Abu Dhabi-based Viola Communications has appointed Camilla d'Abo as its new General Manager of PR. Bringing more than 25 years of experience across communications, reputation management, marketing, and business strategy, she joins the agency at an exciting time as the firm continues to grow across the region. “Throughout her career, she has worked with leading brands and organizations, helping them build strong reputations, navigate change, and create meaningful connections with their audiences. Her experience, leadership, and strategic perspective will play an important role in shaping the next phase of growth for our PR team and the clients we serve,” the company announced. “This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a business at a pivotal time in its evolution. For more than 20 years, Viola Communications has built a reputation in the UAE for shaping some of the nation’s most important brands. Today, the business is paving the way for an exciting new future under the leadership of CEO Piero Poli, with a clear ambition to evolve, grow and redefine what modern communications can be,” said Camilla d'Abo on her LinkedIn.

Stratfield Partners, a strategic advisory firm specialising in strategic communications, public affairs, and government relations, has appointed USP Yadav as Senior Advisor for Regulatory Standards and Certification.  Yadav brings to the firm 35 years of expertise built at the heart of India's national standards infrastructure, strengthening Stratfield's specialist practice serving businesses that operate within India's regulatory and certification framework.USP Yadav served at the Bureau of Indian Standards for 35 years, recently retiring as Scientist G and Deputy Director General. During his tenure, he led conformity assessment operations across India, designed multiple pioneering certification schemes, and contributed to technical regulation policy at the inter-ministerial level.He represented India in international standards bodies including ISO CASCO WG36, ISO TC 176, ISO TC 309, and ISO TC 262, and has conducted over 2,500 audits spanning chemicals, food, pharmaceuticals, cement, textiles, and engineering products. As Head of BIS's Southern Region, Yadav oversaw conformity assessment and certification operations spanning multiple states, leading one of the bureau's largest regional business units. He has served as Member Secretary for Standards Formulation committees covering cosmetics, fragrances, bitumen, and tar products, and has contributed to drafting sustainability auditing standards, ESG reporting frameworks, and the Indian Standard on Drinking Water Supply Management Systems. He is an Advanced Certified ESG Practitioner and continues to participate actively in national and ISO standards committees.Muneeb Ansari, Founding Partner, Stratfield Partners, said: "We are very pleased to welcome USP Yadav to Stratfield Partners. Regulatory and certification strategy has become one of the most consequential areas of counsel for businesses operating in India today. Quality Control Orders, BIS certification requirements, and technical standards are no longer back-office compliance questions. They are strategic ones. USP brings something genuinely rare: 35 years inside BIS, at its highest levels, with direct experience designing the very frameworks our clients must navigate."USP Yadav, Senior Advisor, Regulatory Standards and Certification, Stratfield Partners, said: "Having spent 35 years building and administering India's regulatory and certification infrastructure from within BIS, I look forward to applying that experience on behalf of businesses seeking to operate responsibly and competitively in this environment. Regulatory conformity is not simply about compliance. It is about positioning. I am glad to be associated with a firm that understands and advises on that distinction."USP Yadav's association with Stratfield Partners comes at a time of growing demand for specialist regulatory counsel, as the Government of India continues to expand its technical regulation framework through Quality Control Orders across sectors including electronics, chemicals, food products, medical devices, and construction materials. Businesses operating in or entering the Indian market increasingly require senior-level guidance on BIS certification, standards formulation, and regulatory risk.

CompassPoint Consulting, Money Works for Women, GWPR MENA and PRCA MENA are launching Financial Fundamentals and P&L Management, a workshop for PR professionals, a practical learning session designed to help communications practitioners strengthen their financial confidence and better understand the commercial realities of agency and consultancy leadership.The workshop will take place in Dubai on 12 June 2026 at 8:30am at Edelman Middle East, One JLT, followed by an Abu Dhabi session on 25 June 2026 at 3:30pm at Edelman, Abu Dhabi. Each session is limited to 20 seats, with places available to PRCA members, GWPR members and non-members.Developed by Elizabeth Sen and Zaid Aboobaker, the workshop has been created specifically for PR professionals who are increasingly expected to participate in commercial conversations, manage teams, understand profitability, and make decisions that affect the financial performance of their agencies, departments or client accounts.While PR has traditionally been viewed through the lens of creativity, relationships, reputation and storytelling, senior communications professionals are now expected to operate with far greater financial fluency. For practitioners moving from director-level roles into senior director, managing director, founder or C-suite positions, understanding the numbers is no longer optional, it’s central to leadership.The session will cover financial fundamentals, how to read and interpret a profit and loss statement, the basics of agency economics, the relationship between revenue, cost of delivery and profitability, and how PR professionals can build the confidence to speak more clearly with finance directors, CFOs, founders and boards.Zaid Aboobaker, Founder & CEO of CompassPoint Consulting said: “PR is a commercial discipline, but too many talented practitioners are promoted into leadership before anyone has properly shown them how the numbers work.“You can be brilliant with clients, strategy, people and delivery, but if you cannot read a P&L, understand margin or connect everyday decisions to profitability, you are not fully in control of the business you are helping to run. This workshop is designed to take the fear and jargon out of finance, and give PR professionals the confidence to sit in commercial conversations as equals.”The workshop also supports the wider mission of Money Works for Women, which aims to help more women build practical financial literacy and confidence. By connecting personal financial understanding with business finance, the initiative seeks to demystify money, remove unnecessary complexity and support more women as they move into boardroom, leadership and decision-making roles.Money Works for Women founder, Elizabeth Sen, says: “I'm delighted to be partnering with Zaid at CompassPoint Consulting on this practical workshop designed specifically for PR professionals. Drawing on our combined experience of leading agencies, managing P&Ls, advising clients, and building businesses, we'll share the knowledge we wish we'd had earlier in our careers.”Through Money Works for Women, Elizabeth aims to bring 100,000 women into financial literacy, and this seminar is the latest in her tireless goal.“If you're stepping into management, considering starting your own consultancy, or navigating your next career chapter, this workshop is designed for you,” added the entrepreneur.And for ambitious PR professionals, that confidence is increasingly important. Whether pricing work, reviewing client profitability, deciding when to hire, managing cash flow, forecasting revenue or understanding the true cost of delivery, financial literacy can have a direct impact on career progression and business performance.The workshop is open to both members and non-members, with rates set at AED 250 for PRCA and GWPR members and AED 450 for non-members. Seats will be confirmed once payment has been received.Event detailsDubaiDate: 12 June 2026 | Time: 8:30am | Venue: Edelman Middle East, One JLT, DubaiAbu DhabiDate: 25 June 2026 | Time: 3:30pm | Venue: Edelman, Abu DhabiRatesPRCA member rate: AED 250GWPR member rate: AED 250Non-member rate: AED 450Note: Places are limited to 20 seats per city.

StickyGinger has secured the PR retainer for McLaren Middle East, Africa, and India following a competitive pitch process. The win reflects the agency’s experience in positioning luxury brands within the region’s cultural landscape, with a clear understanding of UHNWI audiences and the moments that shape influence, conversation, and automotive brand relevance across MEAI.Building on strong momentum and a growing roster of high-profile clients, StickyGinger is set to bring its communications expertise to one of the world’s most iconic automotive brands, delivering impactful storytelling and culturally relevant campaigns tailored to the region.The agency will lead on PR strategy, media relations, influencer engagement, events, and regional campaigns. The partnership aims to further elevate McLaren’s presence across key MEAI markets, supporting brand visibility and engagement with both existing and new audiences."We are thrilled to appoint StickyGinger as our PR partner in the Middle East, Africa & India," says Lauren Dowdy, Regional Marketing Manager – Middle East, Africa & India at McLaren Automotive. "As an agency that is known to operate at the forefront of the regional communications landscape, paired with an unmatched track record across both luxury and automotive, StickyGinger gave us the ultimate confidence in selecting them as our strategic partner.”“We’re incredibly proud to have earned McLaren’s trust,” says Heba Hemdan, Head of PR at StickyGinger. “McLaren is a brand built on performance, precision and pushing boundaries, qualities we also hold in as priorities within our team. Our focus will be on delivering communications and connections that command attention, create meaningful conversations and strengthen the brand’s presence across the region – and we’re excited to help drive the next phase of McLaren’s growth across Middle East, Africa & India.”StickyGinger will work closely with McLaren Middle East, Africa & India to support upcoming launches, drive awareness around key milestones, and deliver campaigns that reflect the brand’s pioneering spirit. The focus will be on strengthening McLaren’s positioning in the region through strategic storytelling, high-impact activations, and consistent engagement across media and influencer platforms.

There was a time when public relations was largely measured by one question: “How many media features did we secure this month?” Today, founders and brands are asking something far more layered: “What are people associating us with and how are we being remembered?” This speaks largely to where the industry is heading. PR today is evolving and it is not just seen as a support function but also as a strategic business tool. Today, visibility without narrative direction is temporary, and modern PR is increasingly leaning towards shaping perception.Media Coverage Is No Longer the End Goal For years, PR was largely associated with media visibility - press releases, interviews, announcements, and securing headlines. While these remain significantly important tools, the role of PR today extends far beyond earned coverage. In today’s world, a certain brand can trend and be on top of the charts in the morning, face criticism in the evening and by the end of the day, they are already solving a crisis. In such an environment, communication cannot only be reactive. It has to be intentional. This is where many brands are beginning to rethink PR entirely. Instead of asking agencies to simply “get coverage,” they are also looking for partners who can help define the brand’s messaging and narratives, what the brand should stand for, what authority and recall it should build and most importantly, how the brand should consistently communicate across platforms. In simple words, there is a shift from just media management to narrative strategy.Since the beginning of time, humans have always used stories to connect, and brands are finally catching onThe rules of business have quietly rewritten themselves. Today, you aren’t just competing on the price tag or the product features; you are competing on how you make people feel. We buy from people we trust, people we relate to, and people who feel real. We want to look behind the curtain to see what a company actually stands for.That is why storytelling is no longer a luxury, it is the heartbeat of communication…it’s a necessity and it isn’t about flashy slogans or slick, over-produced campaigns. It is about showing up as yourself, day after day. A great story isn’t told all at once in a single interview; it is built quietly and consistently across every single conversation you have. Today audiences can spot a script from a mile away, but they will always remember a true story.The Rise of Founder-Led Communication Another noticeable change in recent years has been the rise of founder visibility. Earlier, many businesses preferred keeping founders in the background while the company remained the primary focus. Today, founders themselves are becoming narrative carriers for the brand. Their opinions, interviews, LinkedIn presence, public speaking, and thought leadership increasingly influence how their business is perceived. From legacy businesses to emerging brands, leadership communication is becoming an integral part of reputation building. Investors want to understand what the leadership is thinking, the consumers want relatability, the media wants perspective and the employees want vision. As a result, founder branding is no longer optional but it is strategic positioning. In fact, some of the strongest PR outcomes today are coming not from brand announcements, but from credible founder voices leading industry conversations.PR Today Is Closer to Business StrategyOne of the biggest misconceptions about PR is that it begins after a business milestone is achieved. Today PR professionals are increasingly expected to understand business models, consumer behaviour, industry trends, and cultural sentiment. The role has expanded significantly. This shift is happening because communication decisions today influence investor confidence, employer branding, market credibility, stakeholder trust and vendor partnerships. A PR agency is expected to make a PR plan on the pillars of narrative, authority, perception and even long term positioning. These are strategic business angles and not just media visibility metrics anymore. Additionally, today brand perception is shaped not only by traditional media but also by social media, founder communication, customer reviews, podcasts, and real-time digital conversations. In an environment with continuous communication, every statement, collaboration or even silence contributes to public perception.The Future of PR Lies in Narrative Building The future of communications will belong to brands that understand the importance of long-term narrative building over short-term visibility. Today, PR is no longer just about getting brands featured; it is about helping brands stay relevant, credible and consistently remembered in an overcrowded information ecosystem. As the industry continues to evolve, PR professionals will increasingly be expected to act as strategic narrative architects rather than just media facilitators. Because at the end of the day, people may forget campaigns and headlines, but they always remember how a brand made them feel.

