IndusInd Bank has appointed Shakti Tokas as Assistant Vice President (AVP), Brand and Communications Marketing. In his new role, he will be part of the bank's marketing communications team, contributing to brand building and communications initiatives.Tokas shared the news of his appointment through a LinkedIn post, reflecting on his professional journey."Almost a decade ago I walked into the advertising agency ecosystem as a trainee who didn't know what he didn't know.Today, I'm joining IndusInd Bank's Marketing Communications team as AVP, Marketing. Moving in-house, owning a brand from the inside for the first time, at a bank in the middle of rewriting its own story. Terrifying in the best way.The agencies gave me the clients, the late nights, the pitches won and lost, and the people who turned all of it into something I'll carry," he wrote.Prior to joining IndusInd Bank, Tokas was associated with Propagate India, where he served as Brand Partner for more than two years.

Public relations is entering one of the most consequential phases in its evolution. In an era where artificial intelligence can generate content in seconds, creators rival traditional media in shaping public opinion, and every stakeholder has the power to influence brand perception, the industry's role is expanding far beyond securing headlines. Reputation today is built across multiple touchpoints—earned, owned, shared and executive-led—and organisations are increasingly looking to communications not simply for visibility, but for strategic counsel that strengthens trust, manages risk, shapes narratives and delivers measurable business outcomes. The shift reflects a broader transformation in how businesses view communications. Once measured largely by media coverage, impressions and clip counts, PR is now being evaluated on its ability to influence stakeholder perception, support corporate strategy, navigate crises, enhance executive visibility and create long-term brand equity. As media consumption fragments, AI reshapes information discovery and audiences become more discerning about authenticity, communicators are finding that credibility—not reach alone—has become the industry's most valuable currency. On the occasion of World PR Day, Adgully spoke to communications leaders across agencies and brands to understand how the profession is evolving. Their insights reveal an industry that is moving decisively from media relations to reputation management, from campaign execution to strategic business advisory, and from chasing visibility to building influence, trust and sustainable business value. While technology is transforming how PR is planned, measured and executed, industry leaders agree that the profession's future will ultimately be defined not by automation, but by human judgment, authentic storytelling and the ability to shape narratives that stand the test of scrutiny. From media relations to reputation managementFor Shalini Gupta, Co-founder & Director, Secret Sauce Communications Pvt Ltd, public relations has evolved far beyond media relations to become a critical driver of corporate reputation and stakeholder trust."PR today is beyond mere media relations and is a corporate reputation and an indispensable tool for every organisation focused on long term growth in creating credibility and stakeholder trust," she says.Gupta believes one of the industry's biggest challenges lies in changing client expectations. Rather than treating PR as a commodity or evaluating it by the number of media placements, she says organisations need to recognise its strategic value."For clients, we need to remind them that PR isn't a commodity. PR agencies need to stop selling mere articles and instead thrive on the foundation of transparency and truth."While acknowledging the growing role of artificial intelligence, Gupta believes technology should enhance strategic communications, not replace it."PR holds and will forever hold tremendous worth, especially in an era of AI generated misinformation. AI helps consultants work more efficiently and with agility, but the real thinking, customer research and strategic counsel continue to come from people."Reflecting on six years of building a strategic communications consultancy, Gupta adds that the industry's future lies in creating sustained narratives rather than chasing coverage metrics."Our clients continue to value strategic counsel that creates credibility beyond clip counts. Until Indian clients stop asking 'How many articles?' As the first question, the golden age of PR will remain largely aspirational. The real question is what narrative are we driving and how can we sustain it in line with the organisation's larger purpose."The AI era demands credibility beyond visibilityThe rapid adoption of artificial intelligence is also reshaping how brands are discovered and evaluated online. Communications professionals say PR is no longer responsible only for earning media attention, but also for building a credible digital footprint that AI driven search engines can trust.For Sayesha Arora, Associate Vice President, Tech for Consumer, Zeno India, discoverability has become just as important as visibility."The biggest shift we are witnessing in public relations is that discoverability has become as important as visibility. Search has evolved from keywords to AI generated answers, which means brands are now being evaluated long before someone visits a website or speaks to a spokesperson."Arora believes this shift places PR at the centre of reputation building, where earned media, expert voices and authentic storytelling serve as trust signals for both audiences and AI."PR is no longer just about earning media coverage. It's about building a credible digital footprint that AI can trust, cite and surface. In a world flooded with AI generated content, credibility is becoming the ultimate differentiator, and that's where strategic public relations has never been more valuable."The fundamentals of communication remain unchangedHaving witnessed the industry's evolution over nearly two decades, Namrata Aswani, Director, Marketing & PR, MiQ, says communications has transformed from celebrating newspaper coverage to building integrated brand narratives."Going back nearly two decades, when I started my career in PR, tracking newspapers was a great start to the day. What was once focused on traditional storytelling and celebrating every client mentioned in print has evolved into crafting powerful narratives within an integrated ecosystem that strengthens brand perception and drives business outcomes."Despite the rapid rise of the creator economy and AI powered insights, Aswani believes the essence of effective communication has not changed."One thing shall remain constant, the essence of communication and the relevance of content. It is no longer just about what you say, but about how and when you say it, authentically, consistently and meaningfully to stay relevant and make an impact."Business impact is becoming PR's biggest metricAs organisations increasingly integrate communications with business strategy, industry leaders believe the success of PR can no longer be measured through coverage alone. Instead, its contribution to trust, brand preference and commercial outcomes is becoming a defining benchmark.Tarun Joshi, Founder & CEO, IGP, says successful PR in today's landscape is ultimately about influencing business outcomes."When we talk about successful PR in 2026, it won't be defined by just headlines alone but by its ability to influence business outcomes. The real measure of success is whether it fosters consumer trust, influences brand preference and contributes to business growth."According to Joshi, media visibility, creator partnerships and executive thought leadership are no longer independent pillars but complementary elements of a unified communications strategy."Today's audiences move seamlessly between traditional media, creators, communities and digital platforms. PR has evolved from a communications function into a business function that connects storytelling with culture, commerce and credibility."Drawing from IGP's campaigns including In My Lover Era, To Mom, With Love and To Papa, My Hero, he adds that communications today must create meaningful engagement while remaining closely aligned with long term business growth.One brand story across multiple touchpointsFor Nivedeeta Moirangthem, Country Communication Manager, IKEA India, the communications landscape has fundamentally changed because consumers now interact with brands through multiple channels rather than a single source."People don't experience brands through one channel anymore. They discover us through conversations, stories, creators, news, colleagues, communities and their own experiences. Communications today is much bigger than PR in the traditional sense because it helps businesses stay relevant, build trust and create meaningful connections."She says successful communications is no longer about treating media, creators and executive voices as separate channels but integrating them into one consistent brand narrative."At IKEA, we don't see media, creators, executive voices or our own channels as separate parts of the story. Our role is to make sure every touchpoint comes together to tell one authentic and consistent story that reflects who we are as a brand."According to Moirangthem, visibility alone is no longer enough. "The strongest communications connect culture, consumers and business with consistency and purpose. Visibility will always matter, but its true value lies in the impact it creates, whether that's building trust, strengthening brand preference or supporting long term business growth."Executive thought leadership is gaining prominenceAnother notable shift within modern communications is the growing importance of executive thought leadership. As audiences increasingly seek authentic perspectives over promotional messaging, industry leaders believe organisational voices are becoming one of the strongest assets in building credibility.For Hemendhira Muralidharan, Vice President of Marketing, Blackstraw.ai, authentic leadership creates a lasting impression that extends beyond traditional media coverage."I would always lean towards executive thought leadership, but not in the way many companies approach it. Everyone is competing for attention, but one thing that stands out is a leader who provides an authentic opinion that stems from experience and real conversations."He believes sustained leadership communication builds stronger recall than isolated media mentions."Media visibility gradually disappears. Readers may forget the headline, but they remember leaders who consistently share real world stories with clarity and purpose."Credibility will outweigh visibilityAs artificial intelligence becomes deeply embedded in communications, Nikita Manchanda, Co-founder, Brandsadvert, believes authenticity and credibility will become even more valuable."We're entering a defining era for public relations where influence is earned through credibility, not just visibility."While AI has transformed how agencies analyse data, generate content and monitor conversations, she believes the industry's future will continue to depend on human judgement."Strategic PR today is about helping brands navigate complexity with purpose, respond to cultural moments with sensitivity and build lasting relationships with stakeholders."Looking ahead, Manchanda believes agencies that combine technology with ethical storytelling and business understanding will define the next phase of communications."The 'Golden Age of Strategic PR' is not about doing more communication. It's about delivering communication that creates measurable trust and long term business value."Trust remains the profession's strongest foundationDespite rapid technological advancements, communications professionals agree that the core principles of public relations remain unchanged. While AI may reshape workflows and new platforms may continue to emerge, trust, credibility and sound judgement remain central to the profession.For Anushka Dey, Vice President, PR, SRV Media, the ability to build and sustain trust has become more important than ever."If there's one shift that has stood out to me over the years, it's that trust has become harder to earn and easier to lose."While AI and data continue to improve efficiency, Dey believes they cannot replace human understanding or strategic judgement."Our role has never been just about securing visibility. It has always been about helping organisations communicate with credibility, build meaningful relationships and protect their reputation."Looking ahead, she says the communications industry will ultimately be judged by its ability to earn trust consistently."Technology will continue to evolve, but trust will remain the one thing every brand will have to earn, every single day."As the communications landscape continues to evolve, one message resonates across agencies and brands alike. Public relations is no longer measured by the volume of coverage it generates, but by its ability to build trust, shape reputation and deliver meaningful business outcomes. In an era increasingly influenced by AI, creators and fragmented media ecosystems, the industry's greatest strength may still lie in what has always mattered most: authentic storytelling backed by strategic thinking. 

The artificial intelligence conversation has entered a new phase. After three years of relentless investment, experimentation and boardroom enthusiasm, the debate has shifted decisively from whether organisations should adopt AI to how they can deploy it responsibly, securely and at enterprise scale. As AI Appreciation Day 2026 is observed globally, one message is becoming increasingly clear: the next wave of competitive advantage will not be created by organisations that simply use more AI, but by those that combine intelligent automation with trusted data, sound governance and human judgment.  ManagementWhat began as a race to launch AI pilots has evolved into a far more complex  business challenge. Across industries – from marketing, manufacturing and financial services to healthcare, enterprise software, cybersecurity and consumer technology – AI is rapidly moving beyond productivity tools and copilots to become the underlying operating layer of modern enterprises. It is increasingly shaping customer experiences, influencing  strategic decisions, orchestrating workflows and redefining how organisations innovate, compete and create value. Yet, as AI becomes deeply embedded in business operations, executives argue that technology alone is no longer the differentiator. The real questions facing leaders today are far more fundamental: Can AI be trusted with mission-critical decisions? Can it scale without compromising governance, privacy and security? Can organisations harness autonomous systems while preserving accountability, transparency and human oversight? And perhaps most importantly, can AI augment human intelligence rather than replace it? The consensus emerging from industry leaders is that the AI conversation has matured beyond fascination with models, chatbots and automation. Success is increasingly being measured not by the number of AI tools deployed, but by measurable business outcomes, better decision-making, stronger customer experiences and resilient enterprise ecosystems. In this new phase, trusted data, explainable AI, cybersecurity, responsible governance and human expertise are becoming strategic assets as important as the algorithms themselves. To understand how this transformation is unfolding, Adgully spoke to more than 40 business leaders, founders, technologists, marketers and AI strategists across sectors. Their insights reveal an industry at a pivotal inflection point—one where AI is quietly transitioning from a disruptive technology into critical business infrastructure. From agentic AI and intelligent automation to enterprise governance, creative collaboration and cyber resilience, the conversations point to a shared conclusion: the organisations that will lead the next decade will not necessarily be those with the most advanced AI models, but those that build the greatest confidence in how those models are deployed. If the first chapter of AI was defined by experimentation and speed, the next will be defined by trust, responsibility and intelligent execution. AI Appreciation Day 2026, therefore, is less a celebration of artificial intelligence itself than a reflection on how businesses are learning to transform technological capability into sustainable competitive advantage, by ensuring that every algorithm is matched with accountability, every automation with oversight, and every breakthrough with human judgment. From AI adoption to AI executionA recurring theme among industry leaders is that enterprises have largely moved beyond debating AI adoption. The real challenge now lies in embedding it into everyday operations.Venugopal Ganganna, Co-Founder and CIO of LS Digital, believes the conversation has evolved from awareness to measurable business outcomes. Organisations have already decided to invest in AI, he says. The differentiator now is how quickly businesses can integrate AI into customer experiences, operational workflows and strategic decisions that directly drive growth. Shrish Anand Lal of MiFiX.ai echoes a similar sentiment. Enterprises are no longer questioning whether AI works, they’re questioning whether it can be trusted in production. While AI models continue to improve, scaling them across organisations still depends on governance, auditability and enterprise-ready architecture rather than technology alone.Suraj Victor, Vice President, Go-to-Market, Pegasystems India, puts it even more bluntly: everyone is buying AI, but very few are buying outcomes. The winners, he argues, will be those who convert AI into measurable business value instead of merely accumulating AI pilots.Ambika Sharma, Product Architect, Neuro Rank & Chief Strategist, Pulp Strategy, says most of the appreciation for AI goes to the systems we all can see working like the copilots, the agents, the models writing code. She further says quieter story is the one with the widest reach and AI search is where artificial intelligence touches the most people, most often, with the least ceremony.That growing maturity is evident across sectors. The excitement surrounding AI tools has given way to discussions around business transformation.Competitive advantage isn't AI, it's better decisionsPerhaps the strongest shift emerging this year is the recognition that AI itself is no longer a differentiator.Ajay Varma, Managing Partner at 0101.Today, argues that organisations are celebrating AI for the wrong reasons. Too many companies proudly count the number of AI tools they've adopted instead of measuring the problems they've solved.Real success, he says, can already be seen in organisations like HDFC Bank using AI for fraud detection, Apollo Hospitals improving clinical decision-making, and Flipkart delivering personalised customer experiences. These are examples where AI has quietly improved business decisions rather than becoming the headline. Rahul Garg, Founder and CEO of Moglix Credlix and Cognilix, believes enterprise AI is entering its second phase. Earlier, AI automated individual tasks. Today, it is beginning to influence strategic decision-making by transforming scattered data into insights that businesses can actually trust.Rama Rao, Creative Director – Video, TheSmallBigIdea, says it feels like a good time to look at just how quickly AI has gone from being something he spoke about as our future to something that we use almost every day at work. Nikhil Vijay Bagalkotkar, Director, AEC India & SAARC, Autodesk, sees a similar evolution in architecture, engineering and manufacturing. AI is becoming an intelligent collaborator that helps professionals evaluate alternatives, detect risks early and make better decisions when they matter most, long before projects are completed.The common thread is unmistakable as AI is moving from execution to judgement.Human intelligence becomes more valuable, not lessContrary to early fears, executives increasingly see AI enhancing rather than replacing human capability.Prashant Puri, Co-founder and CEO of AdLift, calls this one of AI's greatest ironies. As machines become increasingly capable, they make distinctly human qualities such as empathy, creativity and strategic thinking even more valuable. Technology may provide speed, but humans continue to provide direction.The future, he says, belongs to organisations that master collaborative intelligence, knowing precisely when to keep humans in the loop.This philosophy resonates strongly across industries.Shemaroo Entertainment, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer Anuja Trivedi says AI is helping decode audience behaviour, personalise content discovery and strengthen storytelling. Yet its real value lies in amplifying creativity rather than replacing it.Rishabh Suri, Co-founder and Chief Content Officer at Studio Blo, believes AI has removed creative barriers for young storytellers, allowing teams to build ideas that were previously impossible. But creativity, he insists, still originates with people.Vishal Rajani, CEO of Synergos, argues AI has taken over the repetitive work marketers never enjoyed in the first place like research, reporting and endless iterations, freeing strategists to spend more time understanding clients, asking better questions and solving the problems that actually matter.Nitin Burman, CRO, Balaji Telefilms says AI is no longer just a tool for efficiency, it is becoming a creative collaborator across media, marketing and entertainment. He further adds how AI is redefining how content is created, distributed and consumed from enabling immersive storytelling and reducing production costs to delivering hyper-personalised audience experiencesSaket Dandotia, Co-Founder and CEO, Onetab.ai honours the minds that are building India's intelligent future - and remind ourselves that the smartest technology is the one guided by human values.Across creative industries, AI is increasingly being viewed not as a substitute for imagination, but as an amplifier of it.The rise of the invisible enterpriseIf the first phase of AI focused on chatbots and copilots, the next wave is likely to be far less visible.Anjaiah Surgi, CTO of Hindware, believes the future lies in making AI almost invisible across customer interactions. Today, AI already helps the company automatically triage complaints, improve dealer receivables, support HR operations and enhance customer service.The next evolution, he says, will see AI moving beyond dashboards and alerts into autonomous action, following up with dealers, supporting sales teams and quietly improving every interaction without customers consciously noticing the technology behind it.Albert Nel, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific and Japan, Genesys describes this transition as the emergence of agentic AI, systems capable of reasoning, coordinating enterprise workflows and orchestrating actions instead of merely generating responses.Yashwant Singh, Founder & CEO, AmbitionHire says AI Appreciation Day is a timely reminder of how rapidly artificial intelligence has become an integral part of the way we work, recruit, and make decisions and how AI is helping organizations automate repetitive tasks, uncover meaningful insights from data, and improve efficiency. Rather than replacing customer service employees, these intelligent agents will handle routine work while humans focus on complex decisions, empathy and relationship-building.It marks a significant evolution in enterprise AI, from assistance to orchestration.Trust becomes AI's biggest competitive advantageIf the first wave of artificial intelligence was defined by speed and automation, the next will be defined by trust.Almost every executive agrees that as AI becomes more autonomous, governance, transparency and accountability are moving from compliance checklists to boardroom priorities.Sonia Nahar, Group Head – Social Media & Strategic Initiatives at Barcode, believes AI has quietly become the invisible engine powering modern workplaces, from decision-making to customer engagement. But as organisations deepen AI integration, she argues that transparency, ethical governance and human-centric design can no longer be optional. The businesses that thrive will be those that balance technological capability with human judgment.That sentiment is echoed by Sameer Kanodia, Vice Chairman and CEO of Lumina Datamatics & TNQTech, who says the future will belong to organisations that integrate AI across end-to-end workflows while maintaining strong governance, intellectual property protection, data privacy and human oversight. For him, the next breakthrough isn't merely agentic AI or multimodal intelligence, it is trusted AI.Deepak Sharma, CTO, Thriwe says next phase of AI is moving beyond automation to intelligent assistance. He further adds consumers no longer just expect faster service, they expect brands to understand context, anticipate needs, and simplify decisions in real time.Priti Sawant, Founder & CEO, Joules to Watts says their focus has increasingly been on helping organizations develop AI Charters that go beyond a list of tools, pilots, or technology investments as they bring together leadership alignment, talent readiness, operating models, governance, customer impact, and execution discipline.Subhash Kalluri, Founder, FreJun shares an interesting perspective on how Voice AI now sits inside some of the most sensitive conversations a business has like a candidate discussing a job change, a patient booking a medical appointment, and a customer disputing a loan repayment. Niraj Nagrani, Chief Data and AI Officer at Altimetrik, believes enterprises are now entering an era where success depends less on building bigger models and more on operationalising AI responsibly. Trusted context, cyber resilience, governance and intelligent orchestration are becoming the real differentiators as organisations scale AI across business functions.Agentic AI changes the enterprise playbookBeyond copilots and assistants lies what many executives describe as AI's next defining chapter – Agentic AI.Unlike traditional AI tools that generate responses, agentic systems can reason, plan and execute tasks across multiple workflows with minimal intervention.Deepak Dastrala, CEO and Business Head of Purple Fabric, describes this as a shift from isolated co-pilots to “Digital Experts” that augment human judgement across enterprise workflows while remaining accountable within clearly defined guardrails.Bhavin Turakhia, Founder of Neo, goes even further, calling AI the biggest force multiplier of his lifetime, larger than both the internet and smartphones. The real opportunity, he argues, lies not in gaining access to increasingly powerful models but in fundamentally redesigning how work gets done, where intelligent agents and humans collaborate seamlessly to solve bigger problems faster.Yet executives are equally clear that autonomy cannot exist without accountability.Security can no longer be an afterthoughtGreater intelligence also creates greater vulnerability.As enterprises deploy AI agents with access to customer records, financial systems and sensitive enterprise data, cybersecurity is emerging as one of AI's defining challenges.Bikash Barai, Founder and CEO of FireCompass, warns that every autonomous AI agent becomes a high-value target for cybercriminals. While marketers celebrate AI-driven personalisation, attackers are leveraging AI with equal sophistication. Security, governance and human accountability therefore need to be designed into every AI workflow from the outset rather than added after a breach.Bhavyan Mehta, Vice President - Engineering, Commvault, points to recent demonstrations showing how AI can compress vulnerability discovery from weeks to minutes, fundamentally changing the economics of cyber risk. The organisations that succeed, he argues, will build resilient ecosystems where humans provide judgement while AI accelerates execution.Similar concerns are raised by Ankur Kanaglekar, Vice President – India, Thales; Chetan Jain, Managing Director, Inspira Enterprise; Hariprasad PS, Head of AI, HyperVerge; Vasanthi Ramesh, Vice President of Engineering and Site Leader, NetApp India; and Srividya Kannan, Founder and CEO, Avaali Solutions – all of whom stress that trusted data, explainable AI, robust governance and secure infrastructure will ultimately determine whether AI earns long-term enterprise confidence.Infrastructure becomes AI's silent enablerBehind every impressive AI application lies an increasingly sophisticated digital backbone.Dr Badri Gomatam, Group CTO, STL, notes that as AI models become larger and more compute-intensive, demand for high-performance, low-latency and energy-efficient AI data centres is rising dramatically. Fibre networks, connectivity infrastructure and scalable digital ecosystems are becoming just as important as the models themselves.Ishank Joshi, Founder, MD and CEO, Mobavenue AI Tech Limited believes the future of advertising will be defined by systems that continuously learn, predict, and optimize. He further adds how AI is enabling marketers to move beyond campaign execution towards intelligent decision making, where every impression, audience signal, and media investment contributes to measurable business outcomes. Vikram Raichura founder and MD of helo.ai reflects how twenty years from now people will look back at this period the way we look back at the internet in the early 2000s and The businesses that are paying attention to what AI is actually demanding of them right now are the ones who will have the most to show for it.AI becomes deeply personalWhile enterprise AI dominates headlines, consumers are experiencing AI in quieter but equally meaningful ways.Pankaj Rana, CEO, Hisense India, views AI as an enabler that helps us better understand and address evolving consumer needs. Rajeev Singh, Managing Director, BenQ India and South Asia, sees AI creating value only when it improves everyday experiences consistently rather than existing as a flashy marketing feature.Ravi Agarwal, Co-Founder and MD, Cellecor Gadgets Limited, similarly believes India's AI journey must balance innovation with affordability, ensuring intelligent technology remains practical and accessible rather than exclusive.For consumers, the most successful AI may ultimately be the AI they barely notice.The future of work isn't human versus AIOne of AI's earliest fears, that it would replace human jobs wholesale, is giving way to a more nuanced reality.Saumitra R Chand, Career Expert, Indeed India and Singapore, believes AI can help employers identify overlooked talent while enabling jobseekers to be recognised for skills that traditional résumés often fail to capture. But the final hiring decision, he insists, must always remain human. Sivakumar Ekambaram, India Site Leader, GoTo, similarly argues that AI's greatest contribution lies in helping employees focus on higher-value work while intelligent systems handle repetitive tasks. Naresh Agarwal, SVP, Engineering, India, Harness, describes AI as a multiplier rather than a shortcut—one that increasingly rewards judgement, contextual thinking and decision-making over routine execution.Across industries, executives agree that human expertise isn't becoming obsolete; it is becoming more valuable.The next decade belongs to responsible AIPerhaps the most striking takeaway from this year's AI Appreciation Day is how dramatically the conversation has matured.Gone are the days when success was measured by the number of AI pilots launched or tools deployed.Today's leaders are asking harder questions: Can AI be trusted?Can it scale responsibly?Can it remain transparent?Can it improve human judgement rather than replace it?Can it deliver measurable business outcomes without compromising security, ethics or customer trust?The consensus is remarkably consistent. AI's future will not be defined by increasingly larger models or ever-faster automation. It will be defined by the organisations that successfully combine intelligent machines with human judgement, robust governance and trusted data.AI has undoubtedly become one of the defining technologies of this century. But perhaps its greatest achievement is not that it is replacing people, it is forcing businesses to rediscover what only people can uniquely contribute.In that sense, AI Appreciation Day is no longer simply a celebration of technology. It is a reminder that the next era of innovation will belong not to artificial intelligence alone, but to organisations that know how to combine machine intelligence with human wisdom. 

