Would like to see more Indian PRs in Global PR forum: Farzana Baduel

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 the 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 Farzana Baduel, CEO of London-based Curzon PR, who was bestowed with the “Global PR Leader of the Year” award in the third edition of the e4m PR & Corp Comm Women Achievers Awards.

Baduel is a passionate advocate of strategic communications, in particular its role in promoting international trade, cross-border investment and cultural diplomacy across the developed and developing world. A regular media commentator on PR and business issues, her views sought by leading broadcasters, newspapers and industry publications. Baduel’s experience and expertise have seen her appointed Resident Public Relations expert and Ambassador for the Oxford Foundry, the University of Oxford’s entrepreneurship centre, and formerly as Vice-Chair of Business Relations for the UK Conservative Party.

Excerpts from the interview:

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

I am thrilled at the award win and feel incredibly honoured to achieve the award, especially from my peers in the PR industry. I also am incredibly grateful for my team, both past and present, who have helped me in the journey to achieving the award. Without their hard work and talent, I would not be able to have the opportunity to learn from my colleagues; and I value their support.

What inspires you on your journey and endeavours?

Pursuing knowledge and honing my skills inspire me as I aspire to be the best PR that I can be.  I am constantly looking for ways to improve and PR is a dynamic industry that continues to evolve and bring new learning opportunities.

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?

Over a decade ago, media relations was a core service within PR firms and now, demand for this traditional PR service has dramatically dwindled as content has grown into a dominant demand from clients. I have also witnessed the rise of our industry PR, which was previously seen as lower down the pecking order from brand and marketing. However, due to the rise of stakeholder capitalism, we are increasingly enjoying an elevation to the CEO's agenda, as the new way of doing business means looking after all stakeholders and not just customers. 

Data has revolutionised our approach to measurement and evaluation alongside digital channels, allowing PRs to demonstrate value more than ever. India is set to overtake China next year in terms of population. And as its growth trajectory increases with its political and economic power, I would like to see India-based PRs more visible in the 'Global PR' forums as they represent a significant part of the world population. Moreover, Global PR summits and reports cannot be seen credibly as global if they do not include the Indian perspective.  

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

The most valuable learning from the industry has been to be aware of the mental health impact of working in the industry. Short timelines and managing multiple variables, some of which are beyond our control, can lead to stress. Recent surveys have spotlighted the PR industry as one of the most stressful industries to work in. Therefore, raising awareness of this vulnerability is key. Creating an environment that is conducive to building resilience is important, whether it is by building trust in teams or embedding well-being measures in your daily schedule.

AI is increasingly disrupting our industry as we already have tools like Grammarly, which has evolved from basic spelling and grammar checks to sentiment analysis and tone detection. Some articles and blogs are already written by AI and their sophistication is growing. Nascent deep-tech solutions are making inroads into our industry, where some tasks will be increasingly automated and, as practitioners, we will have to accept that change is the norm. Image generation powered by AI is becoming ubiquitous and its application can be extended to other formats. Crisis communications will continue to grow due to the acceleration of technology coupled with multi-power bases growing on the geopolitical landscape. Internal communications will also rise in importance as organisations grapple with hybrid and remote teams and use internal communications as a culture-building tool.  

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

Build your resilience and accept change as a constant. Follow your curiosity.