermäßlicher Schock für uns ist, wird Firefly CEO Claire Walker und ihr europäisches Management-Team eng zusammenarbeiten um sicherzustellen, dass die hohen Standards, die Clea für sich und ihr Unternehmen gesetzt hat, auch zukünftig bestehen bleiben.
In den kommenden Tagen und Wochen wird die Rolle von Clea vorübergehend von Henrike von Schau und unseren britischen Kollegen übernommen werden.
Wir unterstützen Cleas Familie so weit und so respektvoll wie möglich bei der Vorbereitung ihrer Beerdigung. Nähere Informationen dazu erhalten Sie auf Wunsch per E-Mail über volker.schmidt@fireflycomms.com.
Wir freuen uns natürlich auch über Ihre persönliche Kondolenznachrichten – wenn Sie möchten, können Sie uns diese im Kommentarfeld unten mitteilen – oder gerne auch per Post an Firefly Communications GmbH, Lindwurmstraße 71, D-80337, München.
CLEA Maria Herrmann
2. Oktober 1968 – 15. Februar 2012
Eine persönliche Biographie, 2009 von Clea selbst geschrieben:
Bereits als Kind war es mein Wunsch, später einmal in der Kommunikationsbranche zu arbeiten. Damals bestand mein Social Hub primär aus einem kleinen Loch im Zaun unseres Gartens hinter dem Haus, durch das ich mit der Außenwelt in Berührung kam, sie beobachtete und mit ihr kommunizierte. Meine Kindheit verbrachte ich vor allem in drei Ländern: Deutschland, Spanien und Großbritannien – diese Erfahrung und das Interesse an Auslandsreisen prägten mich bis ins Erwachsenenalter. Als ich nach drei Jahren bei Firefly London, die Chance sah, das Münchener Büro aufzubauen, habe ich mich sofort auf dieses Abenteuer gestürzt. Meine Rückkehr nach Deutschland bedeutete schließlich auch endlich wieder Skifahren, eine weitere Leidenschaft aus Kindheitstagen. Abgesehen von einem Ausrutscher, der mich auf eine Olympia-Piste brachte und einem Beinahe-Absturz habe ich das Skifahren auch stets unbeschadet überstanden. Bei meiner Arbeit verfolge ich denselben Ansatz wie beim Skifahren: Ich kann nicht immer das Gleiche Tun und dabei unterschiedliche Ergebnisse erwarten – vielmehr komme ich zu anderen Ergebnissen, in dem ich etwas Neues anfange. Dies gilt insbesondere für überregionale Tätigkeiten.
Es gilt viel zu beachten, bei der Gestaltung eines interkulturellen Ansatzes um die Reichweite einer solchen Kampagne zu maximieren, sei es in Deutschland, Österreich, der Schweiz oder Polen – Ländern, die wir direkt von unserem Münchener Standort erreichen. Bei der Kommunikation dreht sich alles um Teamwork – langjährige Kundenbeziehungen werden oft von einem Team getragen, das gerne jede Herausforderung annimmt und neue Perspektiven bietet.