Artificial intelligence may be changing the way public relations professionals work, but if there's one message that echoed across the industry on World PR Day 2026, it is that technology alone cannot build reputation.From AI-powered workflows and the rise of the creator economy to integrated communications and data-driven storytelling, the PR landscape is undergoing one of its biggest transformations in decades. Yet, communications leaders believe the future of public relations will be determined not by the sophistication of technology, but by authenticity, credibility,  counsel and lasting relationships. To understand where the profession is headed, Adgully spoke to communications leaders, founders, strategists, and PR professionals across agencies and corporate communications. Their perspectives reveal an industry that is moving beyond media relations to become a strategic business function, where reputation, authenticity, and measurable impact matter more than ever.One of the strongest themes that emerged from the conversations was the growing importance of transparency and trust in an age where information is abundant and audiences are more discerning than ever.Echoing this sentiment, Abhinay Kumar Singh, Founder and MD, Adgcraft Communications, said: “The most significant shift has been the growing expectation for transparency; audiences today are more likely to verify a brand's claims before trusting them, which means PR built on messaging alone isn't as effective as it once was. AI and data have given communicators sharper tools for storytelling, but the organisations seeing real results are using these tools to communicate more clearly and honestly, not just more efficiently. Looking ahead, successful PR will be less about broadcasting a message and more about sustaining an ongoing conversation with audiences, grounded in accurate data, delivered through the right channels, and supported by substance that holds up to scrutiny.”Another recurring trend highlighted by industry leaders was the evolution of PR into a strategic, integrated business function, extending well beyond traditional media relations.Sharing her perspective, Sonalika Pawar, Founder & CEO, Bold & Beyond, said: “One of the most significant shifts in PR has been the evolution from isolated tactics to integrated communications. Today's audiences are more informed, discerning, and harder to impress than ever before. They don't engage with fragmented campaigns - they connect with authentic, consistent narratives across every touchpoint. Media relations or influencer marketing in isolation are no longer enough. The most effective communications strategies seamlessly bring together earned media, creator partnerships, digital campaigns, and on-ground experiences to build reputation while delivering tangible business outcomes. AI is undoubtedly transforming the industry by enabling greater speed, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making. But while technology can enhance how we work, it cannot replace the essence of public relations. Great storytelling begins with empathy, cultural understanding, strategic thinking, and human intuition- qualities that remain irreplaceable.” Looking ahead, Pawar believes, “Successful PR will be defined not just by the stories we tell or the coverage we secure, but by the trust we build, the reputation we shape, and the measurable business impact we create. As communications professionals, it's time we stop viewing PR as a support function and recognise it for what it truly is, a strategic business driver that influences perception, builds credibility, and fuels long-term growth.”The growing influence of AI on search, discoverability and earned media was another area that experts believe will significantly shape the future of communications.Rahul Jain, CEO, SGA PR, observed: “In a world where AI and digital platforms have made information accessibility easier, the role of PR has evolved significantly. It is no longer just about disseminating information; rather it is about ensuring credibility and relevance. As the communications landscape is evolving, human relations and human intelligence (HI) have become indispensable. It is important in adding a perspective that is emotionally and culturally relevant and authentic.” Jain further said: “In a future-forward AI driven world where AI engines favour citing earned and organic content over paid advertorials, we are likely to witness more emphasis and focus towards building brand reputation through earned media campaigns. PR will play an important role in shaping narrative by driving optimal answer engine visibility.”“Looking ahead, I believe that the future of PR belongs to those who can tell original stories rooted in real consumer insights and create positive impact on client’s business growth, is what will define great PR,” he added. Similarly, Sonam Shah, Founder & CEO, Treize Communications, believes PR has become deeply embedded in organisational strategy.One of the key shifts that has been seen is how the clients see PR as an add-on value to the brand. Today, Public Relations strategy is part of the larger strategy from initial stage. The integration of PR is done in a much smarter and better way as compared to few years ago. This helps in better storytelling and building a stronger brand recall. The focus today is on more intent driven stories which brings quality value to the table. As consumption patterns evolve, there is a dynamic shift in how media performs, and this has been a larger contributory factor in the evolution of PR in India. This definition of successful PR will tilt towards how the activity helps the business in the larger perspective and not on an immediate outcome. Long term brand building will hold more importance.Beyond technology, many industry leaders pointed towards authenticity, empathy and human intelligence as the qualities that will continue to differentiate successful communicators.Reflecting on this, Harsheeta Gandhi, PR Consultant & Strategist, said: “The communications industry is evolving faster than ever. AI, the creator economy, predictive analytics, and changing media consumption habits have transformed how brands communicate. However, the most significant shift is not technological it is the growing demand for authenticity, credibility, and relevance.” She noted, “Today, anyone can create content, but not everyone can build trust. While AI has made communication faster and more efficient, successful public relations still depends on human judgment, strategic thinking, empathy, and a deep understanding of stakeholders. The ability to interpret insights, craft meaningful narratives, and respond with sensitivity remains irreplaceable.” Data-driven storytelling has also become a defining force. Every campaign is expected to deliver measurable impact, making PR more integrated with business outcomes than ever before. At the same time, journalists continue to play a pivotal role by validating information and bringing credibility to stories in an increasingly crowded information ecosystem.“Looking ahead, the organisations and professionals who will lead the industry are those who embrace innovation without compromising ethics, transparency, or relationships. Technology will continue to change the tools we use, but it cannot replace the human connection that lies at the heart of communication,” Gandhi said, adding, “After all, while the industry evolves, the “R” in PR will always stand for Relationships—because trust is earned through people, not platforms.” The expanding role of communications within organisations was another major takeaway.According to Yetesh Sharma, Assistant Manager, Content at Adfactors PR, PR today has outgrown its traditional definition. He observed, “The biggest change in the PR industry is that the profession has outgrown its own definition. What many organisations still call 'PR' today is, in reality, integrated communications. The mandate extends far beyond earned media to include executive visibility, digital platforms, social media, podcasts, creator ecosystems, owned content and stakeholder engagement. Reputation is no longer built through one channel. Rather, it is shaped across all of them.” According to Sharma, “This evolution has also changed where PR sits within an organisation. Earlier, it was largely viewed as an extension of marketing, focused on visibility and media outreach. Today, PR has found a place in boardroom discussions because reputation has become a business asset. In an always-connected world, where every stakeholder can influence public perception, reputation impacts investor confidence, customer trust, talent, partnerships and even business growth. Communications is, therefore, a strategic business function.” The success of PR in the years ahead will depend less on producing more content and more on making better strategic decisions. Every situation demands a different communication approach which is sometimes sustained visibility, sometimes a single, high-impact intervention. Getting that balance right requires deep business understanding, credible research, meaningful conversations with clients and insights that can shape perception with purpose. Technology will continue to change execution, but strategic counsel will remain the true value that PR brings to the table.As AI-powered tools become increasingly embedded into everyday communications, professionals also stressed the need to balance automation with human judgment.Speaking about this shift, Zohra Shamim, Account Manager, PR & Communications, Bloomingdale PR, said: “Over the past few years, the PR industry has witnessed a remarkable transformation driven by artificial intelligence. The shift from manual research, content creation, media monitoring, and reporting to AI-powered workflows has significantly improved efficiency. Today, professionals have access to specialised tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude for research and content, alongside media intelligence platforms like Cision, Meltwater, etc., for monitoring, journalist discovery, and sentiment tracking, making it easier to manage multiple clients and fast-paced communications with greater agility. What has changed is not just the availability of these tools, but the need to develop the skill to handle and operate them well.” Alongside this, the very definition of PR has broadened. While earned and paid media remain important pillars, the rise of digital PR and content creators has added a new dimension that is grabbing eyeballs and driving conversations. PR today is no longer confined to traditional media relations, it has rather become a 360-degree approach that blends earned coverage, paid amplification, digital storytelling, and creator collaborations to build a brand's narrative across every touchpoint.However, no matter how advanced AI becomes, there is always something left behind that requires human intelligence and human touch. AI can accelerate execution, but it cannot replace critical thinking, contextual understanding, empathy, or sound judgment. In Public Relations, every strategy crafted for a brand, every media pitch, every analysis report, and every client recommendation requires a nuanced understanding that only humans can bring. More importantly, the relationships built with journalists, clients, content creators, and other stakeholders are deeply personal and are based on trust, credibility, and consistent engagement, something no AI tool can replicate.Successful Public Relations in the years ahead will be defined by the ability to strike the right balance between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence. The smartest professionals will be those who know how to leverage specialised AI tools to improve productivity while applying their own expertise to ask the right questions, provide the right prompts, interpret outputs, and ultimately add the human perspective that makes communication authentic, meaningful, and impactful."The industry’s growing alignment with broader business objectives is another recurring theme. Sharing his views, Kunal Gupta, Assistant Manager – Corporate Communications @ Yukio & sirrus.ai | Founder – Media & PR Folks, said: “In the past couple of years, the most significant change in PR has been its transformation into a strategic business function from a media relations function. Organizations now demand that communications help in building trust, reputation, support business goals, and make an impact and not necessarily earn media coverage.” “Although technology such as AI, data analytics, and creator economy have changed how we communicate, what has remained consistent in PR is credibility, authenticity, and relationships. Technology can help us be efficient, but it will never help us think strategically or empathise with our audiences,” he maintained. Gupta further said, “In one of my recent LinkedIn posts on thought leadership, I mentioned “clients don’t hire agencies for PR. They hire them for growth”. It was quite evident from the overwhelming feedback received from industry experts that organisations today require 360° integrated communication where PR needs to work together with corporate communications, digital marketing, thought leadership of executives, content, events, podcasts, and reputation management to deliver measurable results.” “Being the Founder of Media & PR Folks, a community of more than 12,000 PR, Corporate Communications, and Media experts, it is my pleasure to get connected to the communicators from different industries. And one point becomes clear the future will belong to those communicators who will know how to combine all of PR, Corporate Communications, Marketing, Branding, Digital, Content, and Reputation Management into a single strategy for a business. Communications and marketing cannot exist in isolation from each other anymore, as they create trust, build brand equity, engage stakeholders, and achieve sustainable business results,” Gupta added.For Zainab Jariwala, Senior PR Executive, Milestone PR, the conversation is also about balancing the pressure for instant visibility with the need for long-term brand building.She pointed out, “We are living in a different era today, and PR has evolved with time and so has the approach. At times, the need for showcasing results in the pr domain and number games being at its peak determining someone's worth and credibility in a virtual world overpowers real human connection. Getting paid awards and paid features is considered an achievement because clients today want quick results and they are paying for it so are right to expect the same. But is it worth their money and does the platform and association match the brand values is where we step in. Being their advisors and having a long term vision and strategy is what is important. 2026 is a year of unexpected events and PR in the advent of AI evolution will have to keep up with the times. Short messaging forms such as 10 second Reels need to convey the crux of what you are trying to say without saying it entirely. And for long extensive and engaging discussions, speakership platforms and podcasts are booming. Networking is becoming one's net worth slowly. If you have managed to communicate effectively and create a lasting impact, half the battle is won. The rest, will find its way through all the clutter with authenticity and sincerity. Ultimately, connecting with people and becoming or associating an emotion and maintaining the human touch will be the ultimate winning streak for brands.” Meanwhile, Dr Sarvesh Tiwari, MD, PRP Group, brought the discussion back to one of PR’s oldest and most enduring principles. He noted, “Every PR person has a contact list. Far fewer have relationships. The practice I would retire is the one where a journalist hears from us only when we want something. A pitch lands, then silence, until the next pitch. We call that media relations. It is closer to a transaction with a very long gap between payments. The people who cover our clients are doing a hard job under real pressure. They deserve to be treated as professionals with their own deadlines and judgment, rather than a channel we activate when a client needs coverage. So, call when you have nothing to sell. Point them to a story you have no stake in. Say when your own story is weak. That last one costs you something today and earns you a hearing for years.” “Contacts get you a reply. Relationships get you believed. Only one of those survives a bad week,” Tiwari emphasised. Adding another perspective, Aakanksha Gupta, Founder, The Other Circle PR and Cavalry Media, noted that audiences now play a much larger role in shaping brand reputation than ever before. She noted, “The biggest shift in PR and communications isn’t that brands are telling more stories. It’s that audiences have become editors. Every interview, campaign, founder quote and customer interaction is now examined, debated and reinterpreted in real time. That’s why reputation won’t belong to the loudest brands, but to the most coherent ones. Today, PR isn’t just about earning attention; it’s about ensuring every touchpoint tells the same story, because reputation is no longer defined by what a brand says about itself, but by what people choose to believe, question and pass on.” 

