Participants in a group photo
Public Relations and communications professionals have been urged to embrace continuous reinvention, strategic leadership and ethical influence to remain relevant amid advances in artificial intelligence and rising demands for accountability.
The call was made at the climax of the 10th Women in PR Ghana Annual Summit held in Accra under the theme, “Positioning Women in PR Ghana as Catalysts for Strategic Influence and Change.”
The three-day event brought together communications professionals, corporate executives, policymakers, academics and students to discuss the future of strategic communications.
Delivering the closing keynote, Senior Strategic Communications Leader, Gifty Bingley, said careers must evolve with the world. Speaking on “The Career Nobody Plans For: Lessons on Reinvention, Relevance and Influence,” she urged practitioners to adapt before change forces them.
“Careers evolve because the world evolves. Staying relevant means choosing to adapt before change forces you to,” she said. “Relevance is not what you claim. It is what your work consistently demonstrates.”
Coordinating Director of the Public Affairs Subdivision of Parliament, Kate Addo, also challenged communicators to deepen their understanding of policymaking to contribute meaningfully to national development.
“Policy cannot be influenced by communicators who do not understand it,” she said. “Understanding the nuances is what gives communication its power.”
A panel on Ghana’s Data Protection Act featured Teki Akuetteh of Africa Digital Rights Hub, Ohenewaa Brown, and Senanu Datsa of CalBank PLC.
They urged organisations to treat data protection as a matter of trust and reputation, not just legal compliance.
President of Women in PR Ghana, Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny, said the Summit had grown beyond a conference into a platform for mentorship, networking and leadership development.
The event celebrated founder Faith Senam Ocloo for her pioneering role and launched activities for the organisation’s 10th anniversary, including research on women in PR and national advocacy initiatives.
Founder of The Bold New Normal,Lucy Quist, urged PR professionals to become strategic advisers.
“If PR only manages messages, it is underperforming; real influence begins when communication starts shaping how leaders think and decide,” she said.
Rosy Fynn, Country Director of Mastercard Foundation Nigeria, said credibility, integrity and consistency sustain leadership more than visibility.
A Daily Guide Report