Omnicom has officially completed the merger of its public relations agencies Golin and Ketchum, unveiling the new global brand Golin Ketchum as part of its broader post-acquisition restructuring following the integration of Interpublic.The newly formed agency brings together more than 2,000 professionals worldwide, positioning it among the largest PR networks globally. The move follows the merger announcement earlier this year and marks a significant step in Omnicom’s efforts to streamline and strengthen its communications portfolio.The combined operation will be led by former Golin chief executive Matt Neale, who assumes the CEO role for Golin Ketchum. Former Ketchum executive Tamara Norman has been appointed president, while Ellen Ryan Mardiks takes on the role of chairman.According to Neale, retaining both legacy names in the new identity was a deliberate decision designed to preserve the reputation and market recognition built by each agency over decades.The merger unites two firms that entered 2026 from contrasting positions. Golin has enjoyed strong growth and industry recognition in recent years, while Ketchum has faced revenue challenges amid wider restructuring across Omnicom's agency network.Regional Leadership StructureThe new organization has announced key regional appointments:Dawn Langeland will oversee North America as president.Jamey Peters becomes president of operations and managing director for the southern US region.Ondine Whittington will lead the UK business.Hortensia Nastase will head continental Europe, overseeing an expanded footprint that now includes Ketchum's German and Austrian operations.Amanda Berenstein will lead Latin America while continuing her responsibilities within Weber Shandwick's Mexico office.While Omnicom recently reorganized its Asia-Pacific operations under a broader regional structure, no specific Golin Ketchum leadership appointments for the region have yet been announced.Strengthening Practice AreasThe agency has also confirmed leadership for several specialist sectors:John Bradbury will lead Corporate Affairs.Michele Murray will head Food, Agriculture and Nutrition.Jaimee Reggio and Samantha Schwarz will jointly oversee the Health practice.Consumer and brand communications remain the agency's largest area of business, complemented by healthcare, corporate affairs, technology, and Ketchum's established food and agriculture expertise.New Executive TeamThe leadership roster includes:Jonny Bentwood – Chief Data & Analytics OfficerJeff Beringer – Chief AI OfficerRob Bernstein – Chief Innovation OfficerGeorge Bryant – Chief Creative OfficerMaxine Enciso – EVP, Inclusion & ImpactPaul Parton – Chief Strategy OfficerCarrie von der Sitt – Chief Growth & Brand OfficerOmnicom confirmed that affiliated agencies including Brooklyn Brothers and DeVries Global will continue operating under their existing brands.Ambitious Vision for GrowthNeale said the merger expands the agency's capabilities and scale, particularly in areas such as corporate affairs, food and agriculture, strategic planning, creative services, and AI-driven communications.He emphasized that executives from both legacy agencies quickly aligned around a shared vision, allowing the integration process to be completed in just five months.The new agency's purpose statement is: "Together, we'll do the best work of our lives and create change that matters."Its four guiding values are centered on bravery, curiosity, collaboration, and ambition balanced with kindness.New Brand IdentityThe visual identity for Golin Ketchum was created internally by the agency's creative teams. The branding introduces a fresh colour palette intended to reflect energy, innovation, and growth, reinforcing the company's commitment to creativity as a key differentiator in the marketplace.Neale described the in-house development of the brand as a reflection of the creative strength that both agencies bring to the newly formed organization, expressing confidence that Golin Ketchum is well positioned to compete as one of the world's leading communications firms in the years ahead.

Growth Jet Media, a communications and founder-branding firm working with startups and founder-led companies, has acquired Radixtude, a creative production company specializing in filmmaking, branded content, and visual storytellingThe acquisition advances Growth Jet Media’s strategy of building an integrated communications platform that combines public relations, founder branding, media relations, content creation, and cinematic storytelling.As startups and growth-stage companies increasingly invest in founder visibility and video-led storytelling, the demand for integrated communication and content capabilities has accelerated. The acquisition enables Growth Jet Media to combine media outreach, founder positioning, strategic communications, and premium visual storytelling under a single offering.Founded by Dev Karan and Himanshu Chauhan, Radixtude has emerged as a creative-first production and storytelling company known for its distinctive visual narratives, commercial filmmaking, and brand-led content creation. Over the years, the company has partnered with some of India’s most recognized brands, delivering advertising films, branded content, and digital campaigns for Amazon India, Urban Company, Swiss Beauty, Canara HSBC, Ola, Chetak, VLCC, Durex, Dabur, Ecom Express, Delhivery, Oben, and several high-growth consumer and technology brands.Combining cinematic storytelling, strong art direction, and strategic brand thinking, Radixtude specializes in creating television commercials, branded films, digital-first campaigns, and founder-led visual narratives that help businesses build deeper audience engagement, stronger brand recall, and lasting market presence.Following the acquisition, Radixtude will operate as the creative production division of Growth Jet Media while continuing to deliver high-quality visual content and storytelling solutions for brands, startups, and founders across India.Prasiddhi Vaidkar, (pictured), Co-founder of Growth Jet Media, said: “Traditional PR alone no longer delivers the impact modern brands need. Today’s founders require integrated storytelling across earned media, video content, podcasts, social platforms, and brand films. The acquisition of Radixtude allows us to build a unified communications platform where strategy, storytelling, and creative execution work together to create meaningful business outcomes.”Dev Karan, Founder of Radixtude, said: “Brands today compete for attention, not just market share. By combining creative filmmaking with strategic communications, we can help founders and businesses build stronger emotional connections with their audiences and create stories that resonate across platforms.”Himanshu Chauhan, Founder of Radixtude, added: “The future belongs to brands that can tell stories across multiple formats. This partnership brings together creative storytelling and strategic communications to help brands build stronger audience connections and lasting influence.”Strategic VisionThe acquisition aligns with Growth Jet Media’s long-term objective of becoming a comprehensive communications partner for startups, founders, and emerging brands. By integrating public relations, founder branding, creative production, and digital influence under one roof, the company aims to help businesses create stronger narratives, build deeper audience engagement, and accelerate growth.The combined entity will focus on serving startups, growth-stage companies, consumer brands, and founder-led businesses seeking integrated communication solutions in an increasingly content-driven market.

Neysa, a purpose-built AI Compute and Acceleration Cloud provider, today announced the appointment of veteran CIO Anup Purohit as Strategic Advisor. The appointment brings together a technology leader with more than three decades of experience across global and Indian enterprises and a company building AI infrastructure for India’s AI economy, at a time when organizations are rethinking how AI capabilities are built, deployed and scaled.Purohit has held leadership positions including Global CIO at Wipro, Group CIO at YES Bank, Head of IT at RBL Bank, and senior technology leadership roles at Barclays and JPMorgan across Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Over the course of his career, he has overseen large-scale technology programmes, managed complex enterprise environments and guided organizations through multiple waves of digital transformation.As Strategic Advisor, Purohit will work closely with Neysa’s leadership team as the company expands adoption of Velocis, its AI Acceleration Cloud System, and deepens engagement with enterprises building AI as a core business capability. He will provide strategic guidance on enterprise technology priorities and help strengthen Neysa’s understanding of the evolving needs of organizations deploying AI at scale.Sharad Sanghi, Co-founder and CEO of Neysa, said: “Our mission is to help accelerate AI-led digital transformation for organizations across India. Building platforms such as Velocis requires more than infrastructure expertise. It requires a deep understanding of how enterprises evaluate technology investments, manage change and drive business outcomes. Anup brings that perspective from his experience leading technology organizations at global scale, and we are delighted to welcome him as we continue helping customers unlock the full potential of AI.”Anup Purohit said: “AI represents one of the most significant technology shifts of our time. Organizations across industries are evaluating how to translate its potential into meaningful business outcomes. What excites me about Neysa is its focus on building the foundational infrastructure needed to make AI adoption practical, scalable and accessible. I look forward to working with the team as they help organizations harness AI with greater confidence and impact.”Purohit currently serves as an Additional Director and Strategic Advisor at Spliceforms and has advised boards, regulators and leadership teams across financial services and technology organizations. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering from Mumbai University, has completed the Leading Change and Organizational Renewal programme at Harvard Business School, and is a Certified Independent Director from the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs.

The public relations industry is undergoing a significant transformation, moving away from traditional metrics centred on media visibility towards a more strategic focus on trust, reputation and business impact.For years, PR success was often measured by the volume of media coverage generated, the prominence of publications secured, or the advertising value equivalent attached to a campaign. While visibility remains an important objective, communications professionals increasingly argue that it is no longer enough in an environment where audiences are exposed to an unprecedented volume of content every day.Consumers now navigate a constant stream of advertisements, social media content, influencer endorsements, podcasts, reviews and news stories. In such a crowded landscape, attracting attention has become relatively straightforward. Earning trust, however, has become significantly more challenging.This shift is redefining the role of public relations.Rather than focusing solely on securing headlines, modern PR is increasingly tasked with building credibility and influencing perception. The challenge for brands is no longer whether they can tell a story, but whether audiences believe that story.Industry observers note that trust is rarely created through promotional messaging alone. Instead, it is built through consistent actions, transparent communication and authentic leadership. Organisations that deliver on promises, communicate openly and demonstrate accountability are more likely to establish lasting credibility with customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.Many brands, however, continue to approach public relations through a traditional lens, prioritising short-term visibility over long-term reputation. Communications experts argue that credibility stems from a broader ecosystem that includes thought leadership, customer advocacy, employee engagement, transparent corporate communications and meaningful storytelling.When these elements work together, PR evolves from a media relations function into a strategic trust-building mechanism.The growing emphasis on trust has also strengthened the connection between communications and commercial performance.Historically, PR teams often struggled to demonstrate a direct link between communications activities and business outcomes. Reputation management was frequently viewed as a supporting function rather than a driver of growth. That perception is changing.Businesses increasingly recognise that reputation influences purchasing decisions, investment confidence and talent attraction. Customers are more likely to engage with brands they trust, investors prefer organisations with strong credibility, and prospective employees often evaluate a company's reputation before accepting a role.As a result, trust is increasingly being viewed as a competitive advantage with measurable business value.This evolution means communication strategies must be closely aligned with broader organisational goals. Whether the objective is market expansion, customer retention, talent acquisition or stakeholder engagement, public relations is becoming an essential contributor to business growth.Alongside trust and growth, speed has emerged as another defining factor in modern communications.While reputation has traditionally been regarded as something built gradually over time, digital platforms have dramatically accelerated the pace of public discourse. Brand narratives can now shift within hours, driven by social media conversations, customer feedback or executive commentary.A customer complaint can rapidly gain widespread attention. A leadership interview can reach global audiences overnight. A compelling brand story can travel across markets within a single news cycle.In this environment, the challenge is not simply moving faster, but maintaining authenticity while doing so.Communications specialists argue that speed should not come at the expense of credibility. Instead, organisations must develop the capability to respond quickly while remaining clear, consistent and aligned with their values. Brands that achieve this balance are often better positioned to build trust and strengthen stakeholder relationships.The future of public relations is increasingly being defined by three interconnected priorities: trust, growth and speed.Trust remains the foundation of long-term reputation. Growth ensures communications efforts contribute directly to business objectives. Speed reflects the realities of a digital-first world where audiences expect timely engagement and responsive communication.As the industry continues to evolve, success is likely to be measured less by the number of headlines generated and more by the strength of the relationships organisations build and the confidence they inspire among stakeholders.The era of vanity metrics is giving way to a new communications model, one where trust, business impact and agility define the true value of public relations.

