Posts

Trends transforming global PR

Article by Tanya Hughes, President, SERMO Communications

This summer, we locked SERMO’s 15 lifestyle PR agencies from all over the world in a conference room in Milan for three days to talk about transformation.  Transformation of clients’ and brands’ needs, of our services, of digital influence, of retail and technology, of our staff makeup. There was plenty of inspiration and plenty of handwringing. In the end we agreed that ‘only the paranoid survive’ and that that’s a good thing. Here are outtakes from the conference – the trends we think are transforming global PR:

  1. Every company is a digital company

Generalist PR skills such as writing, media relations, event management and strategic planning are still core competencies. But now that digital content is the new ‘me time’, every agency is piling in to fill the space. Specialist skills in multimedia content development, SEO, social and digital and analytics are now critical ingredients in the arsenal of progressive PR agencies. To find these digital experts, SERMO agencies are recruiting from media, advertising and production agencies. Nota Bene in Spain have recruited Art Directors, Online Marketing Managers and IT/Programming Managers and Mojo PR in Dubai have a new Head of Creative Content who’s highly connected to filmmakers and other producers, training agency staff in video production and editing.

  1. Keep millennials happy

How to keep our people happy, especially ‘millennials’, was a hot topic this year. Millennials (those born between the 1980s and 2000s) need targeted attention. They have grown up in a society thriving on rapid technological advancement. They expect to be able to access the latest technology at work. Upgrade or die! For them, change is the constant, and they demand this from an employer – they want their careers to progress quickly. According to a report produced by PwC Australia, 71% of millennials are dis-engaged at their jobs as a result of this sense of entitlement. SERMO agencies know that human capital is their biggest asset so they’re investing in training, tailored benefits and new perks to help recruit and retain the very best talent. Talk PR in the UK have introduced a mentoring programme, RSVP in Singapore hold weekly yoga classes in the office to improve staff’s health and wellbeing and Tomorrowland Group in Australia have introduced a quarterly reset day (extra holiday day every quarter) to help their people maintain a work/life balance. All report improved retention and productivity.

  1. The seismic shift in retail

Retail, and fashion retail in particular, is going through enormous structural change. From the push for change in the now outdated two season fashion calendar, to the shift in consumer buying habits facilitated by digital and mobile technology. We heard from expert e-commerce speakers. POPSUGAR talked about the challenges of co-creating content for brands that will grab the eight second attention span of Gen Z, the domination of mobile and the holy grail of marketplace sites – seamless check out. While Yoox said their customers know what they want and come to them to shop, not for content! At the sharp end of technology, Metail are creating virtual fitting rooms that will improve and personalise service and cut returns. In the real world, bricks and mortar retail is moving toward creating experiences that can’t be replicated online.

All of which has implications for PR – the lifecycle of fashion/lifestyle stories is shorter and requires an integrated approach across content and channels, from influencer marketing to creative execution. It’s all about driving sales across all consumer touchpoints. Working with digital influencers, in particular, now drives huge sales for brands and retailers, often resulting in completely sold-out pieces.

  1. Redefining influence

Influence is not what it used to be. It’s more complex and dynamic and, above all, digital. But the digitisation of influence, doesn’t diminish PR’s core competence – harnessing influence through relationships. What it does mean is that working with digital influencers and KOLs and creating compelling digital content requires constant innovation – Negri Firman in Italy has set up a creative content arm called NFLAB, Flare in Hong Kong set-up a social and digital PR Hub in summer 2015 which now contributes over 33% of their total revenue, Tomorrowland Group in Australia and RSVP in Singapore have launched Talentland and RSVP@Talent (respectively) to manage the profiles of experts, digital influencers and creators. SERMO agencies like Adventi in China are also offering integration of paid, owned, shared and earned media and broadening their portfolio from working with digital influencers and paid amplification to programmatic advertising.

  1. Global media vacuum

Condé Nast Italia impressed us all with their innovative work with brands and co-created, extraordinary content. But what they can’t do, and what no major publishing house can do, is press a ‘button’ for global reach. There’s really no such thing as truly global media. We know this from our work with global clients such as Pernod Ricard and Procter & Gamble. It occurred to us that we could bring each of our market’s local influencers together, connected by the network partners, to create tangible global online reach for our clients’ brands. And at the same time, help influencers extend their global reach. So our next step is to make the SERMO Digital Influencer Index interactive, live and a service for clients and influencers – watch this space.

