Rob Brown completes CIPR Board of Directors line-up with two co-options
CIPR President 2016, Rob Brown FCIPR, has completed the line-up of this year's CIPR Board of Directors with confirmation of two co-opted appointments, following the previous announcement of elected Board members in December 2015.
Colin Byrne, Chief Executive Officer, UK & EMEA at Weber Shandwick and Keith Coni, Deputy Director at Government Communication Service (GCS), Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Office, were nominated by 2016 CIPR President Rob Brown, and have been co-opted by the elected Board members.
Industry bodies have a leadership role and, to fulfil that effectively, they need to involve senior people within the industry. Colin is one of the UK's most senior PR figures from the agency sector and Keith operates at the highest level in the public sector. I'm delighted that they'll be joining the board of the CIPR. They will elevate the status of the CIPR in the eyes of members and non members alike.
I have been in the PR business for over 30 years. I have seen the industry grow in professionalism, status, influence, popularity as a career destination with young and less young – but not always in reputation or diversity. Along with the PRCA, whose board I have been part of for some years, the CIPR has a crucial role to play in professionalism and reputation in our industry and I would like to give whatever support I can.
I'm very excited to be part of the CIPR Board to ensure that as the GCS changes we learn from the wider profession and reinforce the exchange between the public sector and the commercial and third sectors.
Our two bodies share common ambitions for our members and common experiences. I am looking forward to sharing some interesting contrasts in approaches and providing an external perspective on the mission to professionalise the role of public relations, against the backdrop of a changing communications landscape.
Over the next 12 months I’m confident that we can work together to meet this challenge, and bring lasting benefit to both the GCS and the CIPR.
The Institute’s new Board of Directors took up office for one year on 1 January 2016. Their first meeting of the year will be on 11 February.
The 2016 Board comprises public relations professionals from a diverse range of backgrounds, working as independent practitioners, in award-winning agencies, or previously for in-house teams across both the private and public sectors. Board members also come from across the length and breadth of the UK.
Of the nine, four Honorary Officers are directly elected by the entire membership, three further Directors are elected by the CIPR Council and two, Colin and Keith, have been appointed by the President.
- 2016 President – Rob Brown FCIPR, Accredited PR Practitioner, Managing Director at Rule 5
- Past President – Sarah Pinch Chart.PR FCIPR, Founder at Pinch Point Communications
- President Elect – Jason MacKenzie Found.Chart.PR FCIPR, Managing Director at Liquid
- Honorary Treasurer – John Wilkinson Chart.PR FCIPR, Owner & Managing Director at Wilkinson PR & Communications
- Abi Owers MCIPR, Accredited Practitioner, Director of Earned and Social Media at McCann Manchester
- Lindsey Collumbell Chart.PR MCIPR, Independent PR Practitioner at Bojangle Communications Ltd.
- Paul Wilkinson FCIPR, Accredited Practitioner, Director at pwcom.co.uk Ltd.
- Colin Byrne, Chief Executive Officer, UK & EMEA, Weber Shandwick
- Keith Coni, Deputy Director at Government Communication Service, Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Office
Notes to editors
About the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)Founded in 1948, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is the Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners in the UK and overseas. The CIPR is the largest membership organisation for PR practitioners outside of North America. By size of turnover and number of individually registered members, we are the leading representative body for the PR profession and industry in Europe.
The CIPR advances professionalism in public relations by making its members accountable to their employers and the public through a code of conduct and searchable public register, setting standards through training, qualifications, awards and the production of best practice and skills guidance, facilitating Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and awarding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner status (Chart.PR).