The PR Week

Maybe the biggest news to come out of PRWeek’s Agency Business Report 2025 was that Real Chemistry supplanted Edelman as the No. 1 PR firm in the U.S. by revenue for 2024. 

Real Chemistry CEO Shankar Narayanan talks about that honor, and what the disposal of specialist shop Swoop will mean for his firm, on the latest edition of The PR Week podcast. He also previews Real Chemistry’s presence at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, talks about how nearly all of his firm’s work is rooted in communications and discusses what happens when large organizations combine — spoiler: they don’t become more creative. 

Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, from the opening honorees on 

PRWeek’s Pride in PR list to McDonald’s chief impact officer Michael Gonda’s new job at Nike.  

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This week’s episode of The PR Week podcast comes to you from PRWeek’s Women of Distinction event at The Lighthouse at Pier 61 in New York City.

PRWeek’s associate news editor Diana Bradley and reporter Julia Walker discuss this year’s Women of Distinction and Women to Watch honorees. 

Additionally, they give highlights from a panel held with comms execs from Wendy’s, McDonald’s and Merck on coping with RTO mandates as moms and a talk with Baked by Melissa CEO and cofounder Melissa Ben-Ishay.

The episode also includes conversations with honorees from on and off the stage at the event.

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PRWeek toasted the best international work last week at the PRWeek Global Awards in London. Here’s a special behind-the-scenes look at the show with Andy Pharoah, VP of corporate affairs and sustainability at Mars and chair of judges for the awards program. 

Weber Shandwick was the big winner, taking home six awards from the Jumeirah Carlton Tower, in the heart of Knightsbridge, London.

Plus, here’s a recap of the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including Adam Collins stepping down from the top comms job at Molson Coors, major hires at Eli Lilly and Company and Jeep and a tribute to Al Tortorella, a key figure in Tylenol’s 1982 crisis response. 

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The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is Dan Kramer, chief executive of global shareholder services at Equiniti. 

On the agenda: Kramer talks about his company’s recent acquisition of earned media platform Notified, working with PR and investor relations clients that report up through different parts of the business and how companies like his are using AI. 

Plus, PRWeek senior reporter Jess Ruderman with the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including 

a major agency people move and a perspective on how influencers and brands are monetizing personal relationships.

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The latest guest on The PR Week — and not just any week, but Agency Business Report week — is Doug Thornell, CEO of SKDK, a firm that was up 26% in 2025 by revenue earned. 

He talks about the current complicated operating environment, which includes giving advice to clients about issues such as President Donald Trump’s promise to institute a 100% tariff on foreign-made movies. 

Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, from the just-convened Papal Conclave to Jack Leslie’s return to Weber Shandwick in an advisory role. 

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The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is busy putting out a shingle for her own consultancy, Pam Goldstein Advisory.

Pam Goldstein previously had a long tenure at McDonald’s and before that worked as a corporate communications and crisis wrangler at Edelman. She talks about the type of professional it takes to handle a corporate crisis and the kinds of work her firm will focus on.

Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, from the resignation of Columbia University’s top communications executive to the PRWeek Agency Business Report 2025 Rankings, are featured on this edition of the podcast. 

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Before joining Bully Pulpit International, Jeff Nussbaum was a speechwriter for former President Joe Biden and helped to direct speechwriting and messaging operations at four Democratic National Conventions. 

He’s also the author of the book “Undelivered,” which takes a deep dive into addresses that never saw the light of day from historical figures including former Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon. 

Nussbaum joins The PR Week to talk about how he gets into the voice of a corporate client, and discusses the importance of humor in effective communications. 

Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including the White House Correspondents Dinner, major people moves and reaction to the death of Pope Francis.

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Steve Lombardo recently returned to the agency world at the helm of strategic communications and public affairs shop Adfero. His range of experience includes stops at Koch Industries, Edelman-owned StrategyOne and the presidential campaigns of former President George HW Bush and Mitt Romney. 

He talks about what he sees as the most important news coming out of Washington, DC, and the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including Publicis Groupe and Omnicom Group earnings and the effects of tariffs on the agency business.

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When a crisis hits, communicators are the ones working behind the scenes to fix the problem and rescue a brand’s reputation. 

This episode of The PR Week comes to you live from the 2025 PRWeek Crisis Comms Conference, where leaders from media, corporate communications and public affairs shared what it takes to stay steady under pressure.

You’ll hear from Judy Smith, whose career inspired Scandal; NFL SVP Katie Hill on managing a live emergency; and former Boeing and White House communications aide Brian Besanceney. 

Plus, Audrey Cooper of New York Public Radio unpacks the media’s shifting role, and reaction from panelists on how to engage audiences that don’t want to listen.

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AJ Jones II is back full-time in Washington, DC, with a new job leading communications for Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the owner of the NBA’s Washington Wizards, the NHL’s Washington Capitals, the WNBA’s Washington Mystics and other sports brands. 

Jones talks about making the transition to the sports world from Starbucks, where he was EVP and chief corporate affairs officer and previously EVP and chief communications and public affairs officer. 

There’s no shortage of other news coming out of Washington, DC, including Wednesday’s major tariff announcements and significant job cuts across communications teams in the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Jones also offers his two cents on the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including April Fools’ Day campaigns and major people moves at Andreessen Horowitz and Roche Diagnostics. 

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