New Italian guidelines for private tenders: agreement between Assorel and UPA

Assorel, Italian PR Agencies Association and ICCO Member, and Utenti Pubblicità Associati (UPA), the organisation representing Italian investors in communication, have drawn up a document providing guidelines for the correct and transparent conduct of the selection of the agencies during a private tender.

According to the two Associations, consultations would be the most profitable way to start the selection, but if for operational reasons a tender is required it is good practice to have reports for its proper conduct, or to establish shared principles between clients and agencies.

The document includes guidelines about the number of participants, indication of agencies invited to participate in a tender, evaluation criteria of projects, timing of presentations and flat rate refunds for all projects.

The report does not offer prescriptive directions, but shared principles between clients and agencies. With these guidelines UPA and Assorel hope to set a relationship that benefits the quality of work and results for both parties.

For more information:

http://www.assorel.it/relazioni-pubbliche/presspdf/press_allegato2pdf_2213.pdf

ASSOREL – Alessandro Costella – direzione@assorel.it

UPA – Giovanna Maggioni –  giovanna.maggioni@upa.it

 

About ASSOREL

ASSOREL is the Italian Association of Public Relations Agencies, founded in 1982 which brings together the major operators in Italy and a member of Confindustria Intellect and ICCO – International Communications Consultancy Organisation – the global organization that brings together the Associations of 36 countries.

About UPA

Utenti Pubblicità Associati (UPA) is an Association that brings together the most important and prestigious industrial companies, commercial and service companies that invest in advertising and communications in Italy.

The Swedish model – How to turn rookies into Cannes winners

Written by: Joseph Borenstein, Cohn & Wolfe Sweden Print@J_Borenstein
Linnéa Rinäs, Cohn & Wolfe Sweden Print@linnearinas

We were invited to the ICCO Global Summit 2015 to talk about our winning campaign from Cannes Young Lions this summer. However, since talking about one single campaign for 30 minutes gets kind of dull, we decided to  broaden the theme and name our seminar “The Swedish model – How to turn rookies into Cannes Winners”.

In many markets, the PR business is very hierarchical and it takes many years for a junior consultant to even meet the client. Not to mention taking own initiatives, like pitching on a new client or managing a big account. For us, that has never been an issue. Our CEO has never been afraid of letting us try, letting us fail, and letting us succeed.

We therefore decided to share with the audience a few Swedish-inspired tips for how they themselves can turn their rookies into Cannes Winners:

  • Throw away the titles! We would never have won our awards if we would have been stuck in the blogger-email, journalist-calling, social media-copy-trap for 2 years. Which is easy if you’re bound by titles and official work descriptions. In Sweden, we dropped a lot of the formal structures at companies in the 70’s, and we sure don’t miss them. What junior consultants may lack in experience, they compensate with in curiosity – let them not only be part of creative processes, but sometimes even lead them!
  • Mix & Match! A wannabe engineer with a political junkie. A sports geek and a fashionista. Unexpected combinations of people can be pretty awesome!
  • Enable us! Our boss sometimes say that the least she can do is to not stand in our way. That might sound harsh, but I’d say it’s crucial to believe and trust in your younger team members. They want do things differently than you? Explore a whole new way of doing PR? Let them try! They might fail from time to time, but so what? That’s how people learn and grow, both as individuals and as businesses. And that’s how you get to keep your talent past the famous 3-year “I quit”.
  • Let us have fun! It’s been proved that millennials want a fun and social workplace, and that doesn’t mean we’re slackers. One of the reasons we work at Cohn & Wolfe is that it is hard to imagine a more fun place to be. Our colleagues are the goofiest, funnest and sweetest people we’ve ever met, and sometimes our open floor plan feels more like a schoolyard than an office. Does that mean we win less new clients, score less coverage, or are less productive? On the contrary. It just means we have fun along the way.

We came to Milan not only to tell the story of how we won Cannes Young Lions, but also to encourage agency leaders  to nurture and take care of the talent they have within their agencies. Because we’re pretty sure that every single agency has the potential of winning a Young PR Lion  – by just following our tips.

