Global Alliance in person AGM held in Istanbul, Turkey
The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management 20th Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday 21st May in Istanbul, Turkey. The first in person Annual General Meeting in three years took place at Effect BCW Turkey premises. A candle was lit by the President & CEO of Global Alliance in solidarity with all those who have lost their lives globally to Covid-19.
Global Alliance President Justin Green presented the 2021 Annual Report, which provided an overview of the key activities and initiatives conducted by the Global Alliance in 2021. Membership currently stands at 78.
Global Alliance became the first world professional communications organisation to launch a truly global comprehensive month-long focused engagement on ethics. The second edition of Global Ethics Month with more than 70 countries and thousands of professionals participating across the four weeks in February. Education & Training, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Health & Wellbeing and Best of Education & Training Months repeated the success of their first editions.
Three new focused months were established in 2021. The Global Trends and Communication Transformation, in March, highlighted those communications and public relations sector are key responders to the concerns of communities and can also be the spearhead initiating positive changes in business models and organisations. World PR & Communications Month, in October, Global Alliance members showcased the accomplishments of fellow professionals and recognized research, curriculums, and certification programs across three key areas Recognition & Celebration, Advocacy and Credibility. In November, Student & Young Practitioner Month, allowed students and young practitioners to have access to activities which helped expand their knowledge and their networks.
Three new regional offices opened in 2021, Nairobi, Kenya (Africa), São Paulo, Brazil (Latin America) and Gurugram, India (Middle East-South Asia) bringing to six Global Alliance offices across the world that also include Jakarta, Indonesia (Asia), New York, USA (North America), along with existing head office in Lisbon, Portugal (Europe).
New accreditation programme providing global recognition and accreditation of our members’ qualifications, training and educational programmes, fulfilling our mission of raising professional standards worldwide. This enables Global Alliance to strengthen public relations standards, ethics, internationalisation and professionalism worldwide, as we are mandated to.
Global Alliance Public Relations and Communications Model and Approaching the Future 2021: Trends in Reputation and Intangible Asset Management both in partnership with Corporate Excellence – Centre for Reputation Leadership were presented in exclusive sessions regionally and on demand to Global Alliance members.
Global Alliance Capabilities Framework has been extended free access to members until the end of 2023.
“For us as communications and public relations professionals, as with the pandemic, the war in Ukraine has again underlined the vital importance to our democratic societies of credible and trusted sources of information. There have been countless examples where disinformation has been used to skew perceptions of what is unfolding in Ukraine. This should concern all of us with an interest in freedom of speech and who wish to see trust in authority maintained. The more lies, half-truths and evasions are spread and believed, the more challenging becomes our work as trusted sources”, said Justin Green, President Global Alliance.
The AGM approved proposed changes to the Bylaws. These changes have met with widespread global support, allowing the organisation to become stronger, richer and true to our mission.
The newly elected board of directors who will commence their appointments 1 July 2022 were elected by the AGM. With 60% (12) female and 40% (9) male directors, Global Alliance´s new board is multicultural and diverse representing professionals across different religions, cultures, societies and races worldwide. The incoming members are listed and marked in bold below:
Global Alliance Executive Board 2022-2023
President: Justin Green, PRII - Public Relations Institute of Ireland (Ireland) - June 30, 2023
Immediate Past-Chair: José Manuel Velasco, Dircom - Spanish Communication Directors (Spain) - June 30, 2023
Vice President: Silvia Arto, COM-ENT - Communication & Entreprise (France) - June 30, 2023
Secretary: Fiona Cassidy, PRINZ - Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (New Zealand) - June 30, 2023
Treasurer: Philip T. Bonaventura, PRSA - Public Relations Society of America (USA) - June 30, 2024
Delegate-at-Large Representing National Association:
Yin Xiaodong, PRGC - Public Relations Global Communication (China) - June 30, 2024
Hamilton dos Santos, ABERJE - Brazilian Association for Business Communication (Brazil) - June 30, 2023
Paula Portugal Mendes, APCE - Portuguese Association of Corporate Communications (Portugal) - June 30, 2023
Jaffri Amin Osman - IPRM - Institute Public Relations Malaysia (Malaysia)- June 30, 2023
Delegate-at-Large Representing Any Membership Categories:
Amith Prabhu, The Promise Foundation (India) - June 30, 2024
Peter Mutie - Peterson Integrated Communication Institute (Kenya) - June 30, 2023
Delegate-at-Large Representing Academic/ Research:
Ángel Alloza, Corporate Excellence – Centre for Reputation Leadership (Spain) - June 30, 2024
Dr. Amybel Sánchez de Walther, USMP – San Martin de Porres University (Peru) - June 30, 2023
Regional Delegate-at-Large:
Bonnie Caver - IABC- International Association of Business Communicators (USA) - June 30, 2023
Gladys Díaz - Puerto Rico Public Relations Professionals Association (Puerto Rico) - June 30, 2023
Béatrice Guay - Canadian Public Relations Society (Canada) - June 30, 2023
Kia Haring – Procom - Finnish Association of Communication Professionals (Finland) - June 30, 2023
Gonca Karakaş - Tuhid - Turkish Public Relations Association (Turkey) - June 30, 2023
Boy Kelana Soebroto - Perhumas - Indonesia Public Relations Association (Indonesia) - June 30, 2023
Mandy Pearse - CIPR - Chartered Institute of Public Relations (UK) - June 30, 2023
Ana Pista - PRSP - Public Relations Society of the Philippines (Philippines) - June 30, 2023
The President thanked outgoing board member for her contribution made to Global Alliance Patience Nyange from Public Relations Society of Kenya (Kenya).