Bloomberg Media has partnered with Cision, a global leader in consumer and media intelligence, to expand access to Bloomberg's premium full-text journalism directly within CisionOne, Cision's media intelligence platform. Through the integration, eligible Bloomberg.com Group Subscribers will be able to view, monitor, and engage with Bloomberg reporting alongside the platform tools they already use to track news, analyze coverage, and inform communications strategy. The partnership gives enterprise communications teams more seamless access to Bloomberg's premium financial and business reporting within existing workflows. "Partnering with Cision brings Bloomberg's journalism directly into an environment where communications and business executives are shaping strategy and engaging with news," says Nick Pimm, Managing Director of Enterprise Sales at Bloomberg Media. "There's a strong alignment between our audiences, and this collaboration allows us to extend Bloomberg Media's reach while creating a seamless, integrated experience for our shared subscribers." "For communications teams, trusted journalism is an important part of understanding the stories, issues, and market shifts that matter to their organizations. This partnership gives customers easier access to Bloomberg Media's full-text business and financial reporting within their CisionOne workflow, helping them monitor coverage, understand context, and make more informed decisions," said Stuart Clark, SVP of Content Strategy and Partnerships at Cision.

On-demand delivery platform Lalamove has appointed Alliyah Villeza as Public Relations Lead for the Philippines, strengthening its communications team as the company expands its services and brand presence in the market.In her new role, Villeza will oversee public relations and corporate communications initiatives, including campaign development, media relations, agency management, partnership engagement, reputation management and issues monitoring. She will also support strategic storytelling efforts aimed at enhancing Lalamove's visibility among consumers, businesses and delivery partners.Villeza joins the logistics technology company with experience spanning both corporate and agency environments. Prior to joining Lalamove, she held communications roles at Meralco PowerGen Corporation, where she worked on corporate reputation and stakeholder engagement programmes, and at RedTorch Communications, where she managed communications campaigns across multiple sectors.Her appointment comes as Lalamove continues to invest in brand-building and community engagement initiatives across the Philippines. Founded in Hong Kong in 2013, the company has grown into one of Asia's largest on-demand delivery platforms, operating in more than 20 markets and connecting millions of users with a network of delivery partners through its technology platform.The Philippines remains a strategic market for the company. In recent months, Lalamove has expanded beyond its core delivery business through new mobility offerings and initiatives aimed at supporting small businesses, while also strengthening its operational footprint through a planned move to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) logistics hub.The Public Relations Lead role is responsible for shaping and protecting the company's reputation through integrated communications programmes, media engagement, corporate messaging and partnership development, reflecting the growing importance of strategic communications within fast-scaling technology and logistics businesses.

The Center for AI Safety (CAIS), a nonprofit focused on reducing societal-scale risks from artificial intelligence, today announced the appointment of Rochelle Nadhiri as Head of Public Engagement. A communications and public affairs strategist with two decades of experience at the intersection of technology and policy, Nadhiri will lead CAIS's effort to translate frontier AI safety research into narratives that reach and move audiences beyond the technical community.“AI safety is no longer an abstract issue, but instead is a concrete challenge impacting real institutions, real policy decisions, and real lives,” said Nadhiri. “CAIS has long produced some of the most important research in this field, and I look forward to helping bridge the gap to the audiences most affected by AI with the clarity and urgency AI safety deserves."At Robinhood, as VP and Head of Communications, Nadhiri directed corporate, executive, product, and policy communications globally, including overseeing launch communications for Robinhood Retirement, which reached 1M+ users within 30 days. At Meta, she managed the $50M XR Programs and Research Fund, a two-year initiative supporting responsible metaverse technology development through partnerships with academic institutions, policy organizations, nonprofits, industry partners, and governments."Rochelle has spent her career making complex, high-stakes stories legible to the people who need to act on them," said Devin Kim, President of CAIS. "CAIS has long been a leader in developing world-class research, and with Rochelle, we are ready to do the same with our impact on policy and culture."As Head of Public Engagement, Nadhiri will oversee CAIS's media relations, narrative strategy, and public-facing communications, with a focus on building sustained public understanding of AI safety across policy, journalism, technology, and general audiences. Her appointment follows CAIS's recent naming of Kim as President and the launch of the national security-focused Frontier Security Institute, as the organization strengthens its senior leadership to support an expanding research agenda and growing institutional mission.

TUTE Consult, one of India's leading independent Marketing Communications Consultancies, today formally announced the launch of Vector - its dedicated brand strategy, research and intelligence division — for both Indian and international markets. Vector has completed a structured three-month soft launch during which it delivered over 200 pieces of proprietary research, brand audits and narrative intelligence projects across mandates spanning beauty and wellness, FMCG, luxury, technology and hospitality. The formal launch marks the consultancy's move to position Vector as a distinct, scalable practice available as both a standalone mandate and as the strategy layer anchoring TUTE Consult's integrated Communiqué (PR and earned media) and Tribe (creator and influencer marketing) divisions.Vector addresses a challenge that TUTE Consult has observed consistently across its 16-year, 350-brand portfolio: that both Indian companies scaling nationally and international brands entering India routinely underinvest in the strategic foundation that makes their communications work. For Indian clients, this means category sentiment analysis, competitive narrative mapping, share of voice intelligence and the integrated MarCom planning that sequences PR, creator and advertising activity for maximum efficiency. For international brands, it means India-specific narrative architecture - translating global brand positioning into the stories that Indian consumers, regional media and India-focused creators actually respond to. Vector also delivers reputation intelligence, founder authority programmes, and an AI-powered consumer, brand and cultural intelligence capability built on top of billions of data points in real-time, helping meaningfully influence how consumers first perceive brands.“We built Vector because the problem kept presenting itself, regardless of whether the client was an Indian D2C brand trying to own a category narrative or a global beauty company entering India for the first time. The story wasn’t built on insight. The data wasn’t informing the communications. Campaigns ran efficiently into a vacuum because no one had asked the foundational question - what does this brand mean to its audience right now, and why does it matter? Over 200 research briefs in three months told us that this need is not niche. It is the central communications challenge of this market. Vector is the answer we have been building toward for 16 years. It is the step-up and step in building our agency for the future model”  Komal Lath, Founder & Chief Initiator, TUTE ConsultVector's formal launch coincides with what TUTE Consult describes as an inflection point in brand discoverability. With AI-powered search engines increasingly replacing traditional search as the first port of call for brand research - among both trade buyers and consumers - the consultancy argues that brands without structured, expert-attributed, intelligence-led content will face compounding visibility disadvantages going ahead.. “Vector gave us a far more nuanced understanding of the Indian beauty consumer than we could have gathered through surface level market research alone. The insights were incredibly valuable in helping us evaluate positioning, consumer behaviour, and white space opportunities for entering the Indian market. What stood out was the balance of data backed intelligence with cultural context - something critical when building a cohort of beauty brands for India.” -  Cathie, Founder, ThreeSixty Agency“There was a distinct, undeniable gap in the industry when it comes to understanding what consumers are truly pursuing and perceiving about brands online. Tute Consult has successfully identified this exact gap and built Tute Vector to address it perfectly. It is the precise specialized advisory that modern brands need to think about before they communicate, combining deep competitive intelligence with a swift 3-day turnaround. I am really excited for the entire team and send my best wishes for this incredible launch!” - Vibhuti Munjal, Manager Marketing & Product, L'Occitane India

Greaves Cotton Limited has appointed Manasi Patni as Deputy General Manager – Corporate Communications, Public Relations, Events and Brand Partnerships.Patni announced the development on LinkedIn, expressing her enthusiasm about beginning a new chapter with the company and contributing to its growth journey.A communications and public relations professional, Patni brings experience in corporate communications, reputation management, strategic narrative building, thought leadership, brand activations, events and partnerships.Prior to joining Greaves Cotton, she served as Lead Corporate Communication & PR at Waaree Group, where she was responsible for driving corporate communications and public relations initiatives for the renewable energy company.Over the course of her career, she has built expertise in brand communication, IPO communications, advocacy programmes, media relations and stakeholder engagement, helping organisations strengthen their corporate reputation and brand visibility.In her new role at Greaves Cotton, Patni will lead the company’s corporate communications, public relations, events and brand partnership initiatives, supporting the brand’s strategic communication and engagement efforts.Commenting on her appointment, Patni said, “Looking forward to contributing to Greaves' growth story and creating meaningful impact.”

James Cook University has announced the promotion of Kumudha Panneerchelvam to an expanded role as Senior Manager, Corporate Communications.In her elevated position, Panneerchelvam will lead the university's overarching corporate communications strategy. Her comprehensive portfolio now includes overseeing:• Media Relations & Public Relations• Strategic Stakeholder Engagement• Corporate Reputation Management• Internal Communications & Employee EngagementPanneerchelvam joined James Cook University in 2025, where she quickly made an impact by driving internal communications and strengthening employee engagement initiatives across the institution.A Proven Track Record in Strategic CommunicationsPanneerchelvam brings more than 12 years of deep communications and public relations expertise to the role. Prior to her time at James Cook University, she held impactful in-house communications positions at major organizations, including public transport operator SMRT and the Singapore Cancer Society.Additionally, her career includes extensive agency experience, where she successfully managed and counseled diverse client portfolios across multiple industry sectors. Her well-rounded background in both corporate and non-profit sectors positions her uniquely to elevate James Cook University’s brand presence and community connection in the region

At Candour Communications, we believe growth comes from curiosity, conviction, and the ability to shape conversations that matter. As we continue to strengthen our leadership team, we are proud to welcome professionals who bring both depth of experience and a forward-looking vision.We are delighted to announce Jayshri Goswami as Chief Growth Officer. With over 17 years of experience in Communications, she has led enterprise technology mandates at Burson and spent three and a half years at Oracle driving strategic communications across corporate and technology sectors. Her expertise lies in building integrated strategies that translate complex business ambition into compelling public narratives.“Jayshri’s appointment marks an exciting step in Candour’s journey. Her expertise in corporate communications and her vision for growth will be pivotal in shaping the next phase of our expansion,” said Dhrubajyoti Gayan, Founder & Managing Director of Candour Communications.Over the course of her career, Jayshri has partnered with global enterprises, founders, and leadership teams to craft communication strategies that go beyond traditional PR — focusing on market expansion, growth, and long-term brand equity. She has consistently worked at the intersection of technology, storytelling, and reputation management, helping brands navigate competitive landscapes and shape conversations that matter.“I am excited to join Candour at such a pivotal time in its journey. With its strong foundation in technology and sustainability communications, I look forward to driving growth, expanding our market presence, and building deeper client partnerships. Together, we will shape impactful narratives that reflect the evolving needs of businesses and society,” said Jayshri.Outside of work, Jayshri is a travel enthusiast who enjoys exploring new destinations, immersing herself in travel experiences, and spending time with her family and pets — passions that keep her curious, grounded, and inspired.

Filtrona has appointed Dalvinder Jeet Kaur as Global Communications Manager, strengthening its communications leadership as the company continues to expand its focus on innovation, sustainability and stakeholder engagement.Kaur will lead internal and external communications across Filtrona's nine global locations. Her responsibilities include driving the company's global communications strategy, enhancing employee engagement, supporting thought leadership initiatives and strengthening Filtrona's corporate reputation worldwide. Kaur joins Filtrona with nearly two decades of experience in corporate communications, reputation management and strategic advisory. Over an 18-year career, she has worked across corporate reputation, thought leadership and integrated communications, holding senior roles at SPAG FINN Partners, Golin and most recently PRecious Communications, where she advised C-suite executives and regional leadership teams across Asia-Pacific and South Asia.Kaur said: "Filtrona is uniquely positioned at the intersection of science, innovation and sustainability, helping customers navigate industry transformation through advanced filtration solutions and technical expertise. I am excited to join the team and look forward to strengthening Filtrona's global reputation, amplifying its innovation story, and deepening engagement with employees, customers and industry stakeholders." Filtrona is a global leader in specialty filter solutions for the tobacco industry and operates manufacturing, innovation and scientific services facilities across Europe, Asia and the Americas. The company, headquartered in Singapore, serves customers in more than 120 countries and has increasingly positioned sustainability as a core part of its growth strategy through investments in biodegradable and plastic-free filtration technologies. The appointment comes as Filtrona continues to advance its global sustainability agenda and corporate transformation efforts, with communications expected to play a key role in showcasing the company's innovation, ESG initiatives and stakeholder partnerships.