Next year, we’re going be too old to compete in Cannes Young Lions, but we’ll be standing on the side, cheering for the next generation of Cohn & Wolfers to get their chance to shine. And we’re looking forward to seeing not only all agency leaders from the ICCO Summit, but their junior PR-talents as well.

See you in Cannes!

Eight things you need to know from the ICCO Global Summit in Milan

Written by: Tanya Hughes

Print@TanyaTalkPR

Over 150 communications and PR leaders from all around the world gathered in Milan last week to attend the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) Global Summit. This year’s theme was “Food For Thought” and explored how consultancies and communicators are surviving and thriving in our changing world. SERMO president, Tanya Hughes, joined the heads of some of the biggest independent agency networks for the “Going Global 2.0″ panel discussion. Here are her top eight take outs from the conference on the state of the global PR industry:

1

The two biggest drivers of change in the PR industry are the rise of social media and PR’s increased presence at Cannes Lions – the world authority on creativity in communication, still dominated by ad agencies, but changing fast.

2

AVEs RIP! PR must deliver business results. Ask yourself if your account teams know the share price of their clients.

3

Corporate and brand reputation are now indivisible – marketing and communications are converging. It’s estimated that 60% of market value can be attributed to reputation.

4

And the CEO’s reputation matters. Successful CEOs must now fulfil a public engagement mandate. For PR agencies too, the CEO must embody the brand.

5

Agencies need to restructure to attract young talent – millennials are demanding: they want best possible technology, equality and diversity, customisation, rewards beyond salary, mentoring, a ‘noble’ purpose, recognition access to leadership and empowerment.

6

Over 400 hours of video are uploaded per minute on to YouTube. To have stand out your content needs to appeal to a community (spark and be part of a conversation), engage (hit on a passion point) and have authentic value (entertainment, inspiration, education).

7

Video series are a big trend on YouTube.

8

PR agencies give 20% of their work away. They like to be liked, but the more they give clients, the more they’ll want. That means Fridays are free!

Click here to read more on SERMO

ICCO reveals it represents 2,500 PR firms at Global Summit 2015

The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) announced at its Global Summit 2015 this morning that it now represents over 2,500 PR firms and 175,000 PR professionals.

Speaking at the Summit in Milan, ICCO Chief Executive Francis Ingham said: “ICCO is utterly thrilled to be bringing the cream of world PR to the iconic city of Milan.

“We are looking forward to two days of debate in stunning surroundings. The Summit is designed by PR agency leaders, for PR agency leaders, with the sole purpose of advancing the industry through education, networking and collaboration.”

In total, ICCO represents over 175,000 individual PR professionals, working in over 2,500 PR firms and three networks, across 32 countries.

Following the ICCO Board’s decision to open up to direct membership, the UK offices of H+K Strategies, Golin, JIN, MWWPR, Grayling, Sermo Network, thenetworkone, and the GlobalCom PR Network have all directly joined the organisation.

The ICCO Global Summit is being held on the 8th and 9th October at 5* Excelsior Hotel Gallia in Milan. The theme is ‘Food for Thought’, providing a debate around how consultancies and communicators can survive and thrive in a changing world. The Summit coincides with the Milan Expo.

Ingham spoke on the first day of the ICCO Global Summit, and will be followed by speakers that include Fred Cook, CEO, Golin; Colin Byrne, CEO, UK and EMEA, Weber Shandwick; and David Rockland, Partner and CEO, Ketchum Global Research & Analytics, presenting on the Barcelona Principles 2.0.

The ICCO Global Summit is sponsored by ePress Pack, Augure, Autogrill, Prysmian Group, Ketchum, AMEC, PROI Worldwide, Tint, The Holmes Report, PRWeek, and Question & Retain.

Boilerplate

The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) is the voice of public relations consultancies around the world. The ICCO membership comprises national trade associations in 32 countries across the globe in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australasia. Collectively, these associations represent over 2,500 PR firms. Contact Binta Kristin Hammerich, ICCO General Manager binta.hammerich@iccopr.com

– See more at: http://news.iccopr.com/icco-reveals-it-represents-2500-pr-firms-at-global-summit-2015/#sthash.mQ3kdLTv.dpuf

Milan Launch for Global Women in PR

GWPR – Connecting Women in PR around the worl

A new international association, linking independent networking groups of senior women working in PR, has been launched at the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) Global Summit in Milan, currently underway.