Arbour has appointed Media Mantra Group as its public relations and communications partner. The decision follows a multi-agency pitch process. Media Mantra will handle strategic communications, media engagement, and brand positioning for Arbour, and will help position the firm's leadership as a credible voice on real estate private credit and private equity as Arbour scales its platform across India's alternative investment landscape.Chirag Mehta, Founder at Arbour, said: “We've been institutionalising real estate investment at scale across private credit and private equity. As our distribution network and deal pipeline grow, credible, consistent communication is what earns and keeps that trust. We put Media Mantra through a rigorous pitch process, and their command of finance and investment storytelling stood out. We look forward to a partnership that builds recognition for Arbour across our network and the wider industry.”Puja Pathak, Founder & Director of Media Mantra, said, “We are delighted to partner with Arbour at a pivotal time for India's real estate investment management space. Arbour's approach, backed by rigorous screening, technology-led risk mitigation, and a strong track record, gives us a compelling story to tell. Our focus will be on building sustained visibility for the brand and establishing its leadership as a credible voice for sophisticated investors evaluating real estate as an asset class.”She further added, “By combining our deep understanding of the real estate, alternative investments, and wealth management sectors with our multi-platform communication capabilities, we are well-positioned to help Arbour build a stronger brand presence, manage reputation, and reach new audiences.”Beyond the core mandate, Media Mantra will help Arbour build out stakeholder engagement and keep its external communication consistent as the firm grows its distribution network and deepens ties with institutional stakeholders.Media Mantra is a full-service PR and digital media agency with a diversified client portfolio spanning finance, technology, gaming, automotive, and education. It specialises in media relations, content strategy, and reputation management, and has expanded its footprint in the BFSI and alternative investments space through mandates with fund houses, fintech firms, and investment platforms.

Impact Research & Measurement Pvt. Ltd., a pioneer in media monitoring and intelligence, today announced the official launch of its new mobile app, Impact SmartMonitor V4. This upgrade to its mobile application introduces advanced features designed to transform how enterprise clients, corporate communications teams, and PR professionals access, track, and analyse their multi-channel media coverage.At the core of the V4 release is DYNA, Impact's own AI analyst. For the first time, users can go beyond news reading to engage directly with an intelligent conversational chatbot embedded right within the application. PR and communications leaders are drowning in information but starving for time. They don't have the luxury of reading through hundreds of articles just to find a single trend or context," said Aseem Sood, CEO of Impact Research & Measurement. "With this new release, we are changing how professionals interact with data. By embedding DYNA directly into their workflow, our users can simply ask their news feed a question and get an instant, reliable answer right on their phones."In addition to conversational data exploration, the app's backend architecture has been fundamentally overhauled to seamlessly handle high-velocity multi-source streaming, transforming raw tracking data into rich dashboard and metrics in real time."With SmartMonitor V4, we have completely modernized our infrastructure to support advanced Large Language Model capabilities directly on mobile touchpoints," said Shekhar Govindarajan, CTO of Impact Research & Measurement. "By leveraging full-text indexing, vectorization for RAG, low-latency API frameworks, and deep integration with our DYNA AI engine, we are enabling real-time processing of text, broadcast, and social conversations. The true benefit to our clients is immediate clarity, turning thousands of unstructured articles and conversations across regional languages, web, TV, and print into instant summaries and precise, searchable data sets instantly."Key Innovations & Capabilities in SmartMonitor V4:1. Multi-Channel Sync: An all-in-one consolidated feed streaming critical updates across Print, Web, X, TV, and YouTube. 2. Enhanced Article Intelligence (AI-Driven Utility): Individual articles are now packed with powerful workflow and productivity tools:DYNA Chatbot Integration: Query specific articles for deep context.AI-Powered Summaries: Instant bulleted breakdowns of lengthy columns and reports.Translation Support: Native translation of regional and vernacular media to break language barriers.3. Integrated Dashboard & Analytics: A completely redesigned, unified dashboard providing a holistic bird's-eye view of media presence. Complemented by Charts & Analytics, it delivers interactive, visual representations of Share of Voice, sentiment trends, and media volume statistics for quick, data-driven decision-making.The update is available starting today for all existing and new corporate clients of Impact Research & Measurement. Users can update or download the application through official corporate deployment channels, the Apple App Store, and the Google Play Store. 

In an era where reputation can shape business outcomes as much as financial performance, strategic communications is emerging as a vital pillar of corporate leadership. As organisations grapple with AI-driven disruption, misinformation and increasingly complex stakeholder expectations, public relations is being called upon to provide not just visibility, but strategic counsel. Reflecting on this year's World PR Day theme, "The Golden Age of Strategic PR", Roshan Mohan, Founder of Tharaa Labs and Group Managing Director of Pepper Communications Group, discusses the growing influence of communications in executive decision-making, the need to measure reputation capital, and why human judgement will remain indispensable in an AI-powered future.This year's World PR Day theme is "The Golden Age of Strategic PR". Do you believe public relations has finally earned a seat at the executive decision-making table, or do communications leaders still have to prove their strategic value?I believe PR has undoubtedly moved closer to the executive decision-making table. However, it is only a matter of time when more and more business decisions will be driven by PR advisory. The organisations that see communications as a business function, that understand the importance and value of building trust are involving communications leaders much earlier in decision-making, whether it's navigating reputation risks, managing stakeholder trust, driving transformation, or supporting business growth. In those environments, PR is no longer reacting to decisions; it is helping shape them.That said, the industry as a whole still has work to do. Communications professionals need to move beyond reporting media coverage and start demonstrating how their work influences business outcomes. Today's communications landscape is driven by data, technology, audience intelligence, and integrated storytelling. The value we bring lies in connecting these disciplines to business strategy.The theme of this year's World PR Day, 'The Golden Age of Strategic PR', is particularly relevant because the role of PR has expanded far beyond earned media. We are increasingly expected to advise leadership on reputation, stakeholder sentiment, crisis preparedness, policy shifts, and the broader narrative surrounding an organisation.Strategic PR is no longer about being the loudest voice in the room. It is about ensuring the organisation is communicating the right story, to the right stakeholders, at the right time, with measurable business impact. Those who consistently deliver that value have already earned their place in the boardroom. The rest of the industry is steadily moving in that direction.In an era marked by AI, misinformation, geopolitical uncertainty and heightened stakeholder expectations, how should PR professionals balance speed with accuracy while maintaining public trust?In today's communications environment, the challenge isn't just responding quickly; it's responding responsibly. AI, misinformation, and an increasingly complex stakeholder landscape have made trust more valuable than ever.While speed is important, accuracy and credibility cannot be compromised. A delayed response can be explained; an inaccurate one can damage reputation and erode stakeholder confidence. AI can certainly enhance efficiency, but all AI platforms say “AI can make mistakes.” Human judgement, context, and ethical decision-making remain indispensable.The role of strategic PR is to help organisations communicate with clarity, consistency, and credibility. In an era of constant information flow, trust will continue to be the defining measure of effective communication.Trust has become one of the most valuable assets for organisations. What role do you see strategic PR playing in helping businesses navigate crises, regulatory changes and increasingly complex stakeholder relationships?Trust is built over time but could be eroded in an instant, which is why strategic PR has become a critical business function rather than just a communications function. We at PCG have worked out a particular formula to calculate Reputation Capital and Reputation Efficiency. It allows us to assess how communication contributes to stakeholder trust, reputation and business performance, demonstrating that while reputation is an intangible asset, it can be measured, managed and strengthened through a strategic communications approach. PR earns trust. PR helps navigate the landscape of communicating with various stakeholders, providing leadership with clear, timely, and credible counsel. PR helps anticipate risks, aligning communication with business strategy, and ensuring transparency across every stakeholder touchpoint.However, we also need a way to measure this beyond just human instinct. Despite all the PR done over decades, for instance, how long can a brand withstand a crisis? At what point does the trust start to erode? As gatekeepers, we also need to have a measure of these, hence the RC and RE scores. Having a tangible score helps us understand what’s the distance to be covered and the most effective way of doing it.As the communications industry enters what World PR Day describes as the "Golden Age of Strategic PR", what skills and mindset do you believe the next generation of PR professionals must develop to remain relevant and influential over the next decade?The professionals who'll matter most in the next decade are the ones who can combine the power of AI with sound judgment. AI is a powerful tool, but it doesn't alter the fundamentals of public relations. The communications professionals who will create the greatest impact in the next decade are those who can combine the power of AI with sound judgment. Familiarity with AI tools is becoming a baseline capability, but what will truly differentiate professionals is their ability to think critically by understanding the business context, evaluating stakeholder perspectives, anticipating reputational impact and knowing which stories deserve attention, which conversations matter most for a client, and when human insight should take precedence over automation.I'd also encourage young professionals to develop a deeper understanding of business, not just communications. The best communication strategies are rooted in an understanding of industry dynamics, competitive challenges, and business objectives. Creativity is important, but it delivers far greater value when it's backed by commercial context. Technologies will continue to evolve, and audiences will change, but authenticity, strategic thinking, and credibility will always remain the foundations of meaningful communication.

As brands navigate an increasingly complex landscape shaped by AI, misinformation and evolving stakeholder expectations, the role of communications is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Public relations is no longer confined to generating visibility or managing narratives; it is becoming central to building trust, shaping reputation and delivering measurable business outcomes. On World PR Day and its theme, "The Golden Age of Strategic PR", Sonalika Pawar, Co-Founder and CEO of Bold & Beyond, discusses why integrated communications has become a strategic business imperative, the enduring importance of authenticity in an AI-powered world, and the skills tomorrow's communicators must cultivate to remain influential. This year's World PR Day theme is "The Golden Age of Strategic PR". Do you believe public relations has finally earned a seat at the executive decision-making table, or do communications leaders still have to prove their strategic value?The more interesting question isn't whether PR has earned a seat at the executive table; it's how the role of communications itself has evolved.Today, businesses aren't looking for partners who simply execute campaigns or generate visibility. They expect communications leaders to understand business priorities, anticipate market shifts, build stakeholder confidence and help navigate uncertainty. PR has evolved from being a support function to becoming a strategic business enabler.This shift is also redefining the agency model. Brands no longer want fragmented partners managing PR, creator marketing, digital and brand strategy in silos. They increasingly seek integrated consultancies that bring these disciplines together under one cohesive strategy to solve business challenges - not just communication briefs.Ultimately, the future of communications won't be defined by the number of stories we secure. It will be defined by the trust we build, the reputation we shape and the business value we create. Reputation is no longer just an intangible asset - it's a measurable business advantage and one of the strongest drivers of long-term growth.In an era marked by AI, misinformation, geopolitical uncertainty and heightened stakeholder expectations, how should PR professionals balance speed with accuracy while maintaining public trust?The pace of communication has accelerated dramatically, but trust is still built the same way - it begins with accuracy, credibility and context.AI has become an invaluable tool for communications professionals. It enables faster research, real-time monitoring, sentiment analysis and quicker execution. But in a world where misinformation spreads just as quickly as facts, speed cannot come at the cost of accuracy.More than ever, PR professionals need to slow down where it matters most - fact-checking, validating information, conducting deep research and understanding the broader context before a story is told. The ability to separate signal from noise will become one of the profession's most valuable skills.Technology can help us gather information faster, but it cannot replace critical thinking or editorial judgement. Great storytelling has never been about simply creating content; it's about uncovering meaningful insights, asking the right questions and telling stories that are truthful, relevant and rooted in credibility.The future of communications won't be defined by who publishes first, but by who earns trust. In an AI-powered world, authenticity, rigorous research and human judgement will remain the strongest foundations of reputation.Trust has become one of the most valuable assets for organisations. What role do you see strategic PR playing in helping businesses navigate crises, regulatory changes and increasingly complex stakeholder relationships?Trust has become one of the few competitive advantages that cannot be replicated overnight.Organisations spend years building credibility, yet a single misstep can erode stakeholder confidence in moments. That's why strategic communications shouldn't begin during a crisis—it should be embedded into the way organisations lead, communicate and make decisions every day.Whether navigating regulatory changes, market volatility or evolving stakeholder expectations, communications today plays a far broader role than managing external perception. It helps leadership communicate with clarity, align stakeholders and build confidence when uncertainty is at its highest.The organisations that emerge stronger from crises are rarely those with the most polished messaging. They're the ones that have consistently invested in transparency, leadership visibility and authentic relationships long before challenges arise.Strategic PR today isn't about controlling narratives - it's about building credibility. Reputation isn't built through a single campaign or announcement; it's built through every interaction, every decision and every promise a brand consistently keeps. And increasingly, reputation isn't just an asset - it's one of the most important drivers of resilience, trust and sustainable business growth.As the communications industry enters what World PR Day describes as the "Golden Age of Strategic PR", what skills and mindset do you believe the next generation of PR professionals must develop to remain relevant and influential over the next decade?The next generation of PR professionals will need to be naturally curious, have a sense of urgency, be deeply informed and willing to continuously evolve. In an industry that's changing faster than ever, technical skills alone won't be enough - it's the mindset behind the work that will set great communicators apart.Today's audiences are more informed, discerning and harder to impress than ever before. They don't engage with fragmented campaigns - they connect with authentic, consistent narratives across every touchpoint. That makes great storytelling more important than ever, but storytelling without substance simply won't cut through.The strongest PR professionals will be those who invest time in deep research, understand consumer behaviour, immerse themselves in the brands they represent and uncover insights that lead to authentic, meaningful narratives. Before you can tell a brand's story well, you need to understand it inside out.Equally important is agility. Communication is constantly evolving, and professionals must be willing to adapt, experiment and pivot quickly when strategies aren't delivering the desired outcomes. The ability to learn continuously, embrace change and make informed decisions based on data and feedback will become a defining strength.Finally, integrated thinking and measurement will become essential. The future belongs to communicators who can see the bigger picture - bringing together earned media, creator partnerships, digital, content and experiences into one cohesive narrative, while understanding how those efforts contribute to reputation, brand equity and measurable business impact.