Public relations firm PR 24x7 has unveiled a new startup support initiative aimed at helping young innovators and entrepreneurs from rural India and smaller cities overcome funding barriers. The programme, titled PRAGATI (PR 24x7 Resource Allocation for Growth, Advancement, and Transforming Ideas), will provide financial assistance ranging from ?50,000 to ?50 lakh to 100 early-stage startup ventures.The initiative is designed to identify and support promising business ideas emerging from rural regions and Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, where entrepreneurs often struggle to secure seed capital despite having commercially viable concepts.India has emerged as the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, producing thousands of new ventures each year. However, industry studies continue to highlight significant challenges facing early-stage founders. A large proportion of startups fail within their first five years, with limited access to funding, investors and mentorship frequently cited as key reasons.Startup funding in India also remains heavily concentrated in major metropolitan centres such as Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR and Mumbai, creating a funding gap for entrepreneurs based outside the country's primary technology and investment hubs.Announcing the initiative, PR 24x7 founder Dr Atul Malikram said the organisation wants to ensure that talented young innovators are not forced to abandon promising ideas because of financial constraints."The real stars and future business leaders of India are living in our rural areas and small towns. These young people possess vision and determination; what they often lack is access to financial support at the right time. Through this initiative, we want to bridge that gap and help transform innovative ideas into successful enterprises," Malikram said.According to the organisation, the application process has been designed to remain simple and accessible, particularly for entrepreneurs who may not have experience navigating complex funding procedures. Applicants will only need to submit their business ideas or proposals for evaluation by a dedicated selection committee.PR 24x7 said no application fees will be charged at any stage of the process, and there will be no intermediaries involved in the selection procedure. Shortlisted candidates with high-potential and future-focused business ideas will be contacted directly by the organisation for the next stages of assessment and funding consideration.The company added that documentation requirements will be kept to a minimum, with the final decision resting with the selection committee.Through PRAGATI, the organisation aims to create opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs outside India's major startup hubs, providing access to crucial early-stage capital that could help transform innovative concepts into scalable businesses.For founders in smaller cities and rural communities seeking their first funding opportunity, the initiative could provide a pathway to bring locally developed ideas to a wider market and accelerate their entrepreneurial journey.

Arpit Garg has rejoined Adfactors PR as Director, marking a return to the communications consultancy where he previously spent over six years in leadership roles.Garg announced the development on LinkedIn, stating that he was returning to the firm with a renewed sense of purpose and gratitude for the opportunities it had provided during his earlier tenure.Before rejoining Adfactors PR, Garg served as President, Weber Shandwick India and Head of Weber Advisory India at The Weber Shandwick Collective.During his previous stint at Adfactors PR, he held leadership positions including Senior Vice President and Vice President, working across strategic communications and corporate advisory mandates.Over the course of his career, Garg has held senior roles at Genesis BCW, where he worked across the corporate and financial practice, and at Siemens, where he served in communications leadership roles for the energy business.He has also been associated with Vaishnavi Corporate Communications and Concept Public Relations, building experience across corporate communications, reputation management, financial communications and stakeholder engagement.

Kousik Patgiri has joined Jindal Power as Deputy Manager, Corporate Communications.Patgiri announced the development on LinkedIn, stating that he will be responsible for leading corporate communications across Jindal Power’s operations in India and international markets.Prior to joining Jindal Power, he worked at Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. as Deputy Manager, where he was involved in public relations, communication and stakeholder management.Before that, Patgiri was associated with Vedanta Limited’s Aluminium Business, where he held multiple roles, including Lead Land Acquisition and Assistant Manager – PR & Corporate Communications.Earlier in his career, he gained experience through roles and internships with organisations such as CEAT Limited, The World Bank, EY, Oil India Limited, Amnesty International, UNV Online and The Dexterity Global Group. He has also been associated with initiatives including TEDx and IIMUN in various capacities.

Nupur Chandra has joined Edelman India as Vice President, marking a new chapter in her communications career.Sharing the update on LinkedIn, Chandra said she has joined the agency and will be leading the Microsoft India mandate. She expressed gratitude for her previous stint at The PRactice, where she worked on the Mars Petcare account and contributed to new business development initiatives.Before moving to Edelman India, Chandra served as Group Account Director at The PRactice. Over the years, she has built extensive experience across technology, corporate, consumer, hospitality, and lifestyle communications.Her previous leadership roles include positions at Burson, BCW Global, Current Global, Louvre Hotels Group, FleishmanHillard, Weber Shandwick and Avian Media.Throughout her career, Chandra has worked across a diverse portfolio of brands and sectors, with expertise spanning enterprise technology, consumer technology, corporate reputation, hospitality, automotive, retail, and lifestyle communications.

Puneet Datta has taken on the additional responsibility of Chief Communications Officer (CCO) at Canon India, alongside his existing role as Senior Director.Datta shared the update on LinkedIn, stating that he will continue to oversee his current responsibilities while leading the company's communications function.A long-time Canon India executive, Datta has been associated with the organisation for over two decades and has held several leadership positions across sales, marketing and business management. Over the years, he has served in roles including Senior Director, Director - Sales & Marketing, Assistant Director - Sales & Marketing, Assistant Director - Marketing, Senior Manager - Marketing, and Manager - Channel Marketing & Enterprise Solution Partners.Before joining Canon India, Datta worked with Emerson Network Power, where he held regional leadership roles in sales. Earlier in his career, he was associated with Ricoh India, serving in dealer sales and support functions.

PR Newswire has announced its Affiliate Membership with the Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI), a professional body representing the communications and public relations industry in India.The affiliation will enable PR Newswire to participate in PRCAI's industry forums, thought leadership initiatives, and sector-wide discussions. The collaboration is also aimed at contributing to efforts focused on strengthening professional standards and promoting best practices across the communications landscape.Commenting on the development, Winston D'Souza, Business Head, PR Newswire India, said, "India's communications industry is at a pivotal moment, shaped by digital transformation with AI-driven visibility and evolving stakeholder expectations. Our partnership with PRCAI is a step towards achieving this and strengthening the network for faster and better results."Amit Yadav, Business Head, PR Newswire India, added, "Our affiliate membership with PRCAI reflects our commitment to supporting industry dialogue, enabling knowledge exchange, and contributing to the professionalization of PR and corporate communications in India."As part of the affiliation, PR Newswire will engage with several PRCAI initiatives, including the Client–Consultancy Partnership Charter, industry events, thought leadership platforms, training programmes, masterclasses, HR forums, and networking opportunities across the association's member ecosystem.The partnership is expected to create avenues for greater collaboration, knowledge sharing, and professional development within India's communications and public relations sector.

Cameo Communications, a Dubai-based public relations agency operating on a pay-for-results model, today announced the beta launch of CoverageIQ, a first-of-its-kind PR performance platform that measures the real-world impact of press coverage for startups and growth-stage companies.Available by invitation, the platform analyses published press coverage and provides data on article readership, referral traffic, AI citations and lead generation, giving brands greater visibility into the outcomes generated by each placement.The launch comes at a time when marketing leaders are under increasing pressure to demonstrate the impact of every marketing investment. As businesses place greater emphasis on measurable outcomes, earned media remains one of the few channels where performance is often difficult to quantify. At the same time, the way people discover information online is evolving, with AI-powered search and answer engines becoming a growing source of research and recommendations. Industry analysts predict traditional search volume could decline further in the coming years as users increasingly turn to AI-generated answers, creating new opportunities and new measurement challenges for brands investing in earned media."PR has always been the hardest marketing channel to justify. Clients would ask us what their coverage was worth, and the honest answer was that nobody really knew. CoverageIQ changes that,” says Lara Geadah, Founder of Cameo Communications. “For the first time, every press placement comes with a data card that shows exactly what it delivered, from AI citations to website visits to pipeline influence. That transparency is what the industry has been missing."The Problem CoverageIQ SolvesThe global PR industry is worth over $100 billion annually, yet remains one of the least measurable disciplines in marketing. Traditional PR agencies typically measure success using Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE) and PR Value, estimated figures derived from a publication’s rate card and total circulation, rather than actual engagement with the specific article. These figures are widely acknowledged within the industry as unreliable proxies for actual impact.The challenge has become even more pronounced as media coverage increasingly influences visibility across AI-powered search and answer platforms. While brands can track the performance of paid advertising with precision, measuring the impact of earned media across traditional search, AI discovery and customer acquisition remains significantly more difficult.The idea for CoverageIQ emerged after Cameo Communications transitioned to a pay-for-results PR model in 2025, charging clients only for media coverage secured rather than monthly retainers. As accountability became central to the agency's model, clients increasingly asked how individual placements were contributing to awareness, traffic and business growth. CoverageIQ was developed to provide a clearer answer, helping brands understand the value generated by every placement rather than relying solely on estimated reach.How CoverageIQ WorksUsers simply paste a published article URL into CoverageIQ's analysis engine. The platform then evaluates the placement across several performance indicators, including estimated readership for the specific article, referral traffic generated to the company's website, and whether the coverage is being cited by AI-powered search platforms.Where available, CoverageIQ can also connect business outcomes such as demo bookings and app downloads back to individual media placements, helping brands understand which publications are contributing to meaningful commercial activity. All results are consolidated into a client-facing dashboard that enables brands to track coverage performance over time, compare publication impact and identify the media outlets generating the strongest results. However, while CoverageIQ provides greater visibility into the outcomes generated by earned media, the platform is not intended to reduce PR success to a single commercial metric."Not every PR campaign is designed to drive sales, and not every media placement should be judged by revenue alone," said Geadah. "PR plays a critical role in building awareness, credibility and trust. Our goal with CoverageIQ is to bring greater accountability to the industry by helping brands better understand the outcomes of their coverage. When a campaign has a commercial objective attached to it, companies should be able to see how earned media contributes to that goal. And when the objective is reputation or visibility, they should be able to measure that too."The New Frontier of PR MeasurementAs AI-powered search becomes more widely adopted, earned media is increasingly influencing which brands appear in AI-generated answers. Despite this shift, AI citations remain largely absent from traditional PR reporting, leaving brands with limited visibility into how media coverage contributes to discoverability across emerging search platforms.A distinctive feature of CoverageIQ is its AI citation tracking capability, a metric that did not exist as a measurable PR output until recently. As AI-powered search tools including Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Google AI Overviews increasingly serve as the first point of research for business decision-makers and investors, the ability of a brand to appear in AI-generated answers has emerged as a significant indicator of category authority.CoverageIQ detects, in real time, whether a specific press article is being cited when users ask AI tools questions related to a client's industry. The platform shows which queries triggered the citation and how many times the article has been referenced, giving brands a measurable signal of their earned media's influence on AI search results.CoverageIQ is currently available to a limited number of beta users by invitation. Cameo plans to introduce a white-label version of CoverageIQ.

Ipsos has appointed Marion Beyret as Chief Communications Officer. She will report to Alexandre Boissy, Deputy CEO of Ipsos.With fifteen years of experience acquired in the media, the political sector, and major multinational corporations, Marion Beyret will be responsible for leading the global communication strategy on an international scale. As the group experiences a pivotal moment in its history and shapes the future of the sector—particularly in technology—Marion Beyret will ensure the strengthening of Ipsos' reputation and influence among its stakeholders worldwide. To achieve this, she will lead a global team of communication experts across our markets.Prior to joining Ipsos, Marion Beyret led Communications and Public Affairs for Stellantis in Europe, where she oversaw the company’s reputation strategy and stakeholder engagement during a period of transformation. Before that, she headed communications at Air France-KLM, where she played a key role in delivering the Group’s corporate and strategic communications.Marion Beyret also brings solid experience from within French public institutions, having served in various French government ministries and the Presidency of the French Republic. She began her career in media, working in communications roles at France Info and Canal Plus.Alexandre Boissy, Deputy CEO of Ipsos, commented: “Marion’s appointment strengthens our Group’s leadership. Her sharp strategic insight, deep expertise in corporate positioning, and extensive experience will be instrumental in elevating our capabilities. She will drive the enhancement of our expertise, the strengthening of our corporate narratives, and the amplification of our global communications impact across our markets.”Marion Beyret holds a Master’s degree from Montpellier Business School and studied international relations at Xi'an University in China.Marion Beyret succeeds Caroline Ponsi Khider. Ipsos wishes Caroline all the best in her future professional endeavors.

