‘In India, corp comm is a subset of either the marketing or human resource’

To recognise women leaders’ relentless pursuit of excellence in public relations and corporate communication, exchange4media PR & Corp Comm launched the Women Achievers Awards in 2020. The third edition of the awards in 2022 felicitated women leaders who have been shaping the industry through their incredible work.

The awards recognised women who not only achieved major milestones in their careers but also brought a dynamic change in the PR and corporate communications industry. 

In this series, we feature some of the women leaders who were felicitated at the event. Today, we feature Manallii Ajmera-Metalia, head, corporate communication, IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company Limited, who was bestowed the ‘Communicator of the Year Corp Comm’ award at the e4m PR & Corp Comm Women Achievers Awards. As an accomplished and enthusiastic communication professional, she holds experience across advertising, e-learning, public relations and corporate communications. Equipped with a PG in Advertising & Marketing Communication (AMC) and a diploma in Journalism, she takes up any challenge and seeing it through to a logical conclusion.

Excerpts from the interview: 

Congratulations on your win at the e4m PR & Corp Comm Women Achievers Awards 2022. How do you feel?

I feel humbled and honoured by the recognition at Exchange4Media’s PR & Corp Comm Women Achievers Awards 2022. It feels good to be acknowledged as 'Communicator of the Year' alongside some of the most brilliant minds and communicators from the fraternity. I’m grateful to every individual who has contributed to making my journey meaningful. 

What inspires you on your journey and endeavours?

In today’s day and age, the art of communication is the language of leadership, which is forever evolving and adapting to changing times. Communication is something so simple and yet so complex that we can’t express it in simple words. The challenge of simplifying communication for it to be comprehended the way it should be is what inspires me as a communications professional. The adrenaline rush of overcoming unique challenges that make me think new, think different, and go above and beyond is a major motivating factor.

In what ways have you witnessed the PR and corporate communications industry change and evolve over the years? What global practices would you see implemented in India?

Today, organisations are shifting focus in viewing corporate communication from a specialist function to one that is multi-faceted with complementary proficiencies. PR and corporate communication professionals have moved beyond pitch notes, media releases and media coverages. Today communicators are balancing the traditional skill-set of writing, media engagement and storytelling with hyper-personalised communication in such areas as creative content development, content marketing and social media.

Corporate communicators are growing to play an important role in organisational reforms. Over and above reputation management and internal communication, their role now involves developing a strategy to achieve transformation objectives across all stakeholders – from the work floor to the market arena. As communicators, we are expected to have suitable skill sets to drive strategic communication that is not only aligned with the business but is also data-backed with actionable insights and quantifiable outcomes.

With the evolution of the industry and its role, there is also a dire need for mindset evolution to adapt to some of the best global practices.

Thanks to the pandemic, the last mile consumer has swiftly moved to new-age digital media for consuming news. Long format has given way to short format, easy-to-consume information that needs to be visually appealing and equally interesting. Communication channels have evolved, and we need to have platform-agnostic, hyper-personalised communication. Analysing platform dynamics and deciphering its analytics is essential to create effective and flexible communication that’s seen, heard and noticed by the receiver at the right time and on the relevant platform.

In India, corporate communication largely is a subset of either the marketing or human resource. The functional reporting matrix needs to be firmed up post factoring in the industry specific norms and the overall organisation structure.

Tell us about your most valuable learning from the industry. Where do you foresee the PR and comms industry in the coming days?

Good communication is not a natural gift but an acquired art, which is honed over time. Learning, thus, is an ongoing process in our fast-paced industry, which has its own challenges and opportunities. To effectually communicate we need to know that we are all different in our perception of the world and use this as a guide to communicate fairly in a comprehensible manner.

The PR and corporate communication industry is poised to go full throttle. Today’s contemporary PR and corporate communicators are multidisciplinary, sprightly and insights-driven to usher in an era of  delivering quantifiable value to the business. These professionals are progressively advocating change and enabling transformation in an increasingly complex and diverse stakeholder world.

What would be your message to the future generation of professionals?

Be passionate about your work. Pursue the profession with honesty and integrity. Every person and every situation you encounter will teach you something. Seek a mentor who can guide you along the way to grow into a well-rounded and bright communications professional. Be willing to learn, unlearn, persevere and reinvent yourself to evolve with changing times. 

Prioritisation will help you strike a work-life balance whilst you efficiently multi-task. Ensure you build a strong support system, which helps you deliver nothing but the best both professionally and personally. When you win accolades at work, it is your family and friends who will be genuinely happy for your progress. Make them a part of your journey.

Your hunger to learn more will go a long way in building your credibility. Be mindful about what works for you, what you do well and why and how can you use it to shape your career graph while also contributing in your own way to our industry at large.