Brazen MENA, ranked among the 100 Best PR Agencies in the World*, has officially launched in Asia Pacific with offices in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, and the appointment of Angeline Tan (pictured left) as General Manager, APAC.Tan brings 19 years of experience across integrated communications, brand reputation and business growth in Asia Pacific, EMEA and beyond. She has built and protected the reputations of leading brands across the region and understands how culture, media and commercial reality intersect in each APAC market, and how global expertise is made to work at a local level. Throughout her career, Tan has led communications strategies and creative production for global and regional brands, including Netflix, Dutch Lady Malaysia (part of the global dairy leader FrieslandCampina), and consumer health company Haleon. She has also been named a judge for the 2026 Asia-Pacific SABRE Awards, the region’s benchmark for excellence in public relations.“In a region as diverse as APAC, the most powerful stories are shaped with both insight and cultural understanding,” said Angeline Tan, General Manager, APAC. “Brazen has built its reputation on doing things the right way, with strategy, intelligence and genuine care for clients. Communications here need cultural fluency and strategic depth, underpinned by real data. I am proud to lead the agency’s next chapter in Asia Pacific.”Brazen MENA enters APAC with a track record built over more than a decade in the Middle East, where the agency has represented over 500 brands across luxury, lifestyle, hospitality, fashion, beauty, corporate, and government sectors. Global clients, including Marriott, Abercrombie & Fitch, SKIMS, Hilton, Veuve Clicquot, and Raffles, have trusted Brazen MENA to build and protect their reputations in competitive, fast-moving markets.The agency has already begun building its APAC portfolio. Brazen MENA & APAC is now working with Bosom, a maternal-care platform that connects mothers to trusted lactation and mental health specialists through secure consultations. This reflects the quality of work Brazen MENA is known for: representing brands with a clear point of view that operate in categories where credibility and trust are commercial drivers.As part of RAIYN, the trust-led communications network of more than 700 professionals across MENA and beyond, Brazen MENA & APAC gives clients in the region access to an integrated platform spanning strategy, creativity, digital, and intelligence. RAIYN operates within News Group International, which also owns CARMA, the global media intelligence company, meaning every client engagement is underpinned by real-time data, analysis and insight from day one."APAC is one of the most exciting regions in the world - fast-moving, reputation-conscious and home to some of its most ambitious brands. It demands cultural fluency, strategic depth and communications built on insight. That is what we have spent more than a decade delivering for some of the world's most recognised brands, and that is what Angeline and the team will bring to clients here,” said Louise Jacobson, Managing Partner, Brazen MENA & APAC.

As communications evolves from a support function to a strategic business discipline, public relations professionals are increasingly being called upon to shape reputation, navigate uncertainty and build enduring stakeholder relationships. Yet, many organisations continue to engage PR only after critical decisions have been made. On the occasion of World PR Day and this year's theme, "The Golden Age of Strategic PR", Gaurav Jain, Founder and Managing Partner of Morning Star BrandCom, argues that the industry's biggest challenge isn't proving its value, but changing perceptions about when and how that value should be deployed. He shares his views on trust, AI, crisis preparedness, media relationships and why empathy remains the most indispensable skill for the next generation of communicators.This year's World PR Day theme is "The Golden Age of Strategic PR". Do you believe public relations has finally earned a seat at the executive decision-making table, or do communications leaders still have to prove their strategic value?PR has long earned its credibility. People know the value it brings. What has not caught up is how that value is deployed. Too many organisations still call PR into the room after the decision is made and the damage is done. The proof of strategic value still has to be made in every boardroom, every budget cycle, and every brief, not because the value is in question, but because the understanding of when and how to use it has not yet fully taken hold. That is not a seat at the table. That is a seat in the aftermath. Reputation is not a post-crisis consideration. It is a business asset that must be built into the strategy from the start, not retro-fitted onto it later. The Golden Age of Strategic PR begins the day organisations stop treating communications as a response function and start treating it as a founding one.In an era marked by AI, misinformation, geopolitical uncertainty, and heightened stakeholder expectations, how should PR professionals balance speed with accuracy while maintaining public trust?Speed should never come at the cost of accuracy. That sounds simple. In practice, the pressure to respond instantly is enormous, and the temptation to fill the silence with something, anything, is real. But credibility is not recoverable the way a news cycle is. In a world where information travels instantly and misinformation spreads just as quickly, credibility, or trust, has become the most valuable currency a communicator holds. The communicator who rushes and gets it wrong does more damage than the one who pauses, verifies, and speaks with authenticity. Trust, once lost, is extraordinarily expensive to rebuild. That trust is built the same way it always has been: through consistency, honesty and accountability, applied every single time, not just when it is convenient. The discipline the moment requires is knowing the difference between being first and being right. They are not the same thing. AI has a role here too. It can help with faster research, drafting and analysis, but it cannot replace human judgement. Whatever content AI helps create, the communication that ultimately goes out has to be verified thoroughly by PR professionals before it reaches the public. The organisations that have earned lasting public trust are almost always the ones that chose accuracy over immediacy when the two were in conflict. Trust has become one of the most valuable assets for organisations. What role do you see strategic PR playing in helping businesses navigate crises, regulatory changes and increasingly complex stakeholder relationships?The most revealing thing about how most organisations handle a crisis is that they were often not ready for it. PR often gets called when the situation has already deteriorated, when the narrative has already been formed, and when the options available are significantly reduced. That is not a crisis management problem. It is a relationship management problem that was never addressed upstream. Regulatory changes follow the same logic. An agency truly embedded in a client's business tracks the regulatory environment continuously, shapes the narrative ahead of any announcement, and ensures the organisation is never caught explaining itself reactively. Complex stakeholder relationships do not become crises overnight. They deteriorate gradually, through neglect, through assumptions left unexamined, through conversations that never happened. But this is a shared responsibility. The client has to remain an active partner, providing the agency with the access, context, and transparency it needs to serve them effectively. When both sides commit to that, consistent and authentic communication becomes possible. When either side does not, the gaps show.As the communications industry enters what World PR Day describes as the "Golden Age of Strategic PR", what skills and mindset do you believe the next generation of PR professionals must develop to remain relevant and influential over the next decade?Curiosity and critical thinking will matter enormously. So will the ability to analyse data and draw genuine insight from it. But the skill I would place above all others is empathy. The ability to understand what another person, a journalist, a client, a stakeholder, the public, needs from a given situation is what separates good communicators from great ones. It cannot be automated and it cannot be taught purely through technique. It comes from a sustained interest in people and a willingness to listen before speaking. The professionals who will lead this industry a decade from now are the ones who invest in understanding people deeply before they invest in understanding platforms. Alongside this, there is a very practical skill that will define the next decade: knowing how to use the technology available and deploy it the right way to get the desired outcome. The input you give it matters as much as the tool itself, and not everyone can do this well. It takes judgement to know what to ask for, how to shape it, and when to trust it versus when to override it. Tools will keep changing. Human motivation will not. That is where the real work of this profession has always lived. How do you build trust with the media and clients in an environment where everyone is competing for attention?In an environment this saturated, the instinct is to shout louder. The approach that actually works is the opposite. With media, trust is built through mutual respect and understanding. A journalist's time is finite and their credibility is their currency. When you pitch something that does not serve their audience, you are signalling that you do not understand their work. Building genuine media relationships means knowing what they need, not just what your client wants placed. That takes consistency and the willingness to sometimes say this is not the right story for you right now. It also means nurturing the relationship over time, understanding what a journalist covers and supporting them with useful inputs even when there is nothing to gain from it immediately. At the same time, that relationship needs boundaries. Respecting a journalist's time and independence means never taking advantage of the access or goodwill you have built with them. With clients, it comes down to genuine partnership. That means being honest from the very first conversation, setting expectations that are grounded in reality, and explaining every decision and every step along the way. What a client believes is newsworthy and what a journalist finds newsworthy are frequently different things. Navigating that gap transparently, rather than papering over it, is what builds the mutual trust and respect that makes long-term relationships possible. Do you think the industry has created an expectations problem by promising more than it can realistically deliver? If so, how can agencies balance honesty and ambition?Yes, and it is one of the industry's most persistent self-inflicted wounds. The balance between honesty and ambition is not complicated. Be ambitious about what you pursue. Be honest about what you can deliver. The two are not in conflict unless an agency makes them so by promising outcomes it has not earned the right to guarantee. Public relations can influence perception and build credibility, but it cannot compensate for weak business fundamentals or guarantee media coverage. Agencies create stronger partnerships when they clearly define success, communicate what is within their control, and remain transparent about what is not. Ambition should always be accompanied by honesty. In the long run, clients value trusted advisors who provide realistic guidance far more than those who make unrealistic promises. But beyond process and promises, what the industry really needs is a return to first principles. Agencies that do PR the way it is meant to be done, with genuine investment in each client, with quality of counsel over volume of output, and with relationships built on substance rather than deliverables, do not face this problem. The ones that chase numbers at the expense of meaning are the ones that create it. Quality over quantity has always been the answer. The industry simply needs to find it in itself to commit to that as a core principle rather than an aspiration.

As reputation becomes one of the most valuable assets in business, public relations is increasingly moving beyond its traditional role of managing media and messaging. In an age defined by artificial intelligence, misinformation, regulatory complexity and heightened stakeholder expectations, communications leaders are expected to serve as strategic advisers in the boardroom. On World PR Day's theme, "The Golden Age of Strategic PR", Noopurr R Chablani, Founder and Image Strategist at Words Matter, shares why PR has earned its place at the executive table, the importance of balancing speed with credibility, and the skills the next generation of communications professionals must develop to remain influential in the decade ahead.This year's World PR Day theme is "The Golden Age of Strategic PR". Do you believe public relations has finally earned a seat at the executive decision-making table, or do communications leaders still have to prove their strategic value?I believe that public relations has earned a seat at the executive decision-making table because reputation has become a business asset and not just a communications outcome. Organisations have increasingly recognised that reputation cannot be managed only when a crisis arises or a campaign is launched. It needs to be built intentionally and protected consistently because perception influences stakeholder decisions.That said, the role of PR today goes far beyond media visibility. It is about understanding the complexities of the business environment and helping leadership communicate with clarity, consistency and credibility. Strategic PR today is no longer limited to communicating decisions after they are made but it has a role in shaping them. As businesses navigate a more visible and interconnected world, communications leaders who bring a reputation lens to business decisions are becoming an essential part of the leadership conversation.In an era marked by AI, misinformation, geopolitical uncertainty and heightened stakeholder expectations, how should PR professionals balance speed with accuracy while maintaining public trust?In an environment shaped by AI, misinformation and constant information flow, the challenge for PR professionals is no longer just getting a message out quickly but ensuring that the message is credible but speed should never come at the cost of credibility. The balance here lies in the preparation phase and not in the reaction phase.Stakeholders today expect organisations to respond with transparency and accuracy while also being swift. This requires PR professionals to establish clear messaging frameworks, streamlined approval processes and have a strong understanding of stakeholder expectations long before an issue arises. While technology can help monitor conversations and identify emerging risks faster, every communication decision must still be guided by a human judgment.The balance lies in being prepared enough to respond quickly, while remaining disciplined enough to ensure that what is communicated is accurate. Public trust is maintained when organisations are transparent about what they know, honest about what they do not know, and consistent in both their messaging and actions. Trust has become one of the most valuable assets for organisations. What role do you see strategic PR playing in helping businesses navigate crises, regulatory changes and increasingly complex stakeholder relationships?Trust is one of the few assets that organisations cannot build overnight, especially during a crisis. It is earned through consistent communication and credible actions over the time. That is where strategic PR plays a critical role.Whether it is managing a crisis, communicating regulatory changes or engaging with stakeholders with multiple expectations, strategic PR helps organisations communicate with clarity, consistency and credibility. It ensures that concerns are addressed proactively, messages are aligned and relationships are nurtured even during periods of uncertainty.More importantly, strategic PR helps leadership understand how decisions may be perceived and received by different audiences even before the crisis arises. Its role is not just to communicate during periods of uncertainty, but to build the trust and credibility that organisations can rely on when those challenging moments arise.As the communications industry enters what World PR Day describes as the "Golden Age of Strategic PR", what skills and mindset do you believe the next generation of PR professionals must develop to remain relevant and influential over the next decade?The next generation of PR professionals will need to move beyond thinking like communicators and start thinking like business advisors. Understanding media relations and content creation will remain important, but it will no longer be enough.They will need to develop a deeper understanding of business, reputation, consumer behaviour and the broader environment in which organisations operate. Equally important is the ability to ask the right questions, challenge assumptions, contribute to business conversations and bring perspectives that help leaders make better decisions. They must also understand that PR is not just about telling stories, but about shaping narratives that influence perception, build credibility and support long-term business goals. The mindset shift is from seeking visibility to creating value. As the industry evolves, the professionals who will remain influential are those who can connect communication to business outcomes and help organisations make better decisions along with telling better stories. In the coming decade, influence will not come from being the loudest voice in the room, but from being the most trusted advisor at the table.

Rachel Sansom has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of Havas Red Europe and the UK, bringing to a close a nearly seven-year stint during which she helped transform the agency from a newly launched UK operation into one of the global network's strongest-performing markets.Sansom announced her departure in a LinkedIn post, describing her tenure at Havas Red as "the professional ride of my life" and revealing that she is preparing to begin "an exciting new chapter" in her career.She joined Havas Red in 2019 as Managing Director of its London office, shortly after the agency launched in the UK market. She was subsequently promoted to UK CEO in 2022 before assuming the role of CEO for Europe and the UK in 2023. During her time at the agency, Sansom also served on both the Havas Red Global Leadership Team and the Havas UK Executive Leadership Team.Under her leadership, Havas Red significantly expanded its UK footprint, securing major client wins, delivering award-winning campaigns and strengthening its position within the competitive communications landscape. The agency has grown into one of the flagship markets within the Havas Red global network, which today spans North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.Reflecting on her departure, Sansom said: "Today is a big day for me on a personal and professional front as, after seven fantastic years, I step down from Havas Red."I can honestly say that being at Havas Red has been the professional ride of my life, from growing the UK business from a fledgling start-up to working with James Wright and our amazing teams around the world as the Red Network has built and gone from strength to strength. It has been a privilege and joy to be on this huge journey."I have had too many amazing experiences to count, worked with the best in the business, both colleagues and clients, and most importantly have made some incredible friends along the way. It is now time for an exciting new chapter."Before joining Havas Red, Sansom held several senior communications leadership positions across agencies and in-house organisations. Her previous roles include senior leadership positions at Red Consultancy and MHP Group, as well as communications roles at The Random House Group and Motorola.She has received significant industry recognition during her career, appearing regularly in PRWeek UK's Power Book and being named Campaign's PR Agency Leader of the Year in 2024.James Wright, Global CEO of Havas Red and Global Chair of the Havas PR Network, paid tribute to Sansom's contribution to the agency's growth."Rachael has had a wonderful and successful seven years with Havas Red, helping to take us from a start-up to a major player on the UK PR scene during that time," Wright said."Along the way we have picked up fantastic clients, delivered outstanding campaigns and won numerous awards. Rachael is a brilliant operator and a great friend; I wish her very best with her next adventure."Havas Red was launched in 2019 following the integration of several Havas-owned PR businesses and has since grown into one of the group's flagship communications networks, offering services across public relations, social media, content marketing, corporate communications and influencer engagement.Sansom has not announced her next professional move, while Havas Red is yet to name her successor.

The LEGO Group has expanded the responsibilities of Clinton Jeff, who has transitioned into Corporate Brand Communications as part of the Brand & Portfolio team while taking on a broader global remit across LEGO Location Based Experiences.In his new role as PR & Communications Lead, LEGO House & LEGO Location Based Experiences, Jeff will continue leading public relations and communications for LEGO House in Billund, Denmark, while also serving as the central communications lead for the wider LEGO Location Based Experiences portfolio, including LEGO Discovery Centres worldwide.Announcing the development, Jeff said the role combines his passion for building strong brand narratives and creating meaningful experiences that allow people to engage with the LEGO brand beyond its products.Reflecting on his time at LEGO House, Jeff noted that over the past year he has worked across destination PR, executive communications, media relations, product and destination launches, guest communications, and brand storytelling. He added that he is looking forward to applying that experience across the broader location based experiences portfolio while remaining closely connected to LEGO House.Jeff joined LEGO House in February 2025 as PR & Communications Lead. Prior to his latest appointment, he was responsible for global media relations, storytelling, and communications initiatives for the LEGO House destination.Before joining the LEGO Group, Jeff served as Global Product PR Lead at Razer Inc., where he established the company's first dedicated product PR function and led global communications for product launches.Earlier, he was APAC PR Lead, Product at OPPO, overseeing product and corporate communications across multiple Asia Pacific markets, including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Laos, and Cambodia.Jeff also held leadership roles at Huawei Technologies, where he managed marketing, PR, product marketing, social media, and community initiatives for Huawei Honor India, and at Xiaomi India, where he was an early team member and the company's first India PR hire, leading communications for several major product launches.His career began in technology journalism and content creation. He founded and served as Executive Editor of UnleashThePhones.com, worked as a technology YouTube creator, contributed to Nokia Conversations, and led consumer strategy initiatives at Bloggers' Mind, building extensive experience across editorial, digital content, and brand communications before moving into corporate PR.

OpenAI has officially selected Latin American communications agency another to spearhead its public relations and communications strategy in Mexico.The partnership marks a significant milestone in OpenAI’s international growth. The artificial intelligence pioneer is rapidly scaling its operations in Mexico to capture booming corporate demand. Another will manage all media relations, corporate reputation, and strategic messaging to position OpenAI's tools effectively within the country's business ecosystem.Driving Regional GrowthThe alliance lands at a critical moment for OpenAI's Latin American operations, characterized by:• Enterprise Adoption: Rapid integration of ChatGPT Enterprise across top Mexican corporations.• Startup Ecosystems: Deepening technical and commercial partnerships with local tech innovators.• Ad-Supported Models: Localized support for OpenAI’s ongoing ChatGPT advertising rollouts.Regional ExpertiseWith a massive footprint across Latin America, another brings localized, high-impact market knowledge to OpenAI. The agency will focus on building digital trust, demystifying AI technologies for the public, and strengthening connections with regional tech influencers and policymakers."OpenAI is transforming the way people, organizations and societies access knowledge, develop ideas and create new opportunities. For us, being selected by an organization with this level of global impact represents a profoundly important milestone and also validates a vision we have been building for years: integrating artificial intelligence and OpenAI technology as a structural component of how a modern organization operates," said another chief operating officer Karina Barcellos.