As brands navigate an increasingly fragmented communications landscape, the lines between public relations, digital marketing, search visibility and reputation management are rapidly blurring. Yet many agencies continue to treat these disciplines as separate functions, often missing the opportunity to build a more cohesive and effective brand narrative.In this email interaction with The PR Post, Lalit Sharma, Founder and CEO of PR Companion and Ethane Web Technologies, discusses the evolution of PR Companion from an in-house communications practice to a standalone agency, the growing convergence of PR and digital, the importance of proactive reputation management, and how an integrated communications model is helping brands build credibility, visibility and long-term trust in an increasingly competitive marketplace.PR Companion has been doing this work quietly within Ethane Web Technologies for 15 years before it became its own agency. What made 2025 the right moment to give it its own identity?When we laid the foundation of the communication business, we knew that we would have to adapt to the changing landscape of the industry over time. While we started as a digital marketing agency, we were managing media relations, disseminating press releases, and building reputations for our clients. It was a service we were offering our clients additionally. As India witnessed a boom in startup culture in recent years, and founders became more aware of brand building, reputation, and visibility, we started receiving a lot of PR inquiries as well.After multiple conversations with our team and existing clients, we realised we needed to position PR as a primary service for brands rather than just an add-on offering.There is a growing conversation about PR and digital converging. You have sat at that intersection for a long time. What does that actually look like in practice, and why do most agencies still treat them separately?I have always treated these two as inseparable entities. For me, you cannot function without either of them if you are building a brand that is here to stay. Think of a PR campaign that does not appear in Google searches, or a digital mandate that gives visibility but no credibility.When you see an article published in a credible publication that also appears among the top Google search results, that is when communication outreach has worked effectively.Most agencies still operate in a traditional way. They look for structure more than experimenting. PR agencies are built on the foundation of media relations, client servicing, and content. Digital agencies just focus on performance marketing and SEO. However, very few agencies think about the impact created when these two functions are integrated. We feel that PR and digital are and always have been connected. Crisis communication is something most brands prepare for only after they need it. From what you have seen, what separates the brands that come out of a difficult moment stronger from the ones that do not?This question reflects a large part of my professional journey. I keep asking every founder I meet, why do they only need to resort to PR or reputation management once something goes wrong? As an agency, we always recommend our clients prepare in advance so that they never have to panic when such a situation arises. Let me explain this with two examples. Think of a company that has spent years building its reputation and then faces a crisis, compared to a company with no media presence or public credibility. In both cases, crisis is a misunderstanding where the brands are not at fault. When a crisis hits the latter, journalists and consumers may struggle to trust the company again. On the other hand, for brands that have consistently built their presence online, addressing a crisis transparently becomes much easier.You recently expanded the PR Companion leadership team. What does that say about where the agency is headed, and what kind of practice are you trying to build?Creating PR Companion as an independent brand was a strategic step towards building a more focused and scalable communications practice. While communications and reputation management have been part of our work for over 15 years within Ethane Web Technologies, establishing a dedicated agency structure allows us to invest more deeply in talent, specialised expertise, and service capabilities.As client expectations evolve, agencies need to move beyond generic execution and offer strategic counsel tailored to different stages of business growth. Our focus is on building a team that combines strong media relations, digital understanding, and sector-specific expertise so that we can support clients ranging from early-stage founders seeking visibility to established brands navigating complex reputation and stakeholder challenges.The vision is to create a communications partner that remains accessible to growing businesses while also having the depth and experience required to manage high-impact mandates. By strengthening our team and expanding our capabilities, we are positioning PR Companion to deliver more meaningful and long-term value to clients across industries..Reputation management has become a much bigger conversation for businesses in India. What are brands still getting wrong about it, and what does good actually look like?The biggest mistake continues to be perceiving reputation management as an afterthought, only something done when a crisis arises. Many brands approach us after they have a bad review, a negative story floating online. Until that time, the situation becomes tricky, and it is a challenge to undo the damage caused.  Brands also tend to confuse visibility with reputation. A brand can receive extensive media coverage and still have a weak reputation if the messaging is not right or if it is not reaching the relevant audience. Reputation management is similar to maintaining a garden.Effective reputation management is akin to the task of a gardener. You plant your flowers, and gradually they blossom over time with regular watering, but even a single period of neglect can damage them. Or you put your reputation garden in good shape every now and then but then suddenly neglect it, and a slew of weeds and pests can ruin your work. Reputation is an intangible asset, and like other intangible assets, it is the result of sustained effort. Those efforts, of course, have to be done well to actually produce the kind of reputation that you want to have.You have built three distinct but connected practices under one group. Ethane Web Technologies, Ranking By SEO, and now PR Companion as a standalone. How do you think about the relationship between them, and what does that integrated model mean for the clients you work with?Each of these verticals works well independently, but bringing them together created a much stronger communications ecosystem. I wanted to create a full 360-degree marketing and communications agency for my clients, and by combining all three of them, I very much achieved that. While Ethane helps in managing the brands’ broader digital communications and marketing, Ranking By SEO boosts their search visibility and organic growth. And with PR Companion coming into the picture, our clients have access to earned media, reputation, and communications strategy. For clients, it is far easier to work with one integrated agency rather than coordinating with three separate partners at the same time. We make a strategy for them that serves all the aspects of communication for them.

Aleph, a global leader accelerating digital advertising and fintech solutions across more than 130 high-growth markets, today announced the appointment of Arshan Saha as its new Regional Managing Director for Asia Pacific. The appointment reinforces Aleph’s commitment to APAC, one of the world's most dynamic and fast-evolving digital regions, reinforcing its commitment to connecting global platforms with local advertisers at scale.Saha joins Aleph from WPP Media, where he most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Singapore & Malaysia as well as Media Management & Delivery in APMEA. In that role, he drove client success, product enablement and operational excellence across addressable media, influencer, and commerce, championing media accountability and bringing together platforms, people, and partners to unlock new growth opportunities for clients.Based in Singapore, Saha will report directly to Ignacio Vidaguren, Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Aleph. He will lead the company's regional strategy and operations across APAC, focusing on scaling Aleph's footprint, strengthening platform partnerships, and maximizing value for advertisers and partners across the region's diverse markets."I am very happy to welcome Arshan to Aleph! He brings 17 years of experience in the advertising industry, launching and scaling data-driven businesses across Asia Pacific's most complex and competitive markets — China, India, Australia, Southeast Asia. His product and platform expertise, paired with a genuine commitment to mentorship and innovation, will be invaluable as we continue to raise the bar for what's possible in digital advertising across APAC", said Ignacio Vidaguren, COO and Partner of Aleph."APAC continues to lead with pace in innovation and transformation leading to limitless potential, and the opportunity to lead Aleph's growth across this incredibly diverse and fast-moving region is one I'm delighted to take on," said Arshan Saha, Regional Managing Director APAC at Aleph. "Aleph's combination of global scale, top-level platform partnerships, and deep local execution is unmatched, and I look forward to working alongside our talented teams across the region to unlock new possibilities for our partners, our clients, and the wider digital ecosystem."Aleph empowers brands and advertisers across 15 APAC markets with seamless access to its unique suite of media partners, including major platforms as Spotify, Microsoft, Pinterest, Criteo, TikTok, Snapchat, Google, X, and Reddit. This enables local businesses to benefit from deep insights into the regional digital landscape and stronger publisher relationships, while equipping global platforms with the local expertise needed to scale successfully across high-growth markets.Aleph offers integrated opportunities across 130+ high-growth markets worldwide. With over 20 years of experience and partnerships with more than 50 of the world's leading digital platforms, the company has established a global footprint with teams in over 90 offices worldwide.

Former McCann Worldgroup APAC chief communications officer Samantha Strauss has launched her own independent boutique agency, Ginkgo Communications, according to PRovoke Media.Speaking to the publication, Strauss said the decision to establish Ginkgo Communications was driven by shifts across the marketing, advertising and media landscape, as well as emerging market opportunities.“The decision to launch Ginkgo Communications was driven by a combination of industry evolution and market opportunity,” Strauss said. “Over the past few years, we've seen significant transformation across the marketing, advertising and media landscape. Consolidation, mergers, the impact of AI, the rise of platforms, and increased procurement scrutiny have reshaped agency business models, with many functions becoming centralised at the holding company level.”She noted that fewer agencies now have the budget for a full-time senior communications leader on the ground, despite communications continuing to play an important role.Strauss also highlighted the growing complexity and importance of the Asia Pacific region, adding that while communications strategies are often developed at global headquarters, effective execution in APAC requires a market-specific approach.“I saw an opportunity to create a more flexible model that gives agencies access to experienced communications counsel without the commitment of a permanent hire,” she said. “Having spent more than 15 years working inside some of the world's leading agency networks, I understand both the commercial realities agencies face today and the reputational opportunities available to them. Ginkgo was created to bridge that gap.”According to Strauss, Ginkgo Communications is designed to provide specialist communications support for creative agencies and marketing services businesses operating across Asia Pacific.She said many agencies are seeking to build reputation, attract talent, support new business efforts and strengthen thought leadership, but often lack the resources for a dedicated senior communications function. At the same time, communications support managed from global headquarters may not always reflect the diversity of local markets across APAC.Strauss added that the industry is also witnessing the continued rise of smaller independent agencies and creative businesses that are producing notable work and winning major clients, yet often do not have access to dedicated communications expertise.“Ginkgo provides a flexible alternative. We act as a communications partner, helping agencies build visibility, strengthen reputation and tell their stories in a way that resonates with both regional and global audiences,” she said.Strauss spent the last 10 years at McCann Worldgroup, initially joining as APAC regional communications director before being promoted to APAC chief communications officer. In that role, she was responsible for shaping and advancing the reputation of the network across 23 offices in 12 markets, including affiliates.Prior to McCann Worldgroup, she held leadership positions at Haymarket Media Group and Alphabet Media.Commenting on the agency's positioning, Strauss said, “The challenges facing agency leaders today, whether that's business transformation, talent, AI disruption, consolidation, client pressures or reputation management, aren't becoming simpler. If anything, they're becoming more complex and consequential. Ginkgo is built to deliver fractional communications leadership that gives businesses senior expertise in a way that's agile, flexible and fit for today's operating environment.”

Mukherji Sudarshana has joined Infineon Technologies as Manager, External Communications.She announced the move on LinkedIn, stating that she looks forward to advancing impactful storytelling, strengthening engagement, and supporting Infineon’s journey toward driving decarbonization and digitalization.Prior to joining Infineon Technologies, Sudarshana served as Manager PR & Events at L&T Semiconductor Technologies. Before that, she was Communications Specialist at Applied Materials.Earlier in her career, she worked as Lead Internal Comms at Livspace. She also held communications roles at Gutenberg Communications, where she served as Senior Account Executive, and at PRHUB Integrated Marketing Communications Pvt. Ltd. as Account Executive.

Ritvik Lamba has joined HCLTech as Associate Manager, Corporate Communications.Lamba announced the development on LinkedIn, where he shared that he is beginning a new chapter with the technology company.In his new role, he will be part of the corporate communications function at HCLTech.Before joining HCLTech, Lamba was associated with communications and media-related roles. He shared his excitement about taking on the new responsibility and expressed gratitude to those who have been part of his professional journey.Lamba also said that he looks forward to contributing to the organization and working with teams across the company.