Global Women in PR (GWPR) has been formed to act as an umbrella organisation to enable groups of senior PR women worldwide to come together to share ideas, contacts and experiences and to campaign on the major issues directly affecting women working in the PR industry today.

The development of GWPR is fully supported by ICCO and their President David Gallagher had this to say about the new initiative: “Women are the heart, soul and mind of PR consultancy all over the world, and we at ICCO are pleased to be associated with GWPR’s ambitious global plans.”

Following the recent success of Women in PR (WPR) in the UK and its resurgence as a significant and powerful networking organisation, former Joint-Presidents Angela Oakes and Susan Hardwick felt that the time was right to encourage other countries to form their own WPR associations.

“The widely reported gender pay gap and the lack of women in the boardroom are two major issues which are not limited to the UK PR industry, but affect those working in PR worldwide. Coupled with what we believe to be an important vehicle for senior women to meet in a non-competitive environment, WPR also offers its members a chance to help shape the future of the industry and to act as mentors to the next generation. We want our successful networking blueprint in the UK to be rolled out globally and are taking the first steps to make this happen,” commented Angela and Susan.

The launch of GWPR is being supported by Business Wire (a Berkshire Hathaway company) and a major sponsor of WPR in the UK. “We are delighted to be supporting this important launch,” said Kim Deonanan Business Wire Regional VP, Northern & Central Europe.
www.globalwpr.com

Notes to Editors:

ICCO
The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) 
is the voice of public relations consultancies around the world. The ICCO membership comprises national trade associations in 32 countries across the globe: from Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australasia. Collectively, these associations represent over 2,500 PR firms.

http://www.iccopr.com

Business Wire
Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure. Investor relations, public relations, public policy and marketing professionals rely on Business Wire to accurately distribute market-moving news and multimedia, host online newsrooms and IR websites, build content marketing platforms, generate social engagements and provide audience analysis that improves interaction with specified target markets. Founded in 1961, Business Wire is a trusted source for news organisations, journalists, investment professionals and regulatory authorities, delivering news directly into editorial systems and leading online news sources via its multi-patented simultaneous NX Network. Business Wire has 32 offices worldwide to securely meet the varying needs of communications professionals and news consumers.

www.businesswire.com

WPR is a sector group of the PRCA (Public Relations Consultants Association) in the UK and a networking organisation for senior women working in the PR industry. It provides an important platform to enable members to share their experiences, assist one another in business and exchange ideas. Founded in 1962, WPR offers support for its members and has helped to shape the development of the PR profession as a whole. WPR works to encourage and promote the highest standards of professionalism and to assist and support younger members within the profession.
www.womeninpr.org.uk

– See more at: http://news.iccopr.com/milan-launch-for-global-women-in-pr/#sthash.pYt7ar61.dpuf

ICCO announces latest member: Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms

The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) announced at its Global Summit that the Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms (CCPRF) has joined its growing membership.

Speaking at the ICCO Summit in Milan, ICCO Chief Executive Francis Ingham announced that the CCPRF has joined the Organisation, bringing its association membership to 32.

Comprising the senior leadership of Canada’s public relations industry, the goal of the CCPRF is to promote the high value, professionalism and development of public relations consulting and provide leadership in areas that influence industry growth and performance.

Following the CCPRF’s inclusion, ICCO now represents 32 national PR associations, collectively representing over 2,500 agencies around the world.

David Gordon, Chair, Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms, said: “It is a pleasure to be joining this global network of PR consultancy associations, and look forward to sharing knowledge and best practice with our peers from around the world.”

Speaking in Milan, Francis Ingham said: “I am very pleased to welcome the CCPRF, a hugely important association on the world PR stage. As ICCO grows, so does its relevance and vibrancy, and its ability to represent the global PR community with a single unified communications voice.”

About ICCO
The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) is the voice of public relations consultancies around the world. The ICCO membership comprises national trade associations in 32 countries across the globe in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australasia. Collectively, these associations represent over 2,500 PR firms. Contact Binta Kristin Hammerich, ICCO General Manager binta.hammerich@iccopr.com

– See more at: http://news.iccopr.com/icco-announces-latest-member-canadian-council-of-public-relations-firms/#sthash.xrzhSx2a.dpuf

AMEC, ICCO and PRCA launch new version of guide to PR measurement

AMEC, the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication, the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO), and the PRCA,  the UK Public Relations Consultants Association, have today launched a new version of their web-based guide to public relations measurement.