Authored By: Minesh Raja, Founder & Partner, Carmine Communication LLPHow AI-led discovery is reshaping PR, credibility and brand relevanceAI is no longer sitting inside a search bar waiting for a question. It is slowly becoming part of everyday life — in phones, watches, cars, home devices, cameras, voice assistants, search results and digital recommendations. This shift is called ambient intelligence: technology that quietly understands context, anticipates needs and influences decisions.For brands, this is a wake-up call. Reputation will no longer be shaped only by what companies say about themselves. It will be shaped by what intelligent systems, online communities, media stories, customer reviews and digital signals say about them.This changes the role of public relations completely.Earlier, PR was largely about media coverage, press releases, interviews and crisis response. Today, it is about building trust signals across every place where a customer, investor, employee or AI-powered platform may evaluate a brand. A hospital, for example, may have excellent doctors and infrastructure, but if online reviews speak only about high bills, delayed responses or poor patient experience, that becomes the dominant reputation signal. A real estate developer may have premium projects, but if search results highlight delayed possession or unresolved complaints, the brand story weakens before the sales team even enters the conversation. This is why modern PR professionals must think beyond visibility. They must build reputation architecture.Ambient intelligence will make decision-making faster and more invisible. A customer may ask an AI assistant, “Which financial advisory firm is credible?” or “Which builder should I trust in Mumbai?” The answer will not come only from advertising. It may be influenced by media mentions, leadership articles, Google reviews, social conversations, website clarity, employee feedback, podcasts, industry awards and even unresolved negative chatter.Modern PR must move from visibility to reputation architecture.What Companies Need to Watch Out For• Credibility will beat noise. Brands that chase only viral content may get attention, but brands that consistently offer expert views, transparent communication and proof of performance will build trust.• Reputation will become searchable and conversational. People will not only search for company names; they will ask comparative questions: Is this hospital expensive? Is this developer reliable? Is this company ethical? PR must prepare brands for these questions.• Silence can become a risk. If a company does not actively tell its story, others will define it — customers, competitors, employees, influencers or anonymous platforms.• Leadership visibility will matter. Founders, CXOs and domain experts must become credible voices on industry trends, customer concerns, innovation, ethics and future readiness.• AI adoption must be communicated responsibly. Companies using AI in healthcare, finance, real estate or customer service must explain how they protect privacy, ensure accuracy and retain human accountability.What Cutting-Edge PR Should Look Like NowBrands need an integrated PR strategy that combines earned media, thought leadership, digital reputation management, review building, social listening, content marketing, podcasts, LinkedIn influence, crisis preparedness and AI-search readiness. The goal should be simple: make the brand trusted, discoverable and relevant before the customer asks the question.Modern PR must also create content that solves real doubts. A hospital should explain treatment costs and patient safety. A real estate company should communicate construction progress and delivery discipline. A financial firm should simplify market risks. An infrastructure company should showcase safety, public impact and community engagement.The future belongs to brands that are not only visible but verifiable. Ambient intelligence will make technology smarter, but it will also make reputation more exposed. Companies that invest in authentic storytelling, transparent communication and consistent digital signals will stay ahead. In the AI-first world, PR is no longer about managing headlines. It is about shaping trust before decisions are made.DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and theprpost.com does not necessarily subscribe to it.

Praytell, the creative communications agency known for “Creative that Earns” work spanning PR, social, creative, and influencer campaigns for global brands including Burger King, Wingstop, and Destination Canada, today announced its expansion into the Asian market with the opening of a new office in Singapore. Leading the new operation is industry veteran Debbie Chin, who joins the agency as Executive Vice President (EVP), Asia. This expansion marks a significant step forward in Praytell’s global ambitions, as the midsize agency now spans North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.Strategically positioned in Singapore, Praytell’s Asia hub delivers a combination of hyper-local intelligence and global innovation. The office is uniquely built to support global brands navigating complex Asian markets, while simultaneously serving as a launching pad for brands looking to expand into the U.S. and beyond. Leveraging deep expertise across China, Japan, Thailand, and Korea, Chin will drive global brand strategy alongside regional specialists, helming an integrated, growing team of six marketing and communications professionals supercharged by Praytell’s global creative, strategy, and insights teams."Launching in Asia is a massive step forward in our global journey," said Beth Cleveland, CEO of Praytell. "While much of the industry is consolidating, we are actively investing in growth. With Debbie leading the charge from Singapore, we are pairing our independent, agile spirit with her deep regional expertise to deliver the innovative, localized storytelling that global brands need right now."Chin brings more than 25 years of global communications experience across London, Shanghai and Singapore. She has partnered with some of the world’s leading companies across FMCG, luxury, beauty and lifestyle, including Unilever and P&G, helping brands navigate change, build reputation and drive growth through strategic thinking, creativity and integrated communications. Chin joins from Weber Shandwick where she led global comms for major multi-national consumer portfolios and she brings over 25 years of experience driving strategy across London, Shanghai, and Singapore for giants like Unilever and P&G., collaborating closely with headquarters in Japan to shape communications strategy and working with teams across markets to bring it to life locally."Joining Praytell at this moment of global growth is an incredible opportunity," said Debbie Chin, EVP of Asia. "Singapore sits at the crossroads of global business, and brands today are looking for deep local insights paired with world-class innovation. I’m thrilled to bring Praytell’s global centers of excellence to Asia, and to combine our best-in-class capabilities with genuine regional fluency to drive smart, culture-first impact for our clients."The launch of Praytell Singapore creates a powerful, integrated collaboration point within the Project Worldwide alliance, which helps brands build meaningful brand experiences by connecting expertise across marketing, communications, entertainment, strategy, and innovation. Based within Project Hub at The Concourse in Singapore, Praytell will unite its creative communications capabilities with the unique regional strengths of sister agencies including global experience marketing agency George P. Johnson and cultural brand experience agency DARKHORSE. This collaborative ecosystem offers the Asian market an unparalleled, multidisciplinary suite of capabilities that enable brands to tell breakthrough stories that earn attention and engage audiences across digital and IRL platforms."In today's fragmented landscape, clients are increasingly demanding seamless, cross-disciplinary innovation," said Ben Taylor, CEO of Project Worldwide APAC. "Bringing Praytell’s world-class earned and creative capabilities into Asia is a key accelerator for Project's global growth ambitions. By partnering Praytell’s independent, agile spirit with our established regional footprint, we are delivering the complete, hyperconnected creative ecosystem that global brands need to win."To foster smart and strategic global expansion, Chin will also join Praytell’s recently launched Global Impact Team. This specialized leadership group includes CEO Beth Cleveland, President Katelyn Driscoll, CFO Akash Desai, EVP and Australia Lead Zoe Watson, EVP and Travel Practice Lead Jamie Simpson, and Project Chief Growth Officer Charles Robinson, who work collectively to support Praytell’s overarching global growth and cross-border connectivity.Praytell successfully expanded into the APAC region in 2021 under the leadership of longtime Praytell leader Zoe Watson and the launch of its Melbourne office. Watson has since grown the agency into a multi-million dollar operation expanding to a second office in Sydney and attracting clients including Kmart, Converse, OpenTable and AllTrails.Project Worldwide was founded in 2010 and is comprised of 13 agencies, 45 offices and 2,300 employees around the globe. Praytell’s expansion into Asia is part of the alliance’s strategic plan to expand and build its integrated marketing offering globally.

Adani Natural Resources has appointed Nitin Jagad as Head of Corporate Communication for its mining and metals portfolio.Based in Ahmedabad, Jagad joined the company in June 2026. In his new role, he will lead corporate communications for the Adani Group's natural resources business.Sharing the update on LinkedIn, Jagad wrote:"15 Years of Gratitude. A New Chapter Begins! After taking some time to settle into my new role, I'm delighted to share that I have joined Adani Natural Resources as Head – Corporate Communication!"Before joining Adani Natural Resources, Jagad was Senior Group Head at Adfactors PR, where he led the agency's education and government practices. His responsibilities included corporate communications, reputation management, crisis communications, and digital engagement.Earlier, he served as Branch Head for Adfactors PR in Jaipur, overseeing the agency's operations across Rajasthan.Jagad joined Adfactors PR in 2011 as an Account Manager in Ahmedabad and spent over 15 years with the firm in various leadership roles. Prior to Adfactors PR, he held communications positions at Blue Lotus Communications, Vaishnavi Corporate Communications, and D' Strategic Alliance.

Specialist corporate and financial communications consultancy 3CPR has unveiled CLARIO, an artificial intelligence-powered reporting dashboard designed to provide clients with real-time visibility into PR performance and media outcomes.Developed in-house by the agency's data science team, CLARIO – short for "Clarity and Innovation" – enables clients to monitor media coverage, campaign performance and key communications metrics through a live dashboard. Users can also download charts, graphs and data for internal reporting and stakeholder presentations.Unlike traditional media monitoring platforms that aggregate broad media activity, CLARIO focuses specifically on campaigns executed by 3CPR, offering clients a tailored view of communications performance aligned with their strategic objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs).The launch reflects a growing shift within the public relations industry towards AI-enabled measurement, automation and data-driven decision-making. Communications agencies are increasingly adopting AI tools to improve reporting accuracy, reduce manual processes and demonstrate clearer links between PR activities and business outcomes.According to 3CPR, the platform replaces periodic reporting cycles with an always-on model, allowing clients to access near real-time campaign insights instead of waiting for monthly, half-yearly or annual reports. The consultancy says this significantly reduces the time spent compiling manual reports while improving transparency and responsiveness.Paul Cheal, Founding Partner of 3CPR, said the communications industry has long relied on outdated reporting methods that fail to capture the strategic impact of public relations."Media outcomes remain a key metric for PR performance, but for too long we have been stuck using tedious, time-consuming spreadsheets and relying on reporting that focuses on hindsight. AI provides a generational opportunity to change our approach – linking our activity to tangible business outcomes and providing real-time visibility of strategic opportunities," Cheal said.He added that CLARIO delivers a near real-time view of campaign performance tailored to each client's business goals, while also reducing reporting workloads for communications teams."The CLARIO platform offers a near real-time view of media outcomes, tailored to each organisation's goals and KPIs. It provides significant time savings for PR teams and delivers greater transparency to clients."Following positive feedback from early adopters, 3CPR is also making a white-label version of the platform available to corporate communications teams and other agencies seeking to modernise their reporting capabilities.The move underscores the accelerating role of AI in public relations, where organisations are increasingly looking beyond media coverage volumes to measure communications against reputation, stakeholder engagement and broader business performance indicators.

National Australia Bank (NAB) has appointed experienced communications and corporate affairs executive Mikkayla Mossop as Associate Director, strengthening its leadership team with a seasoned media and stakeholder engagement professional.Mossop joins one of Australia's largest financial institutions after nearly five years at the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where she most recently served as General Manager, Media and Corporate Affairs. In that role, she led the organisation's media relations, corporate communications and public affairs strategy, acting as a key spokesperson and adviser on business advocacy, economic policy and stakeholder engagement. During her tenure at the Victorian Chamber, Mossop played a central role in communicating the organisation's policy positions on issues affecting businesses across the state, including workforce development, economic growth, taxation and regulatory reform. She also supported the communications strategy of the Chamber's chief executive and senior leadership, helping elevate the organisation's profile through high-impact media engagement and public campaigns. Before moving into corporate communications, Mossop built her career in broadcast journalism with Melbourne radio station 3AW, where she developed expertise in news reporting, live broadcasting and storytelling. Her journalism background has underpinned her reputation as a strategic communications leader with strong media relationships and crisis communication capabilities. Her appointment comes as NAB continues to invest in strengthening its corporate affairs and communications capabilities amid an increasingly complex operating environment for Australia's banking sector. The bank has been focused on enhancing stakeholder engagement, reputation management and customer communications while advancing its broader digital transformation and sustainability agenda.Mossop's blend of newsroom experience and senior corporate communications leadership is expected to support NAB's strategic communications efforts as the financial services industry navigates evolving regulatory expectations, technological disruption and changing customer demands.

Woolworths Group has appointed former journalist and government communications executive Heath Aston as its new Head of Media Relations, bolstering the Australian retailer's corporate affairs and communications team. Aston joins Woolworths from the New South Wales Government, where he served as Director of Communications and Media for NSW Special Minister of State John Graham. In the role, he was responsible for media strategy, stakeholder communications and public affairs across the minister's portfolio. He brings more than 20 years of experience spanning journalism, government and corporate communications. Before joining the NSW Government, Aston led media teams at strategic communications consultancy Populares and Transport for NSW, overseeing media relations and reputation management for one of Australia's largest public transport agencies. Aston began his career in journalism, covering politics and public policy for several leading Australian news organisations. His reporting roles included serving in the Canberra Press Gallery for The Sydney Morning Herald, the NSW Press Gallery for the Sun-Herald, and as a journalist with The Daily Telegraph. He also worked as Federal Political Correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald, reporting on national politics and government. He joins Woolworths as the retailer continues to strengthen its group affairs and communications function. The company's external communications, government relations and sustainability activities are led by Simon Lowden, Chief Officer, Group Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, while reputation, government and industry affairs are overseen by Jaimie Lovell, Director of Reputation, Government and Industry Affairs.

Tuhina Pandey has been appointed as Vice President, Marketing for IBM Asia Pacific. She previously served as Director, APAC Communications & Marketing, India and South Asia at IBM.Sharing the update on LinkedIn, Pandey wrote, "This role sits at the heart of the client agenda: orchestrating the full breadth of IBM to solve our clients’ most pressing problems, and working closely with partners to scale impact across the region."Pandey joined IBM in 2020 as Head of Communications for India and South Asia. During her tenure, she has led communications and marketing initiatives across the region.Before joining IBM, Pandey was associated with Tech Mahindra, where she headed Global Corporate Communications and Public Affairs.Her appointment marks a new leadership role within IBM's Asia Pacific marketing team, where she will focus on strengthening client engagement and collaborating with partners across the region.

Luxury lifestyle communications agency Petrie PR has been appointed as the dedicated communications agency for Bound & Beyond, the Thailand-based hospitality and lifestyle group behind several of the country's best-known luxury hotels and dining destinations.Under the new partnership, Petrie PR will lead Bound & Beyond's corporate communications and media relations, while supporting the group's brand storytelling, executive profiling and media engagement across the luxury travel, hospitality, lifestyle and business sectors. The appointment marks Bound & Beyond's first retained public relations agency partnership and comes as the company expands its luxury hospitality portfolio in Thailand and strengthens its international brand presence. According to industry reports, the agency was selected following its successful work with KAIA, one of Bound & Beyond's brands, with that collaboration paving the way for a broader communications remit across the group's portfolio. Bound & Beyond owns and manages a portfolio of luxury hospitality and lifestyle brands, including Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Capella Bangkok, Zephyr and Jul's. The company is also preparing to launch The Moken Club and its new hotel brand, KAIA Koh Phangan, as it continues to expand its footprint in Thailand's premium hospitality market. For Petrie PR, the win further strengthens its position in the luxury hospitality sector across Asia and the Middle East. The boutique agency specialises in integrated communications for luxury lifestyle, travel, hospitality, real estate, wellness and design brands, with operations spanning Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, mainland China and the Gulf region. Its client roster includes hospitality brands such as Aman, Hyatt, Kempinski Hotels, Belmond and The Datai Langkawi. The partnership comes amid growing competition among luxury hospitality brands in Southeast Asia, where strategic communications, executive thought leadership and brand storytelling are playing an increasingly important role in attracting high-net-worth travellers and strengthening global brand recognition.

Synchrony has appointed Jiggyasa S as Vice President & Head, India Corporate, External and Internal Communication.In her new role, she will lead the company's corporate, external, and internal communications across India. She will also work closely with senior leadership to strengthen Synchrony's brand reputation, executive communications, and employee engagement initiatives.Jiggyasa brings nearly two decades of experience in corporate communications, brand strategy, and reputation management. Prior to joining Synchrony, she was Head of Communications for India and the Philippines at Wells Fargo.Over the course of her career, she has held leadership positions at Salesforce, Amadeus, Sopra Steria, Nano Science and Technology Consortium, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and Biobase Data. 

Ria Mukherjee has joined Zeno Group India as Senior Vice President, where she will lead the agency's national mandate focused on strategic integrated communications, corporate reputation, and growth, powered by data, analytics, and AI.Sharing the announcement on LinkedIn, Mukherjee said she is excited to begin a new chapter with the firm, describing the move as an opportunity to embrace a new culture, new ideas, and create meaningful impact. She also expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and the support she has received following the announcement.In her new role, Mukherjee will focus on advancing strategic integrated communications, driving business growth, and helping clients build and protect corporate reputation through data and AI-led approaches.Prior to joining Zeno Group India, she spent over a decade with Value360, part of the V360 Group, where she most recently served as Senior Vice President, Strategic Alliances from 2022 to 2026. In this role, she was responsible for driving new business acquisitions, strategic communications, ecosystem partnerships, and cross functional collaboration while working closely with the company's founders. Her portfolio included mandates for brands and organisations such as DigiYatra, Vanguard GCC, Budweiser Assets, Kiwi Insurance, Toto India, Yokogawa India, and PhysicsWallah.Before that, she served as Branch Head, West Operations at Value360 between 2016 and 2022, where she established and scaled the agency's western operations, built a team of over 20 professionals, managed P&L responsibilities, and led client relationships across sectors including fintech, BFSI, enterprise technology, OTT, and startups. During this period, she worked with clients including Sony LIV, Angel One, Waaree Energy, CarTrade, PVR, JioSaavn, PharmEasy, Medikabazaar, Kwan, NeoGrowth, Faircent, PayNearby, and Union Bank of India.Earlier in her career, Mukherjee served as Head of Corporate Communications at Al Hassan Engineering Co. S.A.O.G., leading branding, public relations, internal communications, CSR initiatives, and corporate reputation across Oman and the UAE.She has also held leadership and client servicing roles at DDB Oman, Coforge (formerly NIIT Technologies), Genesis BCW, Weber Shandwick, and Goodword Media Services.

