The past year has been — to put it mildly — consequential. If nothing else, the rise of Generative Artificial Intelligence has dramatically altered the communication landscape. But AI isn’t the only issue that faced communicators in 2023. From remote and hybrid work communication and the evolution of social media (as Twitter flails and younger demographic groups move away from the big dominant networks) to attacks on corporate DEI initiatives and rising levels of misinformation and disinformation, it has been a busy year! Moderator Shel Holtz, SCMP, joined four IABC Fellows for a look back on these issues and trends and how they will shape communication practices in the years ahead.

About the panel

Zora Artis is a leading Alignment, Brand, and Communication Strategist. She works with executive and senior leaders to unlock the value in their people, brands, and organizations through alignment with purpose, promise and strategies, and effective communication. She has over three decades of experience in business, brand, marketing, communication, and advertising, working with government, private, and non-profit sectors. This includes roles as Group Account Director, Strategy Director, and CEO of integrated marcomms and advertising firms. She now runs her own management consulting practice bringing together strategic alignment, capability training, and brand and communications expertise. Zora holds a Master’s in Marketing and Commerce and is a trained facilitator in alignment, design thinking, and business model generation.

An IABC Fellow and a Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute, Zora is also a certified company director, strategic communication management professional, and certified practicing marketer.  Since joining IABC over a decade ago, Zora has served as Chair of the Asia Pacific Region, Audit and Risk Committee, 2022 World Conference PAC, and as an IEB director and local chapter president. She was honored in 2021 and 2015 with the IABC Chair’s Award for Leadership and named 2020 Regional Leader of the Year.  She is an awards judge for the IABC Gold Quill Awards, the IAP2 Core Value Awards, the Australian Marketing Institute Awards, and the global Cannes Lions Awards for Effectiveness.

John G. Clemons, M.S., ABC, SCMP, APR, IABC Fellow, an award-winning, independent communications consultant based in North Carolina, has held senior executive and consultant roles over the course of his career in corporate and organizational communications. He has special expertise in providing strategic counsel and support for top executives and corporate offices of Fortune 500 companies. John has served as Interim Executive Director and Chair of IABC and holds both IABC and PRSA accreditations. John has worked with Walmart, Raytheon, and Marriott (among others). He is also an adjunct professor of PR and communications at the University of North Carolina Charlotte and Loyola University in New Orleans. 

Adrian Cropley is the founder and director of the Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence, a global training and development organization. With a career spanning over 30 years, Adrian has worked with clients worldwide, including Fortune 500 companies, on major change communication initiatives, internal communication reviews and strategies, professional development programs, and executive leadership and coaching. He is a non-executive director on several boards and advises some of the top CEOs and executives globally.

Adrian is a past global chair of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) where he implemented the IABC Career Road Map, kick-started a global ISO certification for the profession, and developed the IABC Academy. Adrian pioneered the Melcrum Internal Communication Black Belt program in Asia Pacific and is a sought-after facilitator, speaker, and thought leader. He has been a keynote speaker and workshop leader on strategic and change communication at international conferences in Canada, the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, Malaysia, Singapore, China, India, Hong Kong, Thailand, New Zealand, and Australia. He has received numerous awards including IABC Gold Quill Awards for communication excellence, and his Agency received Boutique Agency of the Year 6 years running.

Adrian is the Chair of the Industry Advisory Committee for the RMIT School of Media and Communication and a Fellow of both the IABC and RSA. In 2017 he was awarded the Medal to Order of Australia for his contribution to the field of communication.

Edward “Ned” Lundquist is a retired U.S. Navy captain with 33 years of professional public affairs and strategic communications experience. He is a principal science writer at MCR Federal in McLean, Virginia, supporting government clients; and has his own company, Echo Bridge LLC, which provides outreach and advocacy support to commercial clients. He served on active duty for 24 years in the U.S. Navy as a surface warfare officer and public affairs specialist. Captain Lundquist was a Pentagon spokesman with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, Director of the Fleet Home Town News Center, and director of public affairs and corporate communications for the Navy Exchange Service Command. His last tour of duty was commanding the 450 men and women of the Naval Media Center. He is an accredited business communicator and award-winning communicator who served as president of IABC/Hampton Roads and IABC/Washington, director of U.S. District 3, and chair of the International Accreditation Council. He was named an IABC Fellow in 2016. Captain Lundquist is a member of the executive committee of the Surface Navy Association and chair of the SNA communications committee. He writes for numerous naval, maritime, and defense publications and chairs and presents at communications, naval, and maritime security conferences worldwide.

The post Circle of Fellows #99: A Look Back at 2023 in Communications appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.