The IMAGEXX Summit and Awards 2026 concluded on a high note with a grand celebration of excellence across public relations, corporate communications and marketing communications, recognising agencies, professionals and organisations that have helped redefine the communications landscape in an increasingly dynamic and technology-driven environment.The awards ceremony brought together industry leaders, communications strategists and corporate decision-makers, culminating in the felicitation of outstanding performers whose work has demonstrated innovation, strategic impact and leadership over the past year. Amid enthusiastic applause from peers and industry stakeholders, winners across multiple categories were honoured for setting new benchmarks in reputation management, stakeholder engagement, workplace culture and communications effectiveness.The evening's highest honour, PR Agency of the Year, was awarded to Adfactors PR, underscoring the agency's continued dominance in India's public relations ecosystem and its ability to deliver impactful communications programmes across sectors. In the special recognition categories, Kaizzen was named PR Agency of the Year – Jury Choice, reflecting the jury's appreciation of the agency's strategic work and industry contributions. Meanwhile, Media Mantra secured the PR Agency of the Year – Adgully Choice award, highlighting its growing influence and performance within the communications industry.Leadership excellence was another key focus area at the awards. Udit Pathak, Co-founder and CEO, Media Mantra, and Nikky Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO, Teamwork Communications, were jointly honoured as PR Agency Heads of the Year, recognising their role in driving agency growth, nurturing talent and steering innovative communications strategies in an increasingly competitive market.The awards also acknowledged exceptional achievements in corporate communications. Puneet Gupta, Head – Communications at INOX Air Products and INOXCVA, was named Corporate Communication Person of the Year (Brand) for his contribution to strengthening corporate reputation and stakeholder engagement. On the agency side, Ankitha P C, Account Director, Concept Public Relations India Limited, received the Corporate Communication Person of the Year (Agency) award, reflecting her excellence in client advisory and communications execution.In the marketing communications category, Dipanjan Banerjee, Chief Commercial Officer, Blue Dart Company Limited, was honoured as Marketing Communications Professional of the Year, recognising his efforts in aligning brand communication with business growth objectives. Manish Kohli, Chief Manager – Group Corporate Communications, L&T Finance Ltd, received the Jury Choice recognition in the same category, while Alok Chander, Chief Marketing Officer, HFCL Limited, was named Marketing Communications Professional of the Year – Adgully Choice.Beyond campaigns and business outcomes, the awards also spotlighted organisations fostering progressive workplace environments and future-ready cultures—an increasingly critical aspect of sustaining talent and innovation within the communications industry.RuderFinn was recognised with the Best Working Culture of the Year (Organisation) award, highlighting its commitment to employee well-being, collaboration and professional development. Kommune was honoured with the Future-Ready Workplace Excellence award for building an agile and forward-looking organisational culture equipped to navigate evolving industry demands.Specialist expertise was also celebrated, with Fuzion Public Relations Pvt Ltd being named Specialist Consultancy/Firm of the Year – Regional PR, recognising its impact in strengthening regional communications and expanding the reach of strategic public relations beyond metropolitan markets.Among corporate teams, Godrej Industries Group emerged as the winner of Corporate Communications Team of the Year, reflecting the company's strong reputation management and integrated communications approach. L&T Finance Ltd received the Jury Choice recognition in the same category, underscoring the growing importance of communications as a strategic business function.The winners' list for IMAGEXX Awards 2026 reflects the breadth and diversity of talent shaping India's communications industry today—from established agencies and corporate teams to emerging workplace leaders and specialist consultancies. The awards serve not only as a celebration of achievement but also as a testament to the evolving role of communications professionals in building trust, driving business value and navigating an increasingly complex media landscape. 

Shangri-La Jeddah has appointed Lina Khan as Director of Marketing & Communications. In her new role, Lina will lead the hotel’s marketing, communications, public relations, and brand strategy, supporting Shangri-La Jeddah’s continued growth as one of Jeddah’s leading luxury destinations.Originally from Jeddah, Lina brings a strong background across luxury hospitality, corporate communications, brand management, and lifestyle marketing. Her global perspective has been shaped by her MBA studies at the University of Dallas, academic experience in Italy and the United States, and consulting work with firms in the United States.Her career spans leading hospitality and corporate brands, including Nadec Foods, McDonald’s Saudi Arabia, Fairmont Riyadh, Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh, and Park Hyatt Jeddah. Across these roles, she has built expertise in integrated marketing, public relations, digital strategy, brand positioning, stakeholder engagement, and guest-focused storytelling.Lina has also led marketing plans for multiple food and beverage outlets, wedding fairs, luxury lifestyle activations, and high-end brand collaborations across fashion, beauty, automotive, jewelry, and fine dining. Her work includes collaborations and activations with globally recognized names such as Piaget, Lamborghini, Tom Ford, Bobbi Brown, and Pierre Hermé, as well as premium dining experiences during Riyadh Season.With a career shaped by luxury hospitality, corporate brand strategy, and lifestyle-led experiences, Lina brings a refined and well-rounded perspective to the role. Her interests in fashion, fine dining, lifestyle experiences, and sustainability further inform her approach to creating meaningful brand moments that feel relevant, elegant, and emotionally engaging.Reflecting on her new role, Lina shared: “I am delighted to join the Shangri-La Jeddah team and be part of a brand renowned for its exceptional hospitality and guest experiences. Having grown up in Jeddah, this opportunity is particularly meaningful, and I look forward to contributing to the hotel’s continued success while further strengthening its position as one of the city’s leading luxury destinations.”Her appointment comes at a time of continued momentum for Shangri-La Jeddah as the hotel further strengthens its position within the Kingdom’s evolving luxury hospitality landscape, building on its acclaimed dining experiences, exceptional service, and prime location on the Jeddah Waterfront.

H/Advisors has named Carina Davidson as Chief Executive Officer of its US operations, formalising her leadership role following a period as interim CEO and president.Davidson will oversee the firm's network of offices across New York, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and San Francisco. Her appointment follows an extensive leadership search that evaluated both internal and external candidates.A nearly three-decade veteran of the firm, Davidson has held a range of senior leadership positions and has played a key role in shaping the agency's corporate and financial communications practice. Her appointment comes shortly after the agency completed its transition from H/Advisors Abernathy to the H/Advisors brand, reflecting its closer integration within the global Havas communications network.Before joining the firm, Davidson worked at Edelman, where she specialised in crisis communications and public affairs. Throughout her career, she has advised boards, CEOs and senior executives on complex communications challenges, including mergers and acquisitions, investor relations, corporate reputation management and crisis response.Announcing the appointment, Stéphane Fouks, Executive Chairman of H/Advisors and Executive Vice President of Havas, said Davidson had demonstrated strong leadership while serving as interim CEO and had helped strengthen the firm's ability to deliver strategic counsel, data-driven insights and measurable business value to clients.H/Advisors has expanded significantly in recent years and now operates a global network of more than 1,500 professionals across over 40 offices spanning Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.Davidson's appointment underscores the firm's continued focus on growth in the US market and its ambition to deepen its advisory capabilities across corporate, financial and strategic communications.

Omnicom Public Relations (OPR) has introduced a new Asia-Pacific leadership framework aimed at strengthening collaboration across its agency portfolio and delivering more integrated client solutions throughout the region.The restructuring brings together leadership oversight across OPR's major communications brands, including Weber Shandwick, FleishmanHillard, Golin and Ketchum, while establishing a regional team focused on growth, strategy, reputation, analytics, creative and sector specialisation.Under the new market leadership structure, Yisi Liu will oversee China, Carol Yeung will lead Hong Kong, Ryo Kanayama takes charge of Japan, Elizabeth Bae will head Korea, and Carolyn Ann Devanayagam will lead Singapore. In addition to her market responsibilities, Devanayagam has been appointed Head of Advisory for APAC.The regional leadership team also includes Campbell Hanley as Head of Client Experience and Growth, while Jena Qian will oversee Business Development and Marketing across the region.Sector-specific leadership appointments include Robert Magyar, who will head the Health practice, supported by Medical Communications specialist Glenn Halliwell. Patrick Yu has been named leader for Financial and Professional Services and will continue to drive growth initiatives in Hong Kong.Further strengthening the regional team, Jonathan Fisher will lead Corporate Reputation and Risk, Thomas Skelton will oversee Data and Analytics, Hin Yen Wong will head Strategy and Planning, Shouvik Mukherjee will lead Creative, and Rafidah Rashid will head OMC Connect while retaining her role as Singapore Growth Lead.Supporting the broader leadership structure are Chief Financial Officer Martin Yu and Human Resources Lead Mary Czarnecki.The appointments follow OPR's recently announced regional leadership changes, effective July 1. Joanne Wong will assume the role of CEO, APAC; Hugh Taggart will become CEO, EMEA; and Greg Power will take over as CEO, Canada. All three executives will report to OPR CEO Chris Foster and oversee the company's agency operations across their respective regions.The changes form part of a wider strategy to simplify governance, improve cross-market collaboration and create a more unified client experience across OPR's global agency network.Separately, Weber Shandwick has announced that CEO Susan Howe will retire in September after nearly three decades with the agency. Global President Karen Pugliese will succeed her as CEO from September 1. Meanwhile, Weber Shandwick North America CEO and Global President Jim O'Leary is set to leave the agency to become CEO of Penta.Commenting on the transformation, Foster said the company is bringing its agencies together in a more coordinated manner while preserving the distinct strengths of each brand. He noted that the approach is designed to enhance collaboration and ensure clients receive seamless support across markets and disciplines.While the new structure will be implemented across multiple international markets, OPR's operations in the United States and United Kingdom will continue under their existing agency models. Additional country-level leadership appointments are expected to be announced in the coming months.

Publsh Group has added two new clients to its communications portfolio, securing mandates from youth fitness and child development brand Pinpoint Fitness and real estate developer Emirates Developments.The appointments further strengthen the agency's presence across the lifestyle, wellness and property sectors in the UAE.Pinpoint Fitness has expanded beyond Dubai with the opening of its first Abu Dhabi facility at Deerfields Mall and has also launched its first international franchise in Nairobi, Kenya. Under the mandate, Publsh Group will lead communications efforts as the brand scales its child development and youth fitness model across international markets.Meanwhile, Emirates Developments has appointed the agency to support its communications strategy as it continues to develop residential projects in partnership with global hospitality, fashion and lifestyle brands.Kushal Desai, Managing Director and Founder of Publsh Group, said: "These partnerships reflect the core of what Publsh stands for—working with ambitious brands and helping tell stories that influence industries, spark conversations and drive meaningful growth."Sagar Chotrani, CEO and Founder of Publsh Group, added: "Pinpoint and Emirates Developments are both building for the future, backed by bold visions and significant growth potential. Collaborating with brands that are creating tangible impact is what motivates us and represents the kind of work we are most passionate about.

PRHub.ae, a Dubai-based PR agency specialising in tech, B2B and consumer brands, released its new industry survey charting the forces behind the shift in PR. The survey drew responses from companies across SaaS, fintech, retail, healthcare, logistics and real estate, with more than a quarter of respondents coming from IT and SaaS (27.3%), followed by fintech, banking and insurance (9.1%). Across sectors, social media ranked as the most important channel for 78.8% of companies, followed by owned media platforms such as websites, blogs and newsletters (63.6%). More than half (51.5%) still value traditional media, while 42.4% continue to invest in events. AI is reshaping the mix: 54.5% identified increased AI adoption as a major market shift, while 51.5% pointed to the rise of digital PR and creator-led communications.Executive visibility is emerging as a defining priority, with 27.3% saying executive social media now plays a key role in their communications approach, while 21.2% identified executive communications as one of the industry's most in-demand capabilities.“The data points to a clear shift toward resilience-focused messaging”, says PRHub CEO Vlada Lomova (pictured). “More than 72% of companies changed their PR strategy over the past year, and over 63% are now placing greater emphasis on resilience and stability. At the same time, 51% have reported adopting more cautious brand messaging, and a smaller percentage (36.4%) is increasing investment in thought leadership. We’re also seeing companies tighten their budgets and become more selective about partnerships, with 28.1% taking a more cautious approach to agency relationships and 25% relying entirely on in-house communications teams.”Communications teams continue to prioritise media visibility and reputation-building. Around 20.6% identified brand awareness as a top priority, while 14.7% focused on strengthening authenticity and reputation and another 14.7% prioritised business stability and stakeholder communications. Nearly half (48.5%) reported declining PR activity and media coverage over the past year, while 18.2% have adopted a more neutral and measured tone.Demand for reputation-focused skills is rising sharply in response. Companies identified media relations as the most in-demand capability (63.6%), followed by AI and automation expertise (48.5%), analytics and measurement (45.5%) and crisis communications (42.4%).“Firstly, I would like to thank PRHub.ae for this valuable initiative,” says Rami Joudi, Head of Corporate Communications of BMW Group Middle East. “The findings are both insightful and positively surprising. To me, the report validates the strength of our PR strategy during a period marked by geopolitical events, where not every moment was a brand moment. In that context, keeping our focus on our people and protecting the brand remained the right priority. Equally, evolving our communications approach to strike the right balance between social, traditional, and AI-driven communications proved to be the right direction.”Looking ahead, companies expect UAE brands to accelerate toward more localised and AI-driven strategies, with growing emphasis on Arabic-first storytelling, founder-led content and short-form video.That said, the month of May has shown a shift - PRHub.ae has seen a clear uptick in client requests and activity across sectors, suggesting budgets and confidence are coming back.