The UK's public relations sector generated an estimated £7.1 billion in economic value and supported more than 95,000 jobs in 2025, according to a new report commissioned by the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), marking what the association says is the first independent effort to quantify the industry's contribution to the British economy.Titled "Beyond Communications: Understanding the Economic Contribution of the UK Public Relations Sector," the study was conducted independently by CBI Economics and supported by eight major communications firms—Burson, Edelman, FINN Partners, FleishmanHillard, Hanover Communications, Golin, Ketchum, Penta and Portland.The report highlights the growing role of public relations as a strategic business function, arguing that the profession has evolved well beyond traditional media relations to encompass corporate advisory, public affairs, reputation management, crisis communications, stakeholder engagement and executive counsel.£4 Billion in Direct Economic OutputUsing a bespoke industry taxonomy developed with input from PRCA members and machine learning analysis by The Data City, the report estimates that UK PR agencies and consultancies generated £4 billion in direct Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2025. Including indirect economic activity through supply chains and employee spending, the sector's total economic contribution rises to £7.1 billion.The analysis covers agency and consultancy businesses only and excludes communications professionals working in-house across corporations, government departments, charities and public sector organisations, suggesting the profession's overall economic impact is likely to be significantly higher.High-Value EmploymentAccording to the report, the PR sector directly employs more than 52,000 professionals, while its broader economic footprint supports 95,464 full-time equivalent jobs across the UK.The study found that every £1 generated directly by PR businesses creates an additional 77 pence elsewhere in the economy through supply-chain activity and consumer spending.The profession also ranks among the UK's higher-productivity knowledge industries. Average annual salaries are estimated at £46,003—around 18% above the national average—while each employee generates approximately £77,628 in GVA, placing the sector alongside legal and accounting services in terms of productivity.Industry Growth Beyond LondonWhile London remains the UK's largest PR hub, contributing approximately £2.9 billion in GVA and supporting more than 26,000 jobs, the report notes that the industry has become increasingly decentralised.Every UK region now contributes more than £100 million in economic value, with significant communications clusters emerging in Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Bristol.PR Increasingly Seen as Strategic Advisory FunctionThe report argues that traditional government industry classifications no longer accurately capture the modern communications sector because many firms operate across PR, strategic consultancy, marketing and public affairs.It also suggests that communications professionals are playing a growing role in advising senior executives on organisational strategy, public policy, employee engagement, corporate reputation and stakeholder trust.PRCA Calls for Greater RecognitionPRCA Chief Executive Sarah Waddington described the findings as a milestone for the profession."This report proves that public relations and public affairs are not peripheral functions—they are engines of economic value, trust and influence across the UK."At £7.1 billion and more than 95,000 jobs, our sector is making a major contribution to national prosperity. But its real power goes beyond the numbers. PR and public affairs help organisations navigate complexity, build confidence, shape policy, protect reputation and create the trust that modern economies depend on."She added that the findings reinforce the case for viewing PR as a strategic management discipline rather than simply a communications service, particularly at a time when organisations face increasing challenges around misinformation, AI, geopolitical uncertainty and declining public trust.Measuring the Modern PR IndustryAdriana Curca, Director at CBI Economics, said one of the biggest challenges was accurately defining today's PR sector.She noted that conventional economic classifications fail to reflect the industry's multidisciplinary nature, prompting researchers to develop a new taxonomy based on the actual services communications firms provide.According to the report, PR professionals generate around 55% more economic value per employee than the average worker across the UK's wider creative industries, underlining the sector's role as a high-value professional services industry.Trust and Reputation Driving Business ValueAlongside the report, the PRCA has published a briefing paper arguing that organisations should increasingly evaluate public relations as a driver of enterprise value rather than as a discretionary communications expense.The association contends that reputation, stakeholder trust and strategic communications have become increasingly important as businesses navigate AI-driven disruption, misinformation, regulatory scrutiny and geopolitical uncertainty.PRCA Honorary President Charles Lewington, in an accompanying opinion piece, described the UK's communications industry as "a very British success story," arguing that the country has evolved into a global leader in strategic communications consultancy through decades of innovation, entrepreneurship and industry consolidation.The report is expected to fuel wider discussions about how the communications industry measures and demonstrates its value, particularly as PR leaders seek a stronger voice in corporate decision-making and boardroom strategy.

Dubai-headquartered luxury communications agency Maison Ellyse recently expanded its international footprint with the launch of its first full-scale European office in Paris, alongside the appointment of Sabrina Saad as PR and Communications Director, Paris. In this interview, Sabrina Saad, French PR Director at Maison Ellyse, discusses how Paris and the GCC are shaping the future of luxury communications, the changing role of agencies in the AI era, and why authenticity will be critical for brands expanding across both regions. As luxury brands increasingly view Europe and the Gulf as interconnected growth markets, communications strategies are evolving beyond traditional PR to focus on cultural intelligence, experiential storytelling, and long-term brand building.Maison Ellyse is positioning Paris as a bridge between Europe and the GCC. How do you see the luxury communications landscape changing as brands increasingly look at these two regions as interconnected growth markets?I believe we are entering a new era where luxury communication is no longer confined by geography. European brands are increasingly looking to the GCC not simply as a high-growth market, but as a region that is shaping global luxury trends. At the same time, GCC brands are becoming more ambitious internationally and are seeking meaningful visibility in Europe.Having worked in Paris for over a decade and now joining Maison Ellyse, I see a real opportunity to bridge these two worlds. Success today is about understanding cultural nuances, building long-term relationships and creating communication strategies that feel authentic in each market rather than simply translating campaigns from one region to another.You've worked with global luxury houses including Valentino, Delvaux and Gianvito Rossi. What are the biggest differences in how luxury brands engage consumers in Europe compared with the Gulf, and where do you see the strongest opportunities for convergence?Both regions have a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, heritage and exceptional quality; but they engage with luxury differently.In Europe, storytelling often revolves around history, savoir-faire and artistic direction. In the Gulf, luxury is much more experiential. Relationships, hospitality and exclusivity play a central role, and consumers expect highly personalised experiences.What excites me most is seeing these worlds come together. European brands are becoming more experience-driven, while GCC brands are investing heavily in craftsmanship and long-term brand building. I think this convergence will redefine the future of luxury communication.Luxury PR is evolving rapidly with the rise of creators, AI-driven discovery and social commerce. How is the role of a luxury communications agency changing beyond traditional media relations?Today's luxury communications agencies have become strategic business partners rather than simply media relations specialists.Our role now is to build ecosystems around brands by combining editorial storytelling, influencer partnerships, experiential events, strategic collaborations and cultural relevance. Technology and AI are transforming how audiences discover brands, but relationships, creativity and trust remain at the heart of luxury.At Maison Ellyse, we see communication as something much broader than press coverage. It's about creating meaningful conversations that build long-term brand equity.Paris remains the global capital of luxury and fashion. What unique value can Maison Ellyse bring to European brands that are looking to build deeper, long-term relevance in markets such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia?Paris represents heritage, creativity and excellence, while the GCC represents one of the world's fastest-growing luxury markets. Our strength is understanding both.Maison Ellyse combines an established regional presence with international expertise, allowing us to advise brands with genuine market insight rather than assumptions. We help brands navigate cultural expectations, connect with the right media, influencers and partners, and build credibility through meaningful local engagement.For European brands, it's about creating relevance rather than simply visibility.GCC luxury brands are increasingly expanding into Europe through retail, hospitality and fashion. What communications strategies are most critical for Middle Eastern brands seeking credibility and visibility in mature luxury markets like France and Switzerland?The key is authenticity.European audiences are genuinely interested in discovering new luxury brands, but credibility takes time. It requires thoughtful storytelling, consistent media engagement, carefully selected partnerships and a long-term vision.Rather than trying to imitate European luxury, GCC brands should embrace what makes them unique. Their cultural identity, craftsmanship and perspective are exactly what differentiate them within today's luxury landscape.Looking ahead, what will define success for the Paris office over the next three to five years? Are there specific sectors, partnerships or emerging luxury trends that you believe will shape Maison Ellyse's European growth strategy?For me, success isn't just about growth or expanding our client portfolio. It's about becoming a trusted partner for brands looking to build meaningful connections between Europe and the GCC.Over the next few years, I'd like to see Maison Ellyse recognised as one of the leading agencies operating across these two regions. I see tremendous opportunities in fashion, jewellery, luxury hospitality, beauty and lifestyle, but also in cross-cultural collaborations and experiential storytelling.Ultimately, our ambition is to help brands build long-term desirability by creating communication strategies that are culturally intelligent, internationally relevant and genuinely impactful.

Global communications consultancy Burson has named Gemma Hudson as Chief Executive Officer for Australia and New Zealand, strengthening its leadership as the agency expands its presence across the region.Based in Sydney, Hudson will lead Burson's operations across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, while also overseeing its government relations businesses, Hawker Britton and Barton Deakin. She will report to HS Chung, CEO of Burson Asia-Pacific.Hudson joins Burson from Johnson & Johnson, where she served as Director of Communications & Public Affairs for Australia and New Zealand. In that role, she led internal and external communications, corporate reputation, brand communications and public affairs across the market.With more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications, Hudson has worked across healthcare, corporate affairs, consumer branding, technology communications and public policy. Before joining Johnson & Johnson, she spent 11 years at WE Communications, including serving as Executive Vice President for its International Health practice across APAC and EMEA. She also led the firm's Australia and New Zealand operations as CEO for three years.Commenting on the appointment, HS Chung said Australia and New Zealand remain key growth markets for Burson, offering strong capabilities and significant expansion opportunities. He added that Hudson's blend of agency leadership and in-house corporate experience would strengthen the firm's healthcare offering while enhancing its integrated approach spanning brand communications, corporate affairs, advocacy and government relations.Hudson said she was pleased to return to agency leadership at a time when organizations are facing increasingly complex communications challenges. She noted that evolving geopolitical conditions are making it essential for businesses to effectively manage culture, reputation and public policy, adding that Burson's integrated capabilities position it well to help clients navigate that landscape.The appointment takes effect immediately and underscores Burson's continued investment in the Australia and New Zealand market as it pursues regional growth.

Italian handcrafted jewellery maison FerriFirenze has appointed Giada Dionisio as its new Press & Celebrities Manager, as the luxury brand strengthens its global communications strategy amid international expansion.Dionisio joins the company after spending more than six years at SEC Newgate Middle East, where she developed and led integrated public relations and communications strategies for a portfolio of luxury and lifestyle brands.In her new role, she will oversee FerriFirenze's international public relations strategy, managing global media relations, key opinion leader (KOL) partnerships, celebrity dressing initiatives and high-profile jewellery placements for red carpet appearances and major international events.Before moving in-house, Dionisio worked with leading brands including Max Mara Group, Clinique La Prairie, Istituto Marangoni and Level Shoes during her tenure at SEC Newgate Middle East. Earlier in her career, she held a product marketing role for Giorgio Armani's beauty division in Milan.Commenting on her appointment, Dionisio said she was excited to combine her experience in communications with a brand known for its craftsmanship and Italian heritage."Joining FerriFirenze is an exciting opportunity to bring together everything I've learned throughout my career in communications with a brand that embodies exceptional craftsmanship, creativity, and authentic Italian heritage. I'm looking forward to strengthening the maison's global visibility while building meaningful relationships with media, tastemakers, and talents around the world," she said.The appointment reflects FerriFirenze's focus on enhancing its international brand presence and strengthening relationships with global media, influencers and celebrities as it continues to expand in key luxury markets.

Mazarine, the independent global creative group founded by Paul-Emmanuel Reiffers, has acquired international PR and digital communications agency Bacchus, strengthening its integrated offering for luxury, fashion, art and culture brands.The acquisition adds Bacchus' expertise in corporate and consumer communications, reputation management and crisis communications to Mazarine's portfolio, enabling the group to offer clients a more comprehensive suite of creative, strategic communications and brand engagement services.The partnership also enhances Mazarine's ability to engage Very Important Clients (VICs) by leveraging Bacchus' network of Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) individuals. Together, the companies will support events produced by Mazarine and its subsidiaries—including Mazarine Experience, La Mode en Images and Arter—while developing strategic communications programmes to identify, attract and engage influential audiences.Commenting on the acquisition, Paul-Emmanuel Reiffers, Founder and CEO of Mazarine Group, said: "Bacchus is the ideal Public Relations and VIC partner; our complementary areas of expertise and our expanded international reach allow us to go even further for the luxury clients we share. We will be the first to offer creative and communications services combined with VIC engagement. Our understanding of the global market and our strengthened presence enable us to adapt effectively to evolving target markets and behaviours. Our shared ambition was clear from our very first meeting, and I am delighted to welcome all the teams into our group."Anouschka Menzies, Co-founder of Bacchus, said the deal creates a differentiated proposition for luxury brands navigating an evolving communications landscape."In an ever-changing luxury communications landscape, the ability to influence audiences directly while building compelling brand narratives is critical to delivering meaningful commercial impact. Since inception, this has been precisely where Bacchus excels. Joining Mazarine gives us an advantage that other agencies cannot replicate. Strategic introductions and access to influential audiences have always been an essential part of our advisory offering. Our UHNW network is as valuable as our trusted relationships with senior editorial leadership internationally."Founded in London in 1998 by Anouschka Menzies and Charlotte Lurot, Bacchus is today led by the two founders alongside Co-CEO Daize Washbourn. The agency advises luxury brands, hospitality companies, destinations and cultural organisations on strategic communications, corporate reputation and brand positioning.Its client roster includes Diageo Luxury Group, Four Seasons, Red Sea Global Residential, Six Senses, Technogym, RH, Auberge Resorts Collection, the Victoria & Albert Museum, Zuma Group, Discovery Land Company, Global Design Forum, London Design Festival, London Fashion Week and Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer.The acquisition reflects a broader trend of consolidation in the luxury communications sector, as agencies seek to combine creative expertise, strategic advisory services and access to influential global audiences under a single integrated offering.

Adgcraft Communications, one of the most trusted PR agencies in India, announces a mentorship session for startups as part of its flagship initiative PRISM 2026 (Public Relations Impact Strategy and Media). The session marks another milestone in the agency's fifth anniversary celebrations and will focus on why public relations and strategic communication are as critical to a startup's survival as the product or service itself. The event will be held at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi, on July 18, 2026.Speaking on the initiative, Abhinay Kumar Singh, Founder and MD of Adgcraft Communications, said, "As Adgcraft Communications completes five years, we are proud to celebrate our journey of trust and growth. Over the years, we have grown alongside India's evolving communications industry while staying true to our vision of helping brands find their voice and create meaningful impact. Through PRISM 2026, we want founders to understand that a great product needs a great story to go with it. Startups that invest early in how they communicate build the kind of trust that outlasts their competitors. Too many founders wait until a crisis or a funding round to think about their narrative; by then, it is already too late. Our goal with this session is simple: to help startups see PR not as an expense but as an investment that compounds over time, the same way a good product does."Commenting on this, Hassan Faridi, Account Director, Adgcraft Communications, said, "Many startups invest months in building a great product but spend very little time building the visibility and credibility needed for that product to succeed. Media relations is not about securing one-time headlines; it is about creating sustained trust through credible storytelling, strategic positioning, and consistent engagement with the right media platforms. The right coverage helps startups build investor confidence, attract customers, strengthen employer branding, and differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market. Through PRISM 2026, founders will gain practical insights into how the media works, what journalists look for in startup stories, how to avoid common communication mistakes, and how strategic public relations can become a long-term business growth driver rather than just a marketing activity."India is now home to nearly 1.97 lakh DPIIT-registered startups, making it the world's third-largest startup ecosystem. Yet close to 90 percent of these ventures fail within five years, and 2025 alone saw over 11,000 shutdowns, roughly 30 startups closing down every single day. Product-market fit issues account for a large share of these failures, while team and leadership breakdowns explain another significant chunk. Founders across sectors are also finding it harder to stand out, with intense, undifferentiated competition pushing many into losing price wars. A good product alone does not guarantee survival. Startups that fail to communicate their vision clearly to investors, customers, and the market often lose ground to competitors with a stronger narrative, even when the underlying offering is weaker.This is the gap PRISM 2026's mentorship session aims to address. Many early-stage founders in India treat PR as an afterthought, something to invest in only after the product is built and funding is secured. In reality, communication and reputation-building need to run parallel to product development from day one. A startup that can articulate its value clearly, build credibility with stakeholders, and manage its narrative during both growth and crisis stands a far better chance of attracting investors, customers, and talent than one relying on product quality alone. The session is open to startups at all stages, and there is no participation fees. Interested startups can register for the session through the official registration link. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSetKY2unewpbvMoHgMWU-T88RT_DjKcLhmuO87YSA75J4YO4Q/viewform

Tonic Communications has been appointed as the strategic public relations and communications partner for Housing Foundation NZ, supporting the not-for-profit organisation's efforts to expand awareness of its affordable home ownership initiatives across New Zealand.Under the partnership, Tonic Communications will deliver strategic communications, media relations, content development and integrated campaign support. The agency will work closely with Housing Foundation NZ's marketing team to strengthen brand visibility, deepen stakeholder engagement and improve public understanding of the organisation's alternative home ownership model.The appointment comes as housing affordability remains a key social and economic issue in New Zealand, with growing focus on pathways that help first-home buyers transition into home ownership through shared equity and other innovative housing models.Georgia Coleman, Managing Director of Tonic Communications, said the agency is looking forward to helping the organisation amplify its impact."Housing Foundation is an organisation with a strong purpose, but also a significant opportunity to further build awareness and understanding of its model."Our role is to help sharpen the organisation's profile, connect with the right audiences and ensure its story is told clearly and consistently across multiple channels."There is a growing need for communications that build trust, simplify complexity and create meaningful engagement as conversations around housing accessibility continue across New Zealand."Housing Foundation NZ works with government agencies, community housing providers and private sector partners to help individuals and families achieve affordable home ownership through alternative financing and shared ownership programmes. Through the new partnership, Tonic Communications will support the organisation in communicating its mission and engaging with policymakers, communities and prospective homeowners as demand for affordable housing solutions continues to grow.

