Now entering its sixth year, the multi-award-winning programme brings together senior leaders from across the industry with PR and communications professionals from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds. These partnerships are designed to spark candid conversations, challenge bias and drive cultural change by allowing senior leaders to hear first-hand experiences from underrepresented voices in the industry.  

More than 160 professionals have taken part in the programme since its launch in 2021. Previous participating organisations have included BT, Co-op, Virgin Money, Teneo, House of Commons, Freuds, and GolinKetchum. 

Applications are now open for the next cohort of mentors and mentees. Participants will be selected and matched through a joint process led by the Taylor Bennett Foundation and the CIPR, drawing on professionals from across agency and in-house teams. 

The programme will run for 10 months, starting in May 2027. Applications close on Friday 22^nd January 2027.

• Learn more about our joint Reverse Mentoring Programme
• Read our Influence magazine article on the power of reverse mentoring for PR professionals

Now entering its fourth year, the scheme has grown by 50% – a powerful signal that, despite mounting pressure and scrutiny on DEI initiatives, many agencies and in-house teams are reaffirming their commitment to building inclusive cultures. Participating organisations in 2025 include BT, Virgin Money, Freuds, MONY Group, and others.

Over the next 10 months, 20 senior leaders from across the industry will be paired with PR and comms professionals from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds. These partnerships are designed to spark candid conversations, challenge bias, and drive cultural change by allowing senior leaders to hear first-hand experiences from underrepresented voices in the industry.

• All participants were carefully selected and matched through a joint process led by the CIPR and the Taylor Bennett Foundation, drawing on a wide pool of agency and in-house professionals across sectors.
• The programme will run until February 2026.

The scheme supports progressive learning as senior agency and in-house leaders are paired with a PR and comms professional from a Black, Asian, or ethnic minority background. The participants will exchange insights, challenges and their experiences as minorities and discuss forward thinking ideas to encourage EDI and a PR practice that better reflects the diversity of modern society.

The 2024 cohort includes (not limited to):   

Mentors:  

• Alicia Solanki, Senior Vice President (EMEA), Team Lewis  
• Shamma Kelly, PR Manager, Clifford Chance  
• Ed Tan, Account Director, 5654 & Company 
• Andrea Ilaka, Associate Director, Golin  
• Freeha Rafiq, Director, Corporate Communications (Global), Amicus Therapeutics 
• Jinmi Macaulay, Director of External Communications, Data Communications Company 
• Tani Fatuga, Senior Communications Consultant, Hard Numbers  
• Zoe Beard, Senior Manager, PR & Communications, Bitmovin  
• Matthew Geer, Head of Communications & Marketing, Kent Housing Association 
• Ruvina Uppal, Corporate and Tech, Communications Leader  
• Anita Salhotra, Communications Specialist  

Mentees: 

• Andy Williams, Senior Client Services Director, WPR  
• Adam Mack, Head of Strategy, Hope & Glory 
• Selena Callas, Senior Managing Director, Teneo  
• Fiona Laffan, Global Head of Corporate Affairs, ICG  
• Joe Walton, Managing Partner, Fight or Flight  
• Hannah Devoy, Creative Director, Missive  
• Richard Jones, Head of News, Ministry of Justice 
• Elizabeth Kanter, Owner, Avex Government Affairs 
• Jenny Todd, UK Managing Director, Archetype UK 
• Suzanne Morris, Chief Operating Officer, Headland Consultancy  
• Sarah Kent, Managing Director, Whistle PR  
• Caroline Lagden, Head of Colleague Channels & Experience, Lloyds Banking Group 
• Laurian Hubbard, Head of Engagement Services, Welsh Parliament 

• All participants were interviewed and screened by the CIPR and the Taylor Bennett Foundation from a broad range of agencies and in-house working in a variety of sectors.  
• The scheme is expected to end February 2025 and CIPR and the Taylor Bennett Foundation will continue to assess the findings and apply more initiatives to ongoing programmes.  

Designed to help senior leaders understand the challenges faced by practitioners from diverse communities in the PR industry, support the creation of inclusive cultures, and drive lasting change in the PR industry, the scheme will run for just over 10 months.

Applications open following a successful pilot scheme, which paired senior leaders with Black, Asian and ethnic minority PR professional mentors to share insights into what it is like to be a person of colour in the industry, to understand the challenges that are experienced, and to showcase the vital role of informed allyship and inclusive cultures. The scheme also supports and encourages new ways of thinking in how organisations approach all aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Participants in the pilot scheme included mentors from Netflix, Imperial College London and agencies such as Four Communications, with mentees from Google, ARUP, Cardiff University Centre for Journalism and Public Communication and a wide range of agencies including Cicero, Launch and Brands2Life.

Due to the success of the pilot programme, CIPR’s Diversity and Inclusion Network and the Taylor Bennett Foundation are inviting those interested in becoming either a mentor or mentee to apply to the scheme before applications close on 9 December 2022. Full details of the scheme, applicant criteria and how to apply can be found online.

Full details of the Scheme, the applicant criteria and how to apply can be found on the Taylor Bennett Foundation website. 

• Apply to become a mentor.
• Apply to become a mentee.

The nine-month programme offers one-to-one support for young people with a background typically under-represented in the industry. Out of the 80 mentees 51 are female, 33 identify as an ethnic minority, 27 are from low-income households, 17 identify as LGBTQ+, and 7 have a disability.

Mentees will benefit from one-to-mentoring from professionals across the sector who will develop their mentees’ knowledge of the UK political system and help them to get work-ready. The mentees will also have the opportunity to grow their network through a range of workshops and talks from industry experts.

The scheme has been made possible by the support of Astellas Pharmaceuticals, National Grid, WA Communications, GK Strategy as well as the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).