Hong Kong-headquartered marketing & PR firm PLUG has expanded into Singapore with the opening of a new office, strengthening its footprint across the Asia-Pacific region. The operation will be led by Jolin Ng, who joins as Managing Director.The move follows a soft launch in 2025 and marks the agency’s latest step in its regional growth strategy. The Singapore office will offer integrated communications services, including public relations, influencer marketing, social media management, and content creation.Ng brings more than 15 years of experience in strategic communications, having held senior positions at Hill+Knowlton Strategies, AKA Asia, and W Communications Singapore. She first joined PLUG’s Hong Kong office in 2018 and has worked closely with the agency across multiple markets.PLUG said the Singapore team has already secured a roster of clients that includes Stroke Support Station, Play Nation, Thekchen Choling Singapore, Airbnb, Driscoll’s, and Pizza Hut.Commenting on the expansion, Lara Jefferies, Founder and Managing Director of PLUG, said: “Expanding from Hong Kong to Singapore with Jolin, whom we've worked with for years, is a natural evolution. She brings deep experience in both cities, an analytical mind, fantastic connections, and an innate understanding of the PLUG culture and passion for our work.“With our expertise across both markets, we’re able to connect communities, unlock new collaborations, and help brands operate more fluidly across Asia.”

APRW is now agency of record for JDE Peet’s Singapore, covering coffee brands L’OR, OldTown, and Moccona. The agency will lead integrated communications to strengthen brand presence and consumer engagement in-market. APRW has worked with JDE Peet’s brands over the last year on media relations, launches, influencers, activations, and storytelling.  APRW Director Julie Chiang said the partnership is built on “trust, collaboration, and a shared understanding of how to create meaningful brand storytelling that resonates with consumers.”  “It has been incredibly rewarding to support JDE Peet’s diverse portfolio — from premium lifestyle positioning to everyday coffee moments,” Chiang added. “We’re excited to support the brand’s next chapter in Singapore.”

The Mavericks, an integrated marketing communications firm, and AVDS, a creative transformation company, today announced a strategic partnership that will allow both firms to create greater value for their clients. Through the partnership, The Mavericks will be able to extend creative brand strategy and employer branding services to its existing and prospective clients, while AVDS will be able to offer integrated marketing communications services to its clients.Founded in 2018, The Mavericks has built its practice on integrated communications rooted in public relations, working with leaders and challenger brands to build, protect, and grow reputation as strategic capital. AVDS, established in 2003, has spent over two decades transforming organisations, brands, people, and spaces through creativity and human-centered thinking. The partnership unites these complementary strengths, giving clients of both firms a more complete answer across communications, creative strategy, design, and employer branding.The partnership is rooted in a long association between the two firms and their founders. Arun Verma of AVDS and Chetan Mahajan of The Mavericks have shared a friendship of close to fifty years, and the two firms have worked closely over the past seven years, supporting each other and their clients. The firms also share a common culture: a belief in fewer and deeper relationships, a respect for craft and discipline, and an approach that places people at the center of every engagement.Commenting on the partnership, Arun Verma, Founder, AVDS, said: "Great work has always begun with people. In The Mavericks we have found a partner who shares that belief and brings the discipline of integrated communications to it. Together we can do more for the brands and the people we serve."Chetan Mahajan, Founder and CEO, The Mavericks, added: "This is a partnership of values before capability. AVDS brings a creativity and craft we deeply admire, and our clients will be the first to benefit. We have always grown by choosing fewer and deeper relationships, and this is exactly that kind of choice."The partnership takes effect immediately. Both firms will continue to operate independently while working together on opportunities where a combined offering creates greater value for clients.

Strategic communications and reputation consultancy Sound Story has acquired The Comms Department, strengthening its expertise across crisis and issues management, reputation advisory, executive communications, organisational change, and transformation.Founded in 2012 by Bec Brown, (pictured), The Comms Department has built a reputation for advising brands, executives and organisations across the media, entertainment, lifestyle and corporate sectors on high-stakes communications challenges.Following the acquisition, The Comms Department will continue to operate as a specialist brand within the group. Sound Story will maintain its focus on strategic communications and reputation management for leaders across the creative industries, while The Comms Department will concentrate on crisis and issues management, change and transformation, mergers and acquisitions, executive advisory and media training.As part of the deal, Brown joins the group as Strategic Advisor, working alongside Sound Story founders and Managing Partners Jake Challenor and Brian Lawlor, as well as senior leaders Jane Elliott, Zanda Wilson and Jono Harrison.Challenor said the acquisition comes at a time when organisations are increasingly seeking senior communications counsel to navigate periods of heightened scrutiny, complexity and rapid change.“The role of communications has fundamentally evolved, with reputation now sitting much closer to business strategy,” he said.“Organisations are operating in more complex environments, facing greater stakeholder expectations and faster-moving issues than ever before. As a result, trusted strategic counsel has become significantly more valuable.“Bec has built a highly respected business with deep expertise in crisis management, reputation and executive communications. Bringing that capability into the group strengthens the support we can offer clients during critical moments.“This marks an important milestone in Sound Story’s growth and reflects the direction in which the communications industry is moving—closer to leadership, business strategy and long-term reputation management.”Brown described the acquisition as a natural next step for The Comms Department and an opportunity to broaden its strategic impact.“The Comms Department has always delivered its strongest work in situations where trust, judgement and communication genuinely matter,” she said.“Joining Sound Story provides a larger platform for the next stage of our growth while preserving the relationships, discretion and values that have defined the business over the past 14 years.“Having already partnered with Sound Story on a number of client engagements, this move builds on an existing foundation of trust and collaboration. There is strong alignment in how we approach communications—commercially focused, people-centred and firmly connected to long-term reputation.”The acquisition reflects a broader trend across the communications industry, as consultancies expand their advisory capabilities to help organisations manage increasingly complex reputational, leadership and business challenges.

Ruder Finn Atteline, a global integrated marketing and communications consultancy and the MENA arm of the Ruder Finn group, has announced the launch of two customized offerings for the region: a dedicated Culture & Education practice, and RF Publicity specialist service. Both offerings have been designed to serve the region’s evolving communications needs while reflecting ongoing market shifts including, the rise of culture and education as drivers of transformation, growing demand for talent-led storytelling, live visibility, and audience connection. The agency’s Culture & Education practice will support cultural commissions, museums, universities, edtech platforms and knowledge institutions across MENA while emphasizing a strong focus on Saudi Arabia, where culture and education feed into the realization of Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s wider transformation agenda. By pairing Ruder Finn’s global legacy in culture, education and institution-building, alongside Ruder Finn Atteline’s regional understanding, the intentionally designed practice will help clients build enduring reputations and cultural relevance. In tandem, Ruder Finn Atteline’s newly launched specialist service RF Publicity brings together talent publicity, project communications, and live event coverage in a single integrated offering that manages how people, projects and moments are seen across media and live environments. It includes red carpet media management, press junkets, interview hubs, premieres, experiential activations, and influencer-led visibility campaigns. The team leading this practice has been deliberately built from experience across global entertainment brands, talent-led campaigns and culturally significant regional moments. Radhika Mehta, EVP Growth and Operations, Ruder Finn Atteline, commented: "From shaping publicity for some of the world's biggest entertainment brands and managing red carpets at the industry's most-watched moments across the past 70-plus years, to driving global education platforms like What's Next for the next generation of communications professionals, it’s evident that Ruder Finn’s long-standing legacy speaks for itself. As part of the RF Group, Ruder Finn Atteline's opportunity to bring the first-ever ETP program to the Kingdom at the top of 2026 supported this global mission while also complementing the regional landscape. The introduction of RF Publicity, as well as our Culture & Education practice, will serve a similar function. However, they are not new capabilities for us. Both practices are decades of expertise being leveraged to help our clients build long-term sustained relevance.” As communications challenges across the region become more nuanced and more consequential, the launch of these two new offerings reflects Ruder Finn Atteline’s commitment to building specialist capabilities that are globally informed, regionally relevant and embedded in what the agency already does. Additionally, it maintains the agency’s upwards trajectory of growth milestones including a rebrand, expansion, and the launch of several service lines over the past year.

Method Communications has announced the appointment of Meghan Gardner as executive vice president, helping to lead the agency's work with enterprise technology companies. Based in Portland, Gardner brings more than 20 years of integrated communications experience advising CEOs and C-suite leaders at complex technology companies across AI, data, infrastructure, and B2B2C sectors."Meghan is the kind of advisor CEOs call when the stakes are high and the story is complicated," said David Parkinson, CEO of Method Communications. "She has a knack for taking dense, technical companies and helping the world understand why they matter. Our clients are operating in a more complicated environment than ever, and Meghan is built for it."Throughout her career, Gardner has guided leadership teams through regulatory scrutiny, leadership transitions, IPOs, and M&A, while elevating executives as trusted voices on innovation, security, and responsible AI. Her work has spanned stakeholder strategy across investors, policymakers, employees, and customers, with a focus on de-risked launches, improved analyst and investor sentiment, and policy-savvy narratives.Gardner joins Method from Mission North, where she spent more than five years, most recently as executive vice president. Before Mission North, she served as vice president at Matter Communications, leading work for technology clients out of the agency's Portland office. Gardner also held senior roles at Alipes, Proper Villains, Version 2.0 Communications, and LEWIS PR, building a track record across corporate positioning, issues and crisis response, executive visibility, and integrated earned and owned programs."Method has a reputation for doing the work that actually moves the needle for our clients, and that's what drew me in," said Gardner. "In the age of AI, enterprise tech leaders are juggling a mandate to 'do more with less' while leveling up their impact on every audience, in every channel. They need partners who can move fast, think clearly under pressure, and help them show up well in the moments that count. That's the work I love, and Method is built for it."A former automotive journalist, Gardner brings a reporter's instinct for narrative alongside her communications expertise. Her appointment continues Method's investment in senior specialist talent, following the recent additions of Lexy King as SVP and head of the Corporate Communications Specialist Group, and the launch of new specialist groups in Social & Influencer and AEO/GEO and Integrated Content.

Netflix has appointed Caitlin Conant as Head of US Policy Communications and External Affairs, strengthening its Washington presence as the streaming giant navigates an increasingly complex regulatory and public policy environment.According to an Axios report citing an internal company memo, Conant will report to Kelly Pakula, who leads corporate communications at Netflix. In her new role, she will be responsible for advancing the company's public affairs strategy, strengthening engagement with policymakers, media and key stakeholders, and helping build a more proactive presence in Washington.She will also oversee Netflix's external affairs function at both the national and local levels, including managing the team led by external affairs executive Stephanie Shih.Conant joins Netflix from Disney, where she spent the past four years as Vice President of Policy Communications and Public Affairs. Prior to Disney, she served as Political Director at CBS News and held communications roles for prominent Republican lawmakers, including former US Senators Rob Portman and Marco Rubio.The appointment comes as Netflix continues to expand its public policy and government affairs operations amid growing scrutiny of the streaming industry and evolving regulatory debates around media, technology and content platforms.Earlier, the company recruited veteran trade attorney Clete Willems as Chief Global Affairs Officer to oversee its global policy strategy.According to Axios, Conant will remain at Disney until June 19 before officially joining Netflix.The hire follows a series of senior communications appointments at Netflix. In December, the company named former Instacart communications leader Dani Dudeck as Chief Communications Officer, succeeding Rachel Whetstone, who departed the company the previous year.More recently, Netflix strengthened its international communications leadership by appointing Joy Albert to lead communications across the Asia-Pacific region and Flavia Vigio to head communications for Latin America.