H/Advisors Klareco has promoted Sherilyn Yang to Associate Director, Financial Communications, reinforcing its leadership team as demand for strategic financial and corporate communications continues to grow across the Asia-Pacific region.Based in Singapore, Yang will lead the firm's financial communications team, advising clients across a range of industries on investor relations, financial communications and transaction-related communications. In her expanded role, she will provide strategic counsel on corporate reputation and stakeholder engagement during key business milestones.Yang has extensive experience advising companies on high-profile corporate transactions, including initial public offerings (IPOs), mergers and acquisitions (M&A), capital markets activities and other strategic corporate situations. Her expertise spans financial messaging, investor engagement and communications strategies designed to support companies through complex corporate events.She joined H/Advisors Klareco as a Senior Consultant in 2024 and has since worked closely with clients on financial communications mandates, helping businesses navigate evolving market conditions and maintain effective engagement with investors, regulators and other stakeholders.Her promotion comes as organisations across the region place greater emphasis on transparent financial communications amid heightened investor scrutiny, regulatory developments and increased capital market activity. Financial communications has become an increasingly important component of corporate strategy, particularly for companies undertaking fundraising, restructuring or cross-border transactions.H/Advisors Klareco is the strategic communications and public affairs consultancy within the H/Advisors global network in Southeast Asia, advising corporations, financial institutions and government-linked organisations on corporate reputation, crisis management, public affairs, financial communications and transaction support. The firm is part of the broader H/Advisors network, which operates across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas.

Airbus has appointed Jay Krishnan as Communications Director, Southeast Asia, strengthening its communications leadership as the aerospace company continues to expand its presence across one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets.Based in Singapore, Krishnan will lead Airbus' corporate communications strategy across Southeast Asia, overseeing media relations, brand reputation, stakeholder engagement and digital communications. Her remit spans all Airbus business divisions, supporting the company's commercial priorities and regional growth initiatives. Krishnan brings more than two decades of communications experience spanning consultancy, government, hospitality, maritime and aerospace. Throughout her career, she has led strategic communications, corporate reputation, crisis communications and stakeholder engagement programmes across diverse industries. In her new role, she will oversee communications across key Sout

Singapore's public relations and communications job market is undergoing a significant reset rather than a downturn, according to The Shortlist's PR & Comms Talent Report 2026.Based on a survey of more than 100 PR and communications professionals across Singapore—including hiring managers, in-house communications leaders and candidates—the report reveals a market where hiring priorities are shifting, candidates are becoming more selective, and organisations are placing greater emphasis on strategic fit than sheer availability of talent.Agency Landscape Undergoing TransformationThe report finds that the traditional agency model is facing mounting pressure. Large network agencies are navigating restructurings, workforce reductions and a growing trend of clients bringing communications functions in-house.As a result, agencies are being encouraged to compete on more than brand recognition by offering clearer career progression, broader responsibilities, workplace flexibility and stronger organisational culture.Meanwhile, boutique and independent agencies are emerging as increasingly competitive employers. Their agile structures, stable leadership and partnership-driven regional expansion strategies are helping them attract and retain talent.Demand for In-House Communications Continues to RiseOrganisations across sectors such as financial services, technology and professional services are continuing to strengthen internal communications teams, the report notes.These roles increasingly require experienced professionals capable of operating independently, advising senior leadership and managing complex stakeholder relationships without agency support.The study also highlights the growing importance of commercial acumen. Successful in-house communicators are expected to demonstrate business understanding, engage confidently with executive leadership and clearly connect communications initiatives to organisational outcomes.Strategic Advisory and Business Development Skills in High DemandBusiness development responsibilities are expanding beyond senior leadership positions, with expectations increasingly extending to Senior Account Managers and Account Directors as agencies seek new revenue opportunities amid slower client pipelines.The report also identifies a shortage of professionals capable of providing high-level strategic counsel. Organisations are looking for communicators who can align communications strategies with business priorities, advise senior executives and make informed decisions in high-pressure situations.AI Reshaping Workflows, Not Replacing ExpertiseArtificial intelligence is becoming a mainstream workplace tool, with adoption progressing more rapidly among employers than job seekers.According to the report, 60% of hiring managers consider AI essential or already use it regularly in their workflows, compared with 48% of candidates who say they are highly confident using AI in their daily work.Despite growing adoption, the report stresses that AI cannot replace core human capabilities such as relationship management, strategic thinking and business development—skills that remain in short supply across the industry.Fractional Communications Leadership Gains MomentumThe report also points to growing interest in fractional communications leadership, where experienced professionals provide strategic guidance on a part-time or flexible basis rather than joining organisations full-time.Unlike traditional freelance work, these roles typically involve senior advisory responsibilities, allowing organisations to access executive-level communications expertise without appointing a full-time communications director or chief communications officer.For senior practitioners, fractional roles offer greater flexibility while enabling them to continue delivering strategic value across multiple organisations.Hiring Challenges Reflect Quality of Match Rather Than Talent ShortageSurvey findings suggest that hiring difficulties stem more from alignment than from a lack of candidates.Among respondents:• 45% of candidates reported being ghosted during recruitment processes.• 33% cited a shortage of suitable opportunities matching their seniority as their biggest challenge.• 43% of hiring managers said finding the right candidate remains their primary recruitment hurdle.The report concludes that both employers and candidates are struggling to identify the right fit, with poor communication throughout recruitment further widening the gap.Building Future-Ready Communications CareersFor communications professionals, the report recommends investing in personal visibility and professional networks before actively seeking new opportunities, particularly for senior leadership positions that are frequently filled through industry relationships rather than public job listings.It also identifies commercial awareness, strategic advisory capability, business development skills, AI proficiency and the ability to demonstrate measurable business impact as key differentiators in today's market.For employers, the report recommends greater transparency during recruitment. Clearly defined role expectations, salary ranges, career progression opportunities and realistic business development responsibilities are likely to improve candidate engagement and help organisations attract stronger talent.

Rasmal Ventures, a multi-strategy investment platform and Qatar's first independent homegrown VC firm, has appointed Narrative One as its strategic communications partner, mandating the specialist investment communications firm to lead its media relations and public positioning.The engagement sees Narrative One embedded as the communications function for Rasmal Ventures, supporting the firm's growing presence beyond the Gulf and globally.The appointment reflects Rasmal Ventures's position at the centre of an accelerating capital corridor between Qatar, the Gulf and the rest of the world — a market dynamic that demands communications infrastructure built for investment audiences, not general business press. Narrative One's focus on the investment sector and its expertise were central to the selection.“We believe that great companies are built on great execution, but they break through on great storytelling — and helping our founders master that is one of the most underrated ways we add value as investors at Rasmal Ventures. We needed a partner that can operate at the same speed we do and Narrative One stood out immediately.” said Soumaya Ben Beya Dridje, Partner, Rasmal VenturesTarek Fouad, CEO, Narrative One, added: “Rasmal is building something genuinely important — Qatar's first investment platform for cross-border venture investment at a moment when the capital corridor between the Gulf and key global markets is becoming one of the defining stories in global private markets. We are proud to be their communications partner and to help tell that story to the audiences that matter.”

Words Matter, a strategic communications and Public Relations agency, and Goosebumps Network, a full-service integrated marketing and brand solutions agency, have announced a strategic alliance aimed at delivering end-to-end brand-building solutions that seamlessly integrate reputation management, storytelling, public relations, creative communications, digital marketing, and experiential brand engagement.The partnership combines Words Matter's strength in building reputation, shaping narratives and fostering stakeholder trust through strategic communications and public relations with Goosebumps Network's expertise in creating impactful brand experiences through integrated marketing, creative storytelling and audience engagement. Goosebumps Network’s extensive experience in agriculture and rural outreach further enhances the alliance's ability to help organisations engage stakeholders across both urban and rural markets. As brands navigate an increasingly fragmented communications landscape, the alliance seeks to bridge the gap between earned influence and audience engagement by offering clients a unified approach that combines strategic narrative-building with impactful marketing execution. The collaboration will enable organisations across sectors to access a broader spectrum of services under a single strategic frameworkAshish J. Banka, Founder and CEO, Goosebumps Network, said: "Audiences no longer distinguish between a brand's communications, marketing and experiences - they see one brand. The most effective brand-building happens when communication and marketing work together, creating seamless engagement across every touchpoint. This partnership brings together complementary strengths in reputation-building, creativity and audience engagement to help organisations build stronger connections, deliver impactful brand experiences and create lasting value."Noopurr R Chablani, Founder and Image Strategist, Words Matter, added: "Today's brands require a lot more than visibility; they need credibility, consistency and meaningful engagements. As organisations communicate with every stakeholder group simultaneously, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that every interaction reflects a clear and cohesive narrative. This alliance brings together strategic communications and marketing expertise to help brands create more consistent, credible and influential narratives." Together, Words Matter and Goosebumps Network will help organisations align communications and marketing efforts to build reputation, strengthen engagement and support growth.

ON PURPOSE, a creative communications consultancy focused on social change, has been appointed as the communications partner for the Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF), one of India's premier film festivals and an Oscar®-qualifying platform for short films. The mandate will be managed by the consultancy’s Bengaluru office and marks a significant addition to its growing culture and communities portfolio in the city.Founded in 2010, BISFF has emerged as one of the country’s most respected platforms for short-form cinema, bringing together filmmakers, audiences, and industry leaders from across the world. Founded by Anand Varadaraj (Producer, Actor) and mentored by acclaimed theatre personality, actor, and filmmaker Prakash Belawadi, the festival is recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an official Oscar-qualifying festival, placing it among a select group of global festivals that serve as a pathway to the Academy Awards.As part of the engagement, ON PURPOSE will support BISFF with strategic communications, media relations, and storytelling aimed at expanding the festival’s visibility and reinforcing Bengaluru’s position as a vibrant cultural hub.The BISFF mandate builds on ON PURPOSE's growing portfolio in Bengaluru across culture and communities. The consultancy has previously partnered with initiatives including Manotsava, the national mental health festival by Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, NIMHANS, and NCBS; Janaagraha, a leading civic participation organisation; and BLR Hubba, UnboxingBLR's city-wide arts and culture festival. Together, these partnerships reflect ON PURPOSE's growing presence in shaping conversations around culture, community, and contemporary urban life in Bengaluru.Commenting on the partnership, Girish Balachandran, Founder and Managing Director, ON PURPOSE, said, “Bengaluru’s identity extends far beyond technology and innovation. It is also home to a thriving cultural ecosystem shaped by artists, filmmakers, creators, and communities. BISFF has played a pivotal role in putting Bengaluru on the global cinema map, and we are excited to support the festival in telling its story to wider audiences. This partnership also reflects our growing commitment to the culture and community space in the city.”Anand Varadaraj, Founder and Artistic Director, Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF), said, “Over the last 15 years, BISFF has grown into a globally recognised platform for short-form cinema, connecting filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals from around the world. As we continue to expand our reach and strengthen Bengaluru’s position on the global film map, we are delighted to partner with ON PURPOSE to help amplify our story and engage wider audiences with the power of short films.”

V Spark Communications, one of India’s leading public relations agencies, today announced it is rebranding as Fizz PR, effective immediately. The new name and identity reflect the agency’s evolution from a Delhi NCR focused PR firm into a full-spectrum communications partner for ambitious brands across India and international markets, with the same leadership, team, and client relationships that have driven its growth to date. The agency’s new digital home, www.fizzpr.com, goes live today. “We didn’t just want a new name; we wanted a name that captures how we actually work. Great PR isn’t quiet. It’s the spark that gets people talking, the fizz that makes a brand impossible to ignore. That’s the energy we bring to every campaign, and now our name says it too,” said Kanika Chhabra, Founder of Fizz PR. The rebrand is a response to how much the agency and the industry  have changed. Attention is no longer earned through press releases alone; it is earned across media, digital, social, and creator ecosystems simultaneously and increasingly across borders. Over the past several years, V Spark’s work had already outgrown its name: campaigns spanning multiple Indian metros, cross-border narratives for global clients, and integrated programs that go well beyond traditional media relations. Leadership described the move as a graduation, not a reset. “This isn’t a reset,it’s a graduation. Everything that made V Spark a trusted partner stays exactly the same. We’re just showing up with a name and a look that finally match the energy we bring to our clients’ brands,” Chhabra added. The new identity is built on the convictions that have guided the agency from the start: earning attention rather than renting it, with every campaign starting from what genuinely deserves to be heard; acting as an extension of the client’s team rather than a vendor at arm’s length; treating media, digital, social, and international channels as one integrated narrative, since that is how audiences actually experience a brand; and using energy as a strategy — momentum and speed designed to make brands impossible to ignore. Fizz PR retains the full expertise that built V Spark’s reputation as a top PR agency in Delhi NCR, spanning Technology & SaaS PR, Startup & Growth PR, Healthcare & Pharma PR, Consumer & Lifestyle PR, Real Estate & Infrastructure PR, IPO PR, Government Relations,and Celebrity & Personal PR, delivered for clients across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, and beyond. Alongside the new name, the agency is formally expanding into International PRhelping Indian brands build media presence overseas and supporting global companies entering the Indian market. It is a natural next step for a team that has already spent years managing cross-border narratives for clients. Nothing changes in terms of who clients work with day to day; what changes is the ambition, with Fizz PR positioning itself as a more contemporary, integrated communications partner built for how brands actually earn attention today. Fizz PR will continue to operate from its Delhi NCR base while expanding its footprint across key Indian markets and internationally. The agency’s existing case studies, client results, and team will migrate to the new brand, with more details available on the newly launched website.

Eaton has promoted Shikha Pahwa Mangol to the role of Global Public Relations & Corporate Communications Leader, expanding her responsibilities after leading communications across India and Southeast Asia.Mangol has been with Eaton for over five years. Since 2023, she has served as Head of Corporate Communications, India and Southeast Asia, overseeing strategic communications, media relations, executive visibility, crisis communications, internal communications and digital strategy across nine countries in the region.Prior to that, she held the roles of External Communications Lead and Senior Consultant, Corporate Communications at Eaton, focusing on public relations, corporate communications and CSR initiatives.Before rejoining Eaton in 2018, Mangol was Senior Manager, Corporate Communications at Cybage Software, where she led corporate communications and digital marketing. Earlier, she served as Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Wavesa and held communications roles at MSLGROUP India, Blue Lotus Communications and Adfactors PR.

The Australian Telecommunications Alliance has appointed Greg Spears as its new Head of Communications and Media.Spears joins the industry body after more than seven years at NBN Co, where he most recently served as Executive Manager, Corporate Media. During his tenure, he led corporate media engagement and communications initiatives for Australia's national broadband network operator.Before joining NBN Co, Spears held communications roles at Telstra, Vodafone and Stockland, building extensive experience across the telecommunications and corporate sectors.Earlier in his career, he spent three years with Lewis PR, where he worked on communications programmes for technology clients.At the Australian Telecommunications Alliance, Spears will oversee the organisation's communications and media strategy, supporting its engagement with government, industry stakeholders and the broader public on issues affecting Australia's telecommunications sector.His appointment comes as the telecommunications industry continues to navigate evolving policy, infrastructure investment and digital connectivity priorities, placing greater emphasis on strategic communications and stakeholder engagement.

Luxury lifestyle hotel Artyzen Singapore has appointed Gilbert Ong as its new Director of Marketing Communications.In his new role, Ong will oversee the hotel's integrated marketing communications, including brand strategy, public relations, digital marketing, partnerships and related initiatives aimed at supporting commercial growth. He joins Artyzen Singapore from Wyndham Singapore Hotel, where he was responsible for strategic campaigns, marketing communications, public relations and brand development.Ong brings more than 25 years of experience spanning corporate communications, hospitality marketing and brand management across the hospitality, maritime and broader corporate sectors. His career includes senior marketing communications positions within Singapore's hospitality industry, including previous roles with Millennium Hotels and Resorts.The appointment comes as Artyzen Singapore continues to strengthen its positioning in the city's competitive luxury hospitality market. The hotel is part of the Artyzen Hospitality Group, which operates lifestyle and luxury properties across Asia and is backed by Hong Kong-listed Shun Tak Holdings. Located on Cuscaden Road, the property combines contemporary design with wellness, dining and cultural experiences targeted at both international travellers and local guests.With Ong leading marketing communications, Artyzen Singapore is expected to further expand its brand storytelling, media relations and partnership efforts.

