PRCA announces new Chair and members of its Global Advisory Board

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) is pleased to announce the relaunch of its new Global Advisory Board, a strategic initiative designed to bolster the Association’s international reach and reinforce its status as the world’s largest professional body for PR professionals.

The Global Advisory Board will focus on four key workstreams: Talent, Ethics, Innovation, and Future. Each workstream aims to address crucial aspects of the PR industry, driving forward best practices and ensuring the sector's continued growth and relevance on a global scale.

Talent: This workstream is dedicated to addressing talent-related challenges within the industry. Key areas of focus include bridging the gap between education and the workplace, enhancing recruitment strategies, and improving training and salary benchmarking. The board will also address social impacts and refine the PRCA’s approach to education.

Ethics: Building on the achievements of the PRCA Ethics Council, this workstream will work to lift ethical standards in the global PR industry. Key activities will include developing ethical codes of conduct, creating forums for ethical debate, and sharing best practices. Collaboration with the PRCA Standards Committee and efforts in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) will also be central to this workstream.

Innovation: This workstream will explore a wide range of issues related to innovation in public relations practice. It will focus on the impact of emerging technologies, such as AI, on the industry, as well as thought leadership on technological and media trends shaping public relations.

Future: This workstream will advocate for the PR industry’s role in a rapidly changing world. It will address the global operations of PR agencies, the industry's response to geopolitical shifts, and strategies for enhancing the sector’s visibility and influence.

The PRCA’s Global Advisory Board is composed by:

• Nitin Mantri, Regional Executive Managing Director, APAC at WE Communications (Chair) (India)
• Lee Nugent, Regional Director, APAC at Archetype (Vice Chair) (SEA)
• Mary Beth West, Consultant at Mary Beth West (USA)
• Ahmad Itani, Founder & CEO at Cicero & Bernay Communication Consultancy (MENA)
• Alex Aiken (UK)
• Barbara Phillips, Founder at Brownstone Communications (UK)
• Caroline Hsu, Chief Global Officer at The Hoffman Agency
• Paul Cohen, Partner, CEO North America at Milk & Honey (USA)
• Patrícia Ávila, Regional Director at Agora (Brazil)
• Jim Donaldson, CEO and Founder at the Jim Donaldson Partnership (UK)
• Kwame Senou, Executive Director at THOP (Ivory Coast)
• Viroslava Novosylna, CEO & Founder at Slova Tech PR (Ukraine)
• Ipelegeng Thibedi, Chief Executive Officer, Africa at Weber Shandwick (South Africa)
• Omar Qirem, Chief Executive Officer, Middle East, and Deputy Chair of Corporate Affairs, EMEA at Edelman (MENA)

PRCA Global Advisory Board Chair, Nitin Mantri, said:

“The PRCA Global Advisory Board is uniquely positioned to shape the evolution of PR by navigating the complex interplay between business, society, and geopolitics. As Chair, I see this as a critical opportunity to bring diverse perspectives together, set new standards, and redefine communications. Our role is transformative, and I am excited about the potential of this board to elevate the value we bring to brands and communities alike.”

PRCA Global Advisory Board Vice Chair, Lee Nugent, said:

“I’m honoured to have been appointed to the PRCA’s Global Advisory Board and look forward to working with my fellow board members and the PRCA team, helping the organisation to continue to successfully serve our international membership base. I look forward to helping members drive professional best practice in communications, no matter where in the world they’re located.”