Pope Leo has appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado to head the Vatican’s communications department, making her the first lay woman to lead a major dicastery within the governance structure of the Roman Catholic Church.In the Catholic Church, a "lay woman" means a woman who is not a member of the clergy and does not belong to a religious order.Alvarado, currently President and Chief Operating Officer of US-based Catholic media network EWTN News, will assume the role on November 1, succeeding Paolo Ruffini, who is retiring after leading the department since its creation in 2015.The Dicastery for Communication oversees the Vatican’s media operations, including Vatican News, Vatican Radio, L’Osservatore Romano newspaper, the Holy See Press Office, the Vatican Publishing House and its film and photographic archives.Born in Mexico City and a US citizen since 2008, Alvarado's appointment marks a significant milestone in the Vatican’s efforts to expand the role of women in senior leadership positions. According to Vatican News, she is the first non-religious woman to be appointed prefect of a Vatican dicastery.In a statement, Alvarado described the appointment as “unexpected” and said she accepted it with “a sincere desire to serve the Holy Father as he begins his pontificate”.She also paid tribute to her predecessor, saying she was grateful to Ruffini for his leadership and looked forward to continuing the work of strengthening the dicastery’s mission to communicate the Church’s message globally.The appointment is seen as a continuation of reforms initiated by Pope Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, who sought to increase female representation within the Vatican hierarchy during his 12-year papacy. Francis appointed several women, including nuns Raffaella Petrini and Simona Brambilla, to senior governance roles while repeatedly calling for greater inclusion of women in Church leadership.Francis also modernised the Vatican’s communications strategy, making its messaging more accessible and less formal. Pope Leo has signalled his intention to continue evaluating and strengthening the Church’s communications efforts, recently calling on cardinals to reassess the effectiveness of ecclesiastical communication from a more mission-oriented perspective.Before becoming president of EWTN News in 2023, Alvarado served as a news anchor and held various leadership roles within the organisation. Her appointment comes at a time when the Vatican is increasingly focused on how it communicates with global audiences amid rapid changes in media consumption and digital engagement.

Anusuya Mitra has joined FINN Partners Greater China as Partner, where she will focus on growing the firm's Corporate Communications practice.Mitra announced the move on LinkedIn, marking a new chapter in a communications career that spans more than 17 years across Mumbai, Shanghai and Hong Kong.Prior to joining FINN Partners Greater China, she served as Regional Director, Corporate Communications at Sinclair Comms. She has also held communications and marketing roles at FedEx, Ketchum, Duhno Marketing, GTB and WE Communications.During her tenure at Ketchum, Mitra worked across a range of assignments involving corporate communications, media relations, website development and stakeholder engagement for clients and organisations including the New Development Bank, DuPont Nutrition & Health, TomTom and the Office of the President of Gabon.Earlier in her career, she held positions at Waggener Edstrom, Text 100 Public Relations and Adfactors PR, working across technology communications, media relations and client servicing.

Shahzad Bagwan has joined the corporate communications team at Tech Mahindra as Associate Manager.Bagwan shared the update on LinkedIn, expressing his enthusiasm about taking on the new role and contributing to the company's storytelling and communications initiatives.Prior to joining Tech Mahindra, he served as Corporate Communications Specialist at Eaton, where he worked on media relations, leadership visibility, thought leadership initiatives, integrated brand campaigns, and regional communication programmes.Before that, Bagwan was Corporate Communications Manager at Siemens, overseeing external communications across multiple business segments. His responsibilities included media relations, analyst engagement, crisis communication planning, journalist outreach, and the execution of press conferences and media events.Earlier in his career, he worked as Senior Executive at MSLGROUP India, managing public relations and media strategy for clients across the BFSI sector. He also held a communications role at Artha Energy Resources, supporting brand visibility and stakeholder engagement initiatives.Bagwan began his professional journey in journalism, working with Durga Das Publications and I-Tech Media, where he covered sectors including travel, hospitality, aviation, tourism, construction, EPC and power.

Steve Heywood has been appointed Senior Vice President, Global Head of Communications at Philips, a role he had been serving on an interim basis.Heywood shared the update on LinkedIn, stating that he will lead communications for the company while continuing to work alongside the global brand team.He has been with Philips for over two years and most recently served as Vice President, Global Head of External Relations. In that role, he was responsible for group external communications, including financial results, corporate media relations, sustainability communications and C-suite positioning.Prior to joining Philips, Heywood spent nearly nine years at Edelman in the Netherlands, where he held several leadership positions, including General Manager, Deputy General Manager, Head of Client Services and Director.Earlier in his career, he served as Head of Corporate Communications and Communications Manager at eBay in London. He has also held roles at Weber Shandwick, McDonald's, Solihull Council and the UK Ministry of Defence.

Manas Bhardwaj has joined Teamwork Arts as Head of Corporate Communications.Bhardwaj announced the development through a LinkedIn post, sharing that he has taken on the communications leadership role at the culture and events company.Prior to joining Teamwork Arts, Bhardwaj worked as a consultant in strategic communications, advising clients on reputation management, brand positioning, media visibility and stakeholder engagement.His career spans more than two decades across corporate communications, public relations and reputation management. Over the years, he has held leadership roles at V360 Group, Avian WE, The Mavericks, Cohn & Wolfe, The Storytellers, Genesis Burson-Marsteller, The PRactice, Vox PR and Integral PR.Throughout his career, Bhardwaj has worked across sectors including technology, healthcare, aviation, hospitality, consumer brands and telecommunications. His experience includes client servicing, media relations, crisis communications, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning and team leadership.He has also overseen communications mandates for organisations across the healthcare, technology and consumer sectors, while contributing to business development and reputation-building initiatives.

Former PwC India Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Nandini Chatterjee has shared her perspective on the distinct roles played by public relations, advertising, marketing, communications and public policy within organisations.In a LinkedIn post, Chatterjee noted that while these disciplines are often used interchangeably, each serves a unique purpose. She highlighted the importance of understanding their individual functions and aligning them effectively to strengthen business outcomes.<div class="linkdin-container">https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nandini-chatterjee_mytake-publicrelations-communications-activity-7467559917873270784-oq7b?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAAFyfyPoB_mIB-PBkxJJ_I-_YwREoLK1zPAw</div>Using a simple analogy, Chatterjee explained how the five disciplines contribute differently to shaping perception, building reputation, engaging stakeholders and driving business objectives.According to her, the real impact emerges when organisations bring these functions together in a coordinated manner rather than treating them as separate silos. She emphasised that alignment across communications, marketing, advertising, public relations and public policy can help businesses create a stronger and more consistent presence among stakeholders.

PaRa Music has appointed media and marketing veteran Tipti Kheria as its new Vice President – Content, Partnerships, Brand & PR. Kheria formally announced her transition to the new-age music label through a LinkedIn post.“What drew me to PaRa Music is its bold vision of building a new-age music company that combines creativity, technology, and intellectual property to unlock the immense potential of India's diverse music ecosystem,” Kheria shared. “Looking forward to building, collaborating, and contributing to this exciting journey.”Kheria brings a robust track record of media leadership to PaRa Music, following a highly successful 11-year tenure at Radio City India. During her time with the major radio broadcaster, she rose to the rank of General Manager – Brand, Marketing & PR, where she anchored comprehensive brand strategy, public relations, and corporate communications frameworks.

Burson, the global communications agency focused on creating value through reputation, has released The Credibility Paradox, a new report revealing significant variations in how audiences perceive and believe AI-generated answers about brands and companies. The research advances the conversation around Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), shifting the focus from visibility and source citations to the strategic challenge of building credibility and believability.Based on more than 55,000 believability scores across 85 companies, the study found that the credibility of AI-generated responses varies significantly by audience, with business decision-makers rating answers 10% more believable on average than the general population.“In today’s zero-click world, LLMs have become the new gatekeepers of reputation – how brands are discovered and evaluated. But visibility is not credibility,” said Corey duBrowa, CEO, Burson. “AI synthesises, summarises and delivers information directly to audiences. Appearing in these LLMs is necessary, but it is no longer sufficient. Our role is no longer just to make clients visible, but to build an evidence ecosystem so robust that the answers AI constructs are believable to the audiences that matter most. This research is our playbook for turning the credibility paradox into a competitive advantage.”Burson partnered with Profound, a leading AI marketing platform, to field thousands of reputation-related responses across seven major AI answer platforms. The study assessed 85 companies against the eight pillars of Burson’s Reputation Capital framework: Innovation, Creativity, Workplace, Products, Financial Performance, Governance, Citizenship and Leadership.Responses were assigned believability scores for three audience groups – General Population, Opinion Elites and Business Decision Makers – using Burson’s proprietary Decipher tool, developed in partnership with cognitive AI company Limbik. The research generated more than 55,000 believability forecasts.Key Findings* AI rewards proof, not positioning. Fact-based claims linked to innovation, products and workplace culture consistently outperformed those associated with more subjective attributes such as leadership, governance and citizenship. This highlights the importance of a balanced mix of earned, owned and social content in GEO strategies, as AI systems place greater weight on independent validation from media coverage, reviews and online conversations.* Workplace is an underutilised credibility driver. As highlighted in Burson’s Global Reputation Economy research, workplace reputation remains one of the most underleveraged drivers of reputation capital. Workplace-related responses were found to be the most believable among the general population, reflecting LLMs’ reliance on independently verifiable sources such as employee reviews, labour reporting and earned media coverage.* Leadership is AI’s toughest credibility test. Responses to leadership-related prompts consistently ranked among the least believable across industries. The sectors that performed better, including Aerospace and Technology, shared a common characteristic: credibility was built through governance practices, business performance and third-party validation rather than executive messaging alone.* Believability varies by audience. A narrative that appears credible in an AI-generated response may not resonate equally with customers, investors, employees or regulators. Business decision-makers rated AI-generated answers 10% more believable on average than the general population, while specialised audiences were generally more receptive to innovation-focused narratives and broader business context. The findings underscore the need for audience-specific GEO strategies.The research has informed a framework developed by Burson to help clients build and protect reputation across AI platforms. Rather than treating earned media, owned content and social engagement as separate disciplines, the framework takes a holistic approach, cultivating an ecosystem of independent and credible voices whose coverage and commentary reinforce key narratives over time.Burson also incorporates language and market-specific nuances to help organisations navigate reputation challenges across regions and cultures.“Across APAC, much of the conversation around AI has centred on whether brands appear in AI-generated answers, while far less attention has been given to whether those answers are accurate, credible and believable. That is the gap our report addresses,” said Red Surtida, APAC Head of Intelligence & Transformation at Burson.“As AI becomes an increasingly influential layer between companies and their stakeholders, it is shaping not only how brands are discovered, but also how they are understood and evaluated. The real opportunity for organisations is not simply to secure a share of AI-generated answers, but to ensure those answers are grounded in evidence, backed by credible sources and believable to the audiences that matter most.”Steve Rubel, EVP, Media Insights & Measurement at Burson, added: “GEO may have started as a visibility challenge measured through audit reports, but it has evolved into something far more consequential. The data from this study makes clear that it is now a test of whether a company’s real-world reputation is legible, corroborated and believable within the AI-mediated environments where audiences increasingly form opinions. Our framework provides communicators with a practical path forward and establishes GEO as a new domain in reputation management.”