PRs at forefront of helping organizations navigate complex situations: Nandini Chatterjee

“The recipients of this year's awards are not merely leaders of tomorrow, they're actually trailblazers of today, and they are reflective of the super high potential that we have, as far as comms talent is concerned in our country,” said Nandini Chatterjee, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, PWC at the 3rd edition of the e4m PR and Corp Comm 30 under 30 Summit and Awards.

She highlighted the rising stars within the communication industry and spoke about identifying the trailblazing next-generation leaders who are actively shaping the future of communication.

Chatterjee highlighted the importance of understanding the ecosystem in communications and emphasized the role of communication in shaping narratives, building relationships, and fostering trust.

She talked about how the business world today is facing a number of disruptions including geopolitical conflicts, socio-economic issues, digital threats like cybersecurity and data privacy issues which all impact the reputation of organizations. “So, this is where the PR and comms professionals come in. PRs are at the forefront, helping our organizations navigate these very complex situations. To do this effectively, we need to equip ourselves so that we are able to anticipate these reputational risks, we can provide relevant, sharp and timely communication to our shareholders, help the employees in our organizations to understand and embrace change and most importantly, align business change.

At the end of the day, we are all there, because we have a purpose to serve, which is to support business. And it is then and only then, that we will be able to achieve our role, which is of protecting our company's image.”

Speaking about the way the comms fraternity needs to look at the current issues and how they should focus on solving them, Chatterjee says, “You know, I think first and foremost, is an understanding of the ecosystem. That's the most important thing. It is essential for joining the dots and being able to counsel our stakeholders. You know Steve Jobs’ definition of creativity, and you may be familiar with this. It was not conjuring something new out of nowhere. It was about connecting the dots which means that one needs to equip oneself with the existence of those dots so that one knows what to connect and when.”

“Today, communication isn't just about conveying a message. It's also about shaping narratives, it is about building relationships and most importantly, it is about fostering trust. We, the PR and communications fraternity, are in a position through effective communication to inspire others to be catalysts for change. We can play a very important role in driving social change. It is we the PR and comms people who have the power to do all this and nowhere it is more evident than in the accomplishments of these brilliant 30 under 30 individuals whom we will be recognising today,” she adds.