The new-look guide, entitled ‘The PR Professionals Guide to Measurement’ was launched today at the ICCO Summit in Milan.

The simple, easy to use and navigate guide is available online at http://prguidetomeasurement.org/, which can be easily accessed on all platforms, including PC, tablet and smartphone.

Eight of the original 12 chapters have been replaced or refreshed by AMEC, ICCO and PRCA members, featuring case studies and best practice on PR measurement, top tips and latest thinking.

The guide’s authors include brand leaders, senior PR experts, and measurement experts such as ICCO President and Ketchum Europe CEO David Gallagher; Carma CEO Mazen Nahawi; Michael Frohlich, UK CEO / EAME COO, Ogilvy Public Relations and Ketchum Partner and CEO of Ketchum Global Research & Analytics, David Rockland.

Jeremy Thompson, Managing Director, Cision EMEA and Chairman of AMEC, said: “We are delighted to again partner with ICCO and PRCA in this comprehensive update of the PR Professionals Guide to Measurement.

“We know we are making real progress in educating PR professionals of the business benefits of using measurement. The new Guide is an important part of that work.”

PRCA Director General and ICCO Chief Executive Francis Ingham MPRCA said: “I am very happy to be launching this, the second edition of the PR guide to measurement. Coming soon after the launch of the Barcelona Principles 2.0, this guide places ICCO, the PRCA and our members alongside AMEC as key players in the effort to improve standards in evaluation across the PR industry.

Earlier this morning, ICCO launched the World PR Report in conjunction with The Holmes Report. The research that surveyed nearly 500 PR agency principals found the gap between the Americas and Europe narrowing. Last year, North American agencies were considerably more optimistic than those in Western Europe (8.46 compared to 7.28 on a scale of one to 10) but this year optimism levels were more similar (7.89 for North America, 7.44 for Western Europe).

Global optimism levels declined just a little from last year’s survey, with agency principals averaging a 7.62 when asked whether they were optimistic about the future of public relations in their market (compared to 7.69 last year and 7.50 in 2013) and a 7.52 (down from 7.6) when asked whether they expected profits to increase this year.

Notes to editors
The PR Professionals Guide to Measurement is available at http://prguidetomeasurement.org/.

About AMEC
AMEC
, the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication has grown to become a global trade body for agencies and practitioners who provide media evaluation and communication research. AMEC’s purpose is to define and develop the industry on an international scale with better professional standards for both companies and individuals. AMEC has a membership base in over 40 countries.

About ICCO
The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO)
 is the voice of public relations consultancies around the world. The ICCO membership comprises national trade associations in 32 countries across the globe in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. Collectively, these associations represent some 2,500 PR firms.
www.iccopr.com

About the PRCA
Who we are: Founded in 1969, the PRCA is the largest PR association in Europe, representing 18,000 people in agencies, in-house communications teams, and individuals. The PRCA promotes all aspects of public relations and internal communications work, helping teams and individuals maximise the value they deliver to clients and organisations.

What we do: The Association exists to raise standards in PR and communications, providing members with industry data, facilitating the sharing of communications best practice and creating networking opportunities.

How we do it and make a difference: All PRCA members are bound by a professional charter and codes of conduct, and benefit from exceptional training. The Association also works for the greater benefit of the industry, sharing best practice and lobbying on the industry’s behalf e.g. fighting the NLA’s digital licence.

Who we represent: The PRCA represents many of the major consultancies in the UK, and currently has more than 350 agency members from around the world, including the majority of the top 150 UK consultancies. We also represent over 250 in-house communications teams from multinationals, UK charities and leading UK public sector organisations.
www.prca.org.uk

– See more at: http://news.iccopr.com/amec-icco-and-prca-launch-new-version-of-guide-to-pr-measurement/#sthash.eMkJBL7y.dpuf

ICCO appoints Maxim Behar as President

The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) announced that it has appointed Maxim Behar as its new President, at its Global Summit today.

Behar is a globally recognised PR expert, CEO of leading Bulgarian PR consultancy M3 Communications Group and Hill+Knowlton Strategies Chairman for Czech Republic.

