The Hall of Fame was established in 2003 at the ICCO Global Summit held in Berlin. ICCO felt there was a need to recognise people who have made exceptional progress in the internationalization of the public relations industry, and who have combined cultural sensitivity with commercial acumen to create agencies that share global reach with local relevance. These people have enhanced the discipline and expanded the scope of public relations activity globally.

Each affiliated trade association is eligible to put forward a candidate. Executive Committee then makes the final selection, using the following criteria:

• They represent true ‘ambassadors’ that have made a significant contribution to raising global or international agency standards
• They have made significant contributions to the evolution and development of the PR Industry
• There is general recognition by their peers, be it nationally or internationally
• They have achieved recognition beyond the PR world, i.e. in the larger business community
• They have made a real impact, either by innovation, thought leadership or growth of the business/industry
• They can demonstrate a track record spanning a significant amount of time
• They have shown consistent leadership of the industry