ASDA’A BURSON-MARSTELLER The International Public Relations
Association (IPRA), an influential professional association for senior
international public relations executives, has constituted its new
global governing body. It comprises members from six different regions
including West Asia, Asia & Oceania, Africa, Europe, North America
and South America. Sunil John, chief executive officer of ASDA’A
Burson-Marsteller, a WPP company and part of the MENACOM (Middle East
and North Africa Communications) Group, has been elected as one of the
two members representing the West Asia region in IPRA’s new global
governing body. Along with Zehra Gungor, founder and managing director
of STAGE Communications in Turkey, John will represent the PR industry
of the region, highlighting the opportunities and challenges faced by
the sector to a global audience. John said: “The public relations
industry in the Middle East and wider West Asia is witnessing
unprecedented shifts led by the epochal socio-political changes sweeping
the region. The prominence given to West Asia by IPRA underlines the
global attention for public relations services in the region. The
election to the governing body of IPRA serves as an opportunity to
highlight the true dynamics of the region’s PR industry and share
industry best practices with international professionals.” The new IPRA
governing body, will be led by Richard Linning of UK as president for
2011; Johanna McDowell of South Africa as president-elect for 2012;
Elizabeth Ananto of Indonesia (president 2010) and Nigel Chism of UK
(treasurer). The first formal meeting of the new governing body will be
held on Oct. 22 in Istanbul, Turkey, in conjunction with the IPRA Golden
World Awards gala.