He has been Vice-President of ICCO since December 2013, alongside ICCO President David Gallagher, Senior Partner, CEO, Europe & Chairman, London. He was formerly the Treasurer of ICCO, a role which he held for three years.

Behar will take on the new role at the ICCO Board Meeting on 10th October.

Speaking at the ICCO Summit, David Gallagher said: “Maxim brings an extraordinary mix of energy, experience and diplomacy to everything he does, and his passion for our business and this organisation is infectious. Many more good things are on the ICCO horizon.”

Francis Ingham, ICCO Chief Executive, added: “Maxim lives and breathes international PR. His commitment to our industry, and his passion for its future make him the ideal person to lead ICCO. The growth we have enjoyed in recent years will be turbocharged under his leadership.”

Behar is lecturer on modern PR in many universities around the world and a former President of the Bulgarian Association of PR Agencies (BAPRA). He is Honorary Consul of the Republic of Seychelles in Bulgaria.

About ICCO
The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO)
 is the voice of public relations consultancies around the world. The ICCO membership comprises national trade associations in 32 countries across the globe in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. Collectively, these associations represent some 2,500 PR firms.
www.iccopr.com

– See more at: http://news.iccopr.com/icco-appoints-maxim-behar-as-president/#sthash.wQqz8R2R.dpuf

Connecting PR Women Around The World #agencypublisher

Written by: David Gallagher

dgPrint@TBoneGallagher

GLOBAL WOMEN IN PR To Launch At ICCO Summit In Milan

I have learned a few things about the PR business over the years: it’s global, it’s highly interconnected and it’s powered by women.

The global part has happened recently, with PR consultancy now thriving around the world and contributing significantly to business, government and civil society in economies just about everywhere.

The connectivity goes without saying; every industry event is a homecoming and a reminder of how small the PR world is.  We all owe our careers to a surprisingly small number of people, and as anyone who has ever attended a PR conference or awards dinner, it’s hard to be heard over the buzz (roar?) of memories shared and friendships re-established.

And the powered by women bit – that’s a sign of our collective strength and a reflection of work yet to do.  It’s no surprise that a service industry built on empathy, insight and, well, communicating, would be one in which women thrive.  But while many PR agencies are largely populated by females, the numbers in senior management positions remains disproportionately underrepresented.

The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) has enjoyed considerable success in recent years in all three areas – nurturing international expansion of the consultancy business, creating opportunities to network and collaborate and, now, playing a small role in helping PR women meet, mentor and shape the future of the industry.

A new organization – Global Women In PR (GWPR) – committed to furthering the industry by helping women meet, share, mentor and shape our future.  GWPR will launch at the ICCO Global PR Summit in Milan, Italy this week, and here’s the official announcement:

Milan, October 6th 2015 – A new international association, linking independent networking groups of senior women working in PR, is being launched at the forthcoming ICCO (International Communications Consultancy Organisation) Global Summit in Milan (October 8th – 9th).

Global Women in PR (GWPR) has been formed to act as an umbrella organisation to enable groups of senior PR women worldwide to come together to share ideas, contacts and experiences and to campaign on the major issues directly affecting women working in the PR industry today.

The development of GWPR is fully supported by ICCO and their President David Gallagher had this to say about the new initiative “women are the heart, soul and mind of PR consultancy all over the world, and we at ICCO are pleased to be associated with GWPR’s ambitious global plans.”

Following the recent success of Women in PR (WPR) in the UK and its resurgence as a significant and powerful networking organization; former Joint-Presidents Angela Oakes and Susan Hardwick felt that the time was right to encourage other countries to form their own WPR associations.

“The widely reported gender pay gap and the lack of women in the boardroom are two major issues which are not limited to the UK PR industry, but affect those working in PR worldwide. Coupled with what we believe to be an important vehicle for senior women to meet in a non-competitive environment, WPR also offers its members a chance to help shape the future of the industry and to act as mentors to the next generation. We want our successful networking blueprint in the UK to be rolled out globally and are taking the first steps to make this happen,” commented Angela and Susan.

The launch of GWPR is being supported by Business Wire (a Berkshire Hathaway company) and a major sponsor of WPR in the UK. “We are delighted to be supporting this important launch,” said Kim Deonanan Business Wire Regional VP, Northern & Central Europe.

————————————-

David is a senior partner and CEO for Ketchum in Europe, and outgoing president of ICCO.