London,
17
September
2021
|
16:57
Europe/London

Steven Shepperson-Smith named 2022 President-elect

Chartered PR Practitioner Steven Shepperson-Smith Chart.PR, Dip CIPR, FCIPR has been named President-Elect of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations for 2022, having stood unopposed in the 2021 Election.

A current director of the CIPR, Steven will succeed Rachel Roberts Chart.PR, MCIPR as President in 2023, the 75th anniversary of the Institute.

Steven is a Senior Corporate Communications Manager at Vodafone and has volunteered with the CIPR for the past 11 years, both as a former member of Council and current CIPR Board member. He Chaired the CIPR Greater London Group through the pandemic in 2020 and is the current Chair of the CIPR Finance Committee.

The CIPR Returning Officer, Martin Turner Found.Chart.PR, MCIPR, declared:

At the close of nominations, 17:00 on Wednesday 15 September 2021, one valid nomination had been received. Following a 48 hour period for any complaints regarding the process, I can now declare that Steven Shepperson-Smith is elected unopposed for the role of President-Elect 2022.

CIPR President, Mandy Pearse Chart PR, FCIPR
Steven has been a dedicated champion of the CIPR for many years, working hard as a volunteer to drive forward the importance of professionalism, ethics, and measurement within the profession. I'm excited to see how his passion and vision for the CIPR will connect and support members and promote the importance of our work to the wider business community. Many congratulations.
CIPR President, Mandy Pearse Chart PR, FCIPR
Steven Shepperson-Smith Chart.PR, Dip CIPR, FCIPR, 2022 President-Elect
This is a great honour and I would like to thank all the members who have spoken with me and offered support in recent weeks. CIPR is the best community in PR and consistently helps practitioners to build careers, businesses and lifelong friendships. In addition, our Charter mission to fight for ethical, honest and transparent communications has never been more important in an era of disinformation and fake news. I will work very hard to support Rachel as President in 2022 and beyond that to build a sustainable future for CIPR so that it can continue to deliver the same value to current and future members that I have enjoyed over the past 23 years.
Steven Shepperson-Smith Chart.PR, Dip CIPR, FCIPR, 2022 President-Elect

List of nominators:

  • Rachael Clamp, Chart.PR
  • Emma Leech, Chart.PR
  • Trudy Lewis, Chart.PR
  • Eva Maclaine, Chart.PR
  • Advita Patel, Chart.PR
  • Sarah Pinch, Chart.PR
  • Rachel Royall, Chart.PR
  • Claire Simpson, Chart.PR
  • Darryl Sparey, Chart.PR
  • John Wilkinson, Chart.PR

Nomination statement:

I would like your vote for President-elect of the CIPR so we can build a stronger CIPR community together that delivers even more for our members.

CIPR has been an important part of my life for over 23 years, giving me the skills, confidence and network to succeed in my career, as well as strong friendships.

Training with CIPR, completing the Diploma, nine years’ Continuous Professional Development and becoming a Chartered Practitioner and Fellow have enabled me to prosper working first in agencies and then in-house, latterly in a senior, global corporate communications role for Vodafone Group Plc.

The more CIPR members connect and support each other, the more we will all get from our membership.

I believe passionately in our values of ethical communication and lifelong learning, and have volunteered with the CIPR for the past 11 years to help others to access the many benefits the Institute offers. I now have the experience and confidence to be an effective, collaborative CIPR President.

I have been a member of two regional Group committees, the Professional Practices Committee and CIPR strategy working group. I Chaired the CIPR Greater London Group through the pandemic in 2020, and also currently Chair the CIPR Finance Committee. I am a former member of Council and current CIPR Board member.

CIPR turns 75 in 2023 and as well as celebrating, we need to invest wisely to create the platform for a bright and sustainable future. So, if elected I want to -

Connect – make it easier to learn, trade, hire and make friends within a growing community. CIPR must invest in digital tools, as well as face to face activities, that help deepen the bonds between members.

Support – empower members to manage and develop in their careers. The #1 PR training and qualifications organisation in the UK can be the world’s first choice in future, supporting our vision of creating a predominantly Chartered profession.

Promote – ensure that the voice of CIPR is heard and respected. In an era of fake news, our Charter commitment to ethical communication has never been more important to the cohesion of global society.

Please give me your vote so that I can build on the great legacy of Rachel, Mandy, Jenni, and other presidents and make CIPR a member-first, inclusive organisation and the strongest community in PR.

 

Boilerplate

About the Chartered Institute of Public Relations

Founded in 1948, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is the world's only Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners in the UK and overseas with nearly 10,000 members.

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).