In the latest of a series of podcasts with PR industry leaders in the UK PRmoment founder Ben Smith recently interviewed Threepipe owner Jim Hawker

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In the latest of a series of podcasts with PR industry leaders in the UK PRmoment founder Ben Smith recently interviewed Mark Borkowski

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This week I caught up with Angie Moxham, chief monkey at 3 Monkeys Zeno. This is the latest in a series of PRmoment Podcasts with some of the leading lights of UK PR.Angie and I discuss: How she helped build one company, lost it and then built another one How she went to state school and then went to Oxford What it’s like at Oxford, coming from a state school background Her time at Le Fevre Communications How it came about that Le Fevre was sold for £1 What were her worst moments in her career Why she started 3 Monkeys How she grew 3 Monkeys to become a £6m PR firm in 2015* What the sale process looked like when Zeno bought 3 Monkeys* According to the 2016 PRWeek League Tables

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In a not unexpected move, the The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) announced last week that it had imposed its most serious sanction on Bell Pottinger, following its investigation into Bell Pottinger's work for Oakbay Capital in South Africa. The investigation followed a complaint from South Africa's Democratic Alliance. Bell Pottinger will not be eligible to reapply for corporate membership of the PRCA for a minimum period of five years. On the face of it, the PRCA had little choice but to expel Bell Pottinger; if they had not, its own credibility would have been on the line. But the PRCA has been criticised over its handling over a number of issues resulting from Bell Pott Gate and here Francis Ingham covers these. We discuss: Whether the PRCA feels guilty about the impact of the PRCA's decision to expel Bell Pottinger on the large number of potentially innocent staff, who this week, could be concerned about their jobs. Bearing in mind that the PRCA is not a regulatory body, and has approximately 20,000 members in an industry of about 80,000 professionals, by making a push for regulation is the PRCA trying to be something it is not? Whether Francis Ingham regrets that the PRCA sent a promotional email which used the Bell Pottinger scandal to promote the benefits its membership offer. Thanks to Shout! Communications for helping us to produce this podcast

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Today we're interviewing Colin Byrne, CEO of Weber Shandwick UK and EMEA – in the latest of our series of interviews with some of the most high-profile leaders in UK public relations. By day Colin is CEO of the UK's most award-winning PR firm, with 35 years’ communications experience, by night he's a writer, aspiring novelist and musician.His PR experience spans domestic and international public relations.He joined Weber Shandwick in 1995, rising to lead the public affairs practice in London in 1997. He is now CEO of the firm’s UK and EMEA network and a senior member of the global management team. He’s recently announced he’ll be stepping down after more than 20 years at the helm.After several years in private and not-for-profit sector PR, Colin joined the British Labour Party’s communications team in 1987 and was quickly promoted to head of press and broadcasting. He was press aide to Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Jack Straw.He is a visiting fellow at The Reuters School of Journalism at Oxford University and a trustee of ActionAid UK and The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. Colin and I discuss: How he began his career in public relations, finding himself as a press officer at the Automobile Association having previously been unaware that PR existed! How he was very interested in politics from a very early age. Why a letter to Peter Mandelson (then comms director at the Labour Party) in response to an interview Mandelson had done with the Guardian transformed Colin’s career. Why having a mentor was critical to his success. Why Colin never wanted to work for a PR agency. How he enjoyed his time “as a reasonably prominent moth around the Blair flame”.. The challenges of being an agency CEO. The importance of PR people embracing new technologies. Why he’s planning on going “from a well-remunerated senior PR professional to being a penniless aspirant writer”. Why most of the change in public relations over the past 50 years has happened in the last 10 years. How social media and Cannes Lions opening up to PR firms has driven this change. Why we need more kids in PR who are like Jamal Edwards. Why we are living in era of excellent public relations work. Why PR must own the idea. How public relations must recruit from other creative professions, rather than merely recycling “our own”. Colin’s advice for people entering public relations as a career today. Why public relations is now a profession, not just a job, and therefore it needs to act like a profession.

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2017 marks the centenary of the Government Communications Service. To mark the occasion I recently interviewed Alex Aiken, Executive Director for Government Communications on his top three historical campaigns for the UK government communications in the last 100 years.In a wide-ranging discussion Alex and I discussed the context in which the government communication service was founded in 1917 by John Buchan, who interestingly was also the author of the novel 39 Steps. Alex and I discuss the role of the communications innovator Stephen Tallents and his work to move communications from a broadcast discipline to one of dialogue.Alex believes that at the core of government communications is the need to tell the truth credibly. He goes on to talk about how communications now plays a central role in the business of government and is a powerful tool for the government of the day, alongside legislation, regulation and taxation. He believes communications is now recognised as one of the leading professions within government because it delivers for business and government departments. In identiufying his top three historical campaigns he compared the Empire Marketing Board campaign with today's Trade with Britain campaign. He also identified the Keep Calm and Carry On campaign from the war years as one of his favourites. Finally the ongoing public health campaigns that play an important educational role in keeping Britain healthy also make his top 3.

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