Raymond Limited has appointed Shalini Singh as Head of Corporate Communications for the Raymond Group, reinforcing its focus on strategic communications, corporate reputation and stakeholder engagement.In her new role, Singh will lead the group's corporate communications function, overseeing internal and external communications, strategic messaging, media relations, executive communications, social media strategy, crisis communications, financial communications and reputation management across Raymond and its group companies.She joins Raymond after leading her independent advisory firm, Stewardship with Purpose, since late 2024, where she advised organisations on corporate communications, sustainability, leadership positioning and reputation strategy.Prior to launching her consultancy, Singh served as Senior Strategic Advisor at NorthStar Insights, providing counsel to senior executives and boards on communications and corporate reputation. She has also been associated with Board Stewardship as a fellow, focusing on governance, sustainability, corporate social responsibility and board effectiveness.Beyond her corporate roles, Singh is a member of the advisory board of the International Institute of Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility, where she contributes to initiatives promoting responsible business practices and sustainability leadership.Her appointment follows a career spanning corporate communications, sustainability, public affairs and brand reputation across multiple sectors. She has also completed executive education programmes in Strategic Thinking and Innovation from the Indian School of Business and in Business Administration and Management from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad.Raymond's appointment of Singh comes as the diversified group continues to strengthen its corporate identity following its recent strategic restructuring, including the demerger of its lifestyle business. The company is sharpening its focus on stakeholder engagement, leadership communications and corporate brand building as it expands across lifestyle, real estate and engineering businesses.

KFin Technologies Limited, a leading provider of technology-driven financial services and investor solutions, today announced that Hanisha Vadlamani, Chief Brand Officer & Head of Corporate Communications, has assumed the additional responsibility of Head of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).In this expanded capacity, Hanisha will integrate KFintech's social impact agenda with her existing responsibilities overseeing brand strategy, corporate communications, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement. The enhanced mandate reflects KFintech's focus on aligning brand narrative, communications, and social impact under a unified leadership framework, reinforcing the company's commitment to building a trusted, purpose-led, and future-ready organization.A seasoned communications and brand leader with over 15 years of experience, Hanisha has been instrumental in shaping KFintech's brand evolution and market positioning since joining the company in 2021. She has successfully led integrated marketing programmes, thought leadership initiatives, investor engagement campaigns, and strategic brand-building efforts across domestic and international markets.Commenting on her new responsibility, Hanisha Vadlamani, Chief Brand Officer – Head of Corporate Communications and CSR, KFin Technologies Limited, said:"KFintech's growth journey has always been driven by trust, innovation, and a deep commitment to the communities we serve. Assuming the role of Head of CSR presents a tremendous opportunity to create a lasting, measurable social impact while strategically positioning our brand in strict alignment with our CSR policy. I look forward to working closely with our teams to deliver meaningful change, reinforce our core values, and ensure our sustainability initiatives drive long-term value for all stakeholders."Prior to KFintech, Hanisha held leadership roles across brand management, marketing, and corporate communications at leading organizations including Facebook, Reliance Communications, and CallHealth.

India’s leading health and hygiene solutions company, Eureka Forbes Ltd has recently onboarded Concept Public Relations Ltd, one of India’s leading integrated communications consultancies, as their communications partner. As part of this strategic collaboration, Concept PR will drive Eureka Forbes' integrated communications strategy, managing the company's overall corporate and brand communications portfolio.This mandate marks a significant win for Concept PR, reinforcing its expertise in managing complex, multi-layered communications across large conglomerates and delivering integrated strategies spanning traditional PR and digital ecosystems.Under this mandate, the agency will support reputation management, strategic media relations, thought leadership, executive profiling, stakeholder engagement, and communication initiatives across Eureka Forbes' key business segments, including water purification, air purification, and vacuum-cleaning solutions.Anurag Kumar, Chief Growth Officer, Eureka Forbes Limited, said on the collaboration, “We are pleased to onboard Concept PR as our communications partner. As we continue to strengthen our presence across categories and drive innovation-led growth, strategic communication will play a critical role in amplifying our brand story and business vision. The agency’s deep expertise in corporate reputation management and integrated communications will help us further enhance our engagement with key stakeholders and reinforce Eureka Forbes' position as a trusted household brand.”Suhas Tadas, Senior Vice President, Concept PR, added, “This is a significant and strategic mandate for us. With a strategic PR approach, we look forward to building a strong, cohesive narrative for the Group and its leadership, amplifying their vision, innovation, and market leadership across platforms.”The partnership aims to further strengthen Eureka Forbes' corporate reputation, amplify its innovation-led growth narrative, and enhance stakeholder engagement across traditional and digital media platforms.With its extensive expertise in corporate communications and brand reputation management, Concept PR will work closely with Eureka Forbes to build compelling narratives that reinforce the company's leadership position in the health and hygiene category.

BigEndian Semiconductors has appointed Abhishek Lakhera as its Marketing Communications Manager. In this role, Lakhera will lead the company's marketing communications efforts as it advances its work in indigenous Vision AI chip development.Lakhera has relocated to Bengaluru for the role, marking a new phase in his career after working across communications, marketing, public relations, and content.Before joining BigEndian Semiconductors, Lakhera served as Communications Manager at Versuni, where he worked for nearly one and a half years. Prior to that, he spent over four years at Jajabor Brand Consultancy as Business Unit Lead for Venture Capital & Emerging Tech, leading communications initiatives in the startup and technology ecosystem.Earlier in his career, Lakhera worked as an independent content writer, creating research driven content for corporate clients across websites, blogs, and reports. He also gained experience through internships at Value 360 Communications and News Trust of India, where he developed a foundation in public relations, media writing, and editorial content.Sharing the update on LinkedIn, Lakhera said he chose the move to step outside his comfort zone and embrace new challenges. He added that joining BigEndian Semiconductors presented an opportunity to work on areas he had not explored before and contribute to the company's growth journey in the semiconductor space.

9Yards Communications has appointed Tala Abu Taha as its new Chief Growth Officer, reinforcing the strategic communications firm's ambitions to expand its regional and international presence.In her new role, Abu Taha will lead the company's growth strategy across key markets, supporting the continued development of its offices in London, Cairo and New York, while deepening relationships with clients and strengthening strategic partnerships.She will also be responsible for enhancing the firm's service offerings to meet the evolving communications and advisory needs of both public- and private-sector organisations across regional and global markets.Abu Taha joins 9Yards Communications with more than 25 years of experience in public relations, public affairs, strategic communications and business development. Over the course of her career, she has held senior leadership positions at regional and international communications consultancies, helping organisations expand their market presence and deliver integrated communications strategies.Her professional background includes serving as Communications Director for Qatar Foundation through BLJ Worldwide, where she led strategic communications initiatives for one of the region's leading education and research organisations. She has also worked in public diplomacy, governance and international development with Aktis Strategy in the UK and Coffey International in the United States, advising governments, institutions and development partners on stakeholder engagement and strategic communications.Her appointment comes as the Middle East's communications sector continues to grow, driven by increasing investment in economic diversification, tourism, technology and major international events. Agencies across the region are expanding their capabilities in strategic advisory, public affairs, corporate reputation and integrated communications to meet rising demand from government entities and multinational businesses.Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, 9Yards Communications provides strategic communications, public relations, corporate reputation, crisis communications and integrated marketing services to clients across the public and private sectors, with an expanding international footprint spanning Europe, North America and the Middle East.

Blue Buzz, a leading reputation and brand advisory firm, has been appointed as the strategic communications partner for Vembu Technologies, an Indian software company building innovative, cost-effective infrastructure solutions for businesses and service providers across the globe.The mandate places Blue Buzz at the centre of Vembu Technologies' communications strategy in India, with a remit spanning media relations, corporate storytelling, executive thought leadership and reputation advisory. The objective is clear: to build a communications programme that reflects the depth of Vembu's engineering capabilities and strengthens its standing with businesses, partners and the broader technology ecosystem.Vembu Technologies has spent over two decades developing enterprise software built for the complexity of modern IT environments. Its flagship platforms, BDRShield and XDRShield, deliver comprehensive backup, disaster recovery, cyber resilience, and endpoint detection and response capabilities to organisations across more than 100 countries. The company's solutions serve customers across IT services, BFSI, healthcare, education, manufacturing, retail, telecom, logistics and the public sector.The partnership comes at a time when cyber resilience and infrastructure modernisation have moved from IT conversations to boardroom priorities. For Vembu Technologies, which has built its reputation on engineering-first thinking and product reliability, this moment calls for communications that match the quality and intent of the work being done.Sekar Vembu, Founder & CEO, Vembu Technologies, said, "As we continue to expand our presence and strengthen our engagement with customers, partners and the broader technology ecosystem, strategic communications will play an increasingly important role in our growth journey. We are pleased to partner with Blue Buzz and look forward to leveraging their expertise to communicate our vision, product innovation and commitment to helping organisations build resilient IT environments."Neha K Bisht, Founder & CEO, Blue Buzz, added, "What drew us to Vembu Technologies was the clarity of conviction behind what they build. This is a company that has been solving real infrastructure problems for businesses across 100 countries, quietly and consistently, without making noise for the sake of it. Our role is to ensure that the credibility they have earned translates into visibility and trust with the stakeholders who matter. That is the kind of communications brief we are built for."The mandate reinforces Blue Buzz's focus on partnering with innovation-led organisations that are building something worth talking about, and ensuring the story is told with the rigour and authenticity it deserves.

Global independent marketing and communications agency FINN Partners has expanded its Asia-Pacific presence by acquiring Australian financial and corporate communications consultancy Honner, marking its entry into the Australian market and strengthening its financial services capabilities across the region.The deal adds Honner's 25-member Sydney team to FINN Partners' global network, increasing the firm's worldwide footprint to 37 offices and expanding its APAC workforce to around 250 professionals.As part of the integration, Philippa Honner, founder of Honner, will join FINN Partners as Managing Partner and APAC Financial Services Practice Lead. In her new role, she will spearhead the growth of the agency's financial services practice across Asia-Pacific while strengthening its presence in Australia. She will also join FINN's APAC leadership team, collaborating with regional leaders across Greater China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand.The acquisition reflects FINN Partners' strategy to deepen its presence in one of the region's fastest-growing financial markets. The agency said Australia's expanding role in both traditional financial services and emerging digital finance made it a strategically important market as Asia's financial ecosystem continues to evolve.Howard Solomon, Founding Managing Partner and APAC Lead at FINN Partners, said Australia had long been a priority market for the firm."Australia represents a significant growth opportunity for FINN in Asia-Pacific. Bringing Honner into the network enhances our expertise in financial services communications and provides greater scale to support both regional and international clients operating in the market. We are delighted to welcome Philippa and her team as we continue building our presence across APAC," he said.Peter Finn, CEO and Founding Partner of FINN Partners, said the acquisition builds on the firm's recent expansion strategy in the region."This follows the momentum generated by our acquisition of RICE Communications last year. Our APAC business now contributes nearly 10 per cent of FINN's global revenue. With Honner joining the network, our Asia-Pacific operations now generate approximately US$19 million in fees, further strengthening our ability to support clients seamlessly across the Americas, EMEA and APAC," he said.Philippa Honner described the move as a significant milestone for both the agency and its clients."Joining FINN Partners provides an exceptional platform to accelerate our ambition of becoming the leading communications consultancy for corporate and financial services brands across Asia-Pacific. We look forward to collaborating with colleagues throughout the region and delivering integrated, market-specific communications strategies that help clients navigate increasingly complex regional business environments," she said.Following the acquisition, the Australian firm will operate under the brand "Honner, A FINN Partners Company," with all Honner employees joining FINN Partners as part of the integration.

Jajabor Brand Consultancy (JBC), one of India's top PR, Public affairs, and brand consultancy firms, has won the PR mandate for FlixBus India, the Indian arm of Flix, Europe's largest intercity mobility platform, to manage its end-to-end communications in the country.Under the mandate, JBC will lead FlixBus India's public relations, media strategy, reputation management, executive visibility, and brand narrative, supporting the company's next phase of growth in the country. The partnership comes at a pivotal moment as FlixBus India deepens its operational footprint and establishes itself as a leading player in the country's intercity mobility sector.Prerana Mundhra, Manager, Public Affairs, FlixBus India said: "India is one of FlixBus' most strategic growth markets globally, and as we continue expanding our network and connecting more cities across the country, clear and consistent communication remains an important part of our growth journey. We have built a strong foundation for stakeholder engagement and brand storytelling, and Jajabor's experience in strategic communications will help us scale these efforts further. We look forward to working together to support our communications objectives and strengthen conversations around the future of intercity travel in India." Commenting on the partnership, Upasna Dash, Founder & CEO, Jajabor Brand Consultancy, said: "We are very excited to partner with FlixBus India and help build awareness, trust, and preference for a brand that is redefining how people travel between cities. As the intercity mobility sector evolves, there is a strong opportunity to shape conversations around safer, more reliable, and sustainable travel. At Jajabor, we believe communications should do more than generate visibility—it should drive tangible business outcomes, whether that means accelerating market adoption, strengthening stakeholder trust, influencing perception, or supporting growth objectives.Founded in 2017 by Upasna Dash, JBC has over the past nearly nine years built a reputation for communications that drive measurable business outcomes, working with 200+ brands across startups, Fortune 500 companies, and leading venture capital firms, entirely without external funding. The FlixBus India mandate adds to a growing portfolio of high-impact clients across mobility, technology, and sustainability. JBC's scope covers proactive media relations, thought leadership programming for senior leadership, reputation management, and crisis preparedness, positioning FlixBus India as not just a mobility brand, but a credible voice in conversations around safe and sustainable intercity travel in India.

New marketing strategy and go-to-market (GTM) consultancy CoInside (pronounced coincide) has officially launched in Singapore, offering a diagnosis-first approach to help businesses identify and address the root causes of their growth and market expansion challenges.The consultancy was founded by Vanessa Ng, formerly Head of Marketing at Lendela, and Szecindyo (Chin) Chewandi, who previously served as Head of Marketing Communications and was a Chief of Staff candidate at Golden Equator. Together, the founders bring expertise spanning growth strategy, commercial communications and GTM execution across startups and established organisations.Rather than positioning itself as a traditional marketing agency, CoInside focuses on businesses that are struggling to determine the most effective path forward, whether that means hiring in-house talent, engaging an agency, or adopting another solution. The consultancy begins with a diagnostic assessment to uncover the underlying business challenges before recommending execution strategies.Its services are organised around three core areas: developing compelling commercial narratives to strengthen brand positioning and accelerate sales conversations, designing growth and distribution strategies, and identifying opportunities for revenue expansion.Vanessa Ng said many organisations confuse activity with meaningful progress, often investing significant time and resources in solving the wrong problems."Businesses can spend months executing well against an issue that was never the real challenge. By the time they recognise the disconnect, they've lost valuable time alongside financial resources. The initial brief is rarely the true brief, and uncovering the underlying issue is what ultimately separates marketing that simply looks impressive from marketing that delivers measurable business results," she said.Chin Chewandi noted that unclear strategic thinking often results in overly complex messaging that fails to resonate with customers."When the thinking isn't clear, organisations tend to say more instead of communicating better, creating what we call 'polished confusion'. Our role is to clarify the strategy first, so the messaging becomes sharper, products are easier to understand, sales conversations move faster, and internal teams become better aligned," he said.With the launch, CoInside aims to support companies seeking greater clarity in their commercial strategy and go-to-market execution before committing to long-term marketing investments.

Communications veteran Mrinall Dey, who has spent three decades across journalism and corporate communications, has launched Brevanta Communications, a new strategic communications consultancy, along with Suman Nath, positioning the firm as a senior-led advisory focused on reputation management, corporate storytelling and strategic counsel for business leaders. Announcing the venture in a LinkedIn post, Dey said the decision was driven not by a desire to add another public relations agency to the market, but to address what he believes is a growing gap between companies with compelling stories and their ability to communicate them effectively."Companies with genuinely good stories are being told badly—or not told at all—because the people managing their narrative are three levels removed from anyone who's ever sat in a newsroom or a boardroom," Dey wrote.He described Brevanta Communications as an agency designed to eliminate those layers by placing experienced communications professionals directly alongside business leaders during critical reputation and strategic communications decisions.The consultancy aims to work closely with founders, CXOs, board members and chief communications officers, offering senior-level counsel on corporate reputation, crisis communications, executive positioning and strategic storytelling.According to Dey, the agency's philosophy is rooted in combining newsroom instincts with boardroom experience to help organisations communicate with greater credibility and impact. He also indicated that he plans to share practical insights on reputation management, crisis communications and the evolving communications landscape through his LinkedIn platform.Dey brings extensive experience spanning journalism, corporate communications and agency consulting. Over the course of his career, he has advised companies across sectors on corporate reputation, crisis management and stakeholder engagement. His professional background includes leadership roles in corporate communications and public affairs, and he has worked with several leading brands during high-profile reputation and business transformation initiatives. The launch comes at a time when India's public relations and corporate communications industry is undergoing rapid transformation. The growing influence of artificial intelligence, increasing emphasis on executive thought leadership, digital-first stakeholder engagement, and rising expectations around corporate transparency are prompting organisations to seek more strategic, senior-led communications advisory rather than traditional media relations alone. Industry observers note that businesses are increasingly looking for communications partners capable of integrating reputation management with business strategy and crisis preparedness.Brevanta Communications has already begun supporting clients across sectors, with the firm's name appearing as communications advisor on several recent corporate announcements, including those from fintech company MobiKwik.