PR for Humans with Mike Sergeant Mike Sergeant

Francesco Lombardo is a much-sought after international speaker and trusted advisor who has coached some of the world’s most successful and affluent families for over twenty years. Through his extensive work with  families, Lombardo has identified a universal connection between people’s relationship to money (Money Motto) and the impact this has on their families, businesses and legacies.
His methodology and coaching approach - finding 'safe space' - is also highly valuable for communicators, business leaders and anyone who wants to know how to own and control their story. 

Inbound PR refers to a new way of thinking about modern Public Relations. Inbound PR combines the best of two worlds - PR's core strength in content and writing and inbound marketing's ability to plan with numbers in mind and measure throughout the way. With the Inbound PR concept, PR people continue to focus on what they are great at (content) but also manage to alleviate the industry's biggest challenge - measurement and proving bottom line results. 
Iliyana Stareva is Global Partner Program Manager at HubSpot, where she plans and executes cross-functional change across global teams and drives all internal communication for the Partner Program. With a background in PR and agency business consulting as well as a fluent speaker and writer in Bulgarian, English, and German, she is the author of Inbound PR, Social Media and the Rebirth of PR and Social Media: Key for Sustainability Communications.

In this episode, Mike talks to Shimon Cohen - Founder and Chairman of The PR Office. Shimon is a rarity in the PR world: someone who actually seems proud to be doing PR! While most agencies seem to be busy trying to reinvent themselves as 'digital influencers' or 'content strategists' or 'insight specialists' or 'strategic consultants', Shimon provides clients with "what they actually want" - which, in his view, is always either to be in the news or out of the news. To be talked about. Or to get people to stop talking about them. 

In his varied career, Shimon has advised a wide range of clients ranging from Governments and multinational corporations to public and voluntary sector organisations. Prior to founding The PR Office in 2004, Shimon served as Chief Executive of Bell Pottinger Public Relations and before that Shimon was Executive Director at The Office of the then Chief Rabbi, Lord Jakobovits.

In one memorable story, Shimon recounts how he came to write a speech for Nelson Mandela and then advise Madiba on how to deliver it!

Global charities and NGOs haven't escaped reputational scrutiny in recent years. As global communications director for Save the Children International, Kirsten Walkom is steering a new approach to storytelling and communications. 

The sector remains heavily reliant on powerful case studies and a sense of 'doing good'. But new levels of transparency and scrutiny mean that organisations like Save the Children have to be more agile and sophisticated in their public engagement. 

This episode is a must-listen for anyone thinking of going into charity comms, or anyone who wants to understand the fascinating challenge of steering the reputation of a major international charity.

Issues heavy - but light in texture: listen to Mike and Kirsten in conversation!
 

Farzana Baduel is the founder and CEO of Curzon PR. As a passionate advocate of strategic communications, she champions the power of PR as a dynamic force for building bridges and unifying the world’s voices into a global narrative. She set up Curzon PR in 2009, having previously served as Vice Chair of Business Relations for the UK Conservative Party.
Farzana has been appointed as the resident public relations expert and ambassador for the Oxford Foundry, the University of Oxford’s entrepreneurship centre, where she delivers masterclasses in PR and mentors female entrepreneurs. She is a committed campaigner for the economic empowerment of women. She is the founder of TiE Women (London). TiE is the largest global entrepreneur network in the world.

Annastiina Hintsa – the Chief Operating Officer of Hintsa Performance and the daughter of the company’s founder Dr Aki Hintsa – talks about the history of the Hintsa approach to wellbeing. From Ethiopia to the top of Formula 1 motorsport and into the boardrooms of the world, Stiina's mission is to help us optimise rather than maximise performance. 

What does that mean? How do we do it? And why is this important for leadership and communication? Find out in this episode of the podcast.