Boutique strategic communications consultancy FIT Communications has strengthened its strategic communications, crisis preparedness and reputation advisory offering with the appointment of Clare Kennedy as Associate Director.Kennedy brings extensive experience in financial services communications, having played a role in the formation of Australian Retirement Trust, alongside expertise spanning crisis preparedness, strategic communications and reputational risk management.Her appointment further bolsters FIT Communications' capabilities as organisations increasingly seek senior-level counsel to navigate complex stakeholder environments, organisational transformation and heightened public scrutiny.Kennedy and FIT Communications Founder and Director Megan Giles have previously worked together supporting organisations through major transformation programmes, technology change initiatives, regulatory challenges and complex stakeholder issues.Commenting on the appointment, Giles said organisations are facing growing expectations from employees, customers, regulators and investors, creating increased demand for trusted communications advisers who can provide strategic guidance beyond traditional crisis response."Leaders today are navigating transformation, growing scrutiny and higher expectations from every stakeholder group, often all at once," she said."Strong advisory means having the narrative, the judgement and the plan ready before you need them, whether that's leading people through change, protecting reputation, or responding when something goes wrong."She added that organisations are increasingly looking for strategic communications partners that can provide ongoing counsel rather than reactive support during challenging situations."We're seeing growing demand from leaders who want a trusted strategic partner they can turn to consistently, not just support that appears when there's a problem," Giles said.The appointment reflects the growing importance of strategic communications and reputation management as businesses contend with accelerating organisational change, evolving stakeholder expectations and an increasingly complex risk landscape.(Source: telummedia)