# Earned First
> Powering the next era of PR intelligence. Part of the PRomise Foundation. 
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. Use `/llms-full.txt` for consolidated page and post context.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [About Earned First](https://www.earned-first.com/about.md) - Earned First is a groundbreaking media and events community dedicated to elevating public relations and corporate affairs professionals across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.
- [Advisory Council](https://www.earned-first.com/advisory-council.md) - The Earned First Advisory Council is a group of globally respected industry figures who help guide and elevate the community’s development.
- [Consultancy Performance Index](https://www.earned-first.com/consultancy-performance-index.md) - Our comprehensive evaluation framework identifies and recognises the industry's most innovative and impactful PR consultancies. Currently open for submissions from PR consultancies in Asia-Pacific and Africa.
- [The Earned First Podcast](https://www.earned-first.com/earned-first-podcast.md) - Essential industry analysis and insights for PR and communications leaders.
- [Events & Partnerships](https://www.earned-first.com/events.md) - Partner with Earned First and the PRomise Foundation at its upcoming 2026 events.
- [Partners](https://www.earned-first.com/partners.md) - Earned First thanks its anchor partners, who help to support its journalism, events and research.
- [PRAXIS Asia-Pacific](https://www.earned-first.com/praxis-asia-pacific.md) - The inaugural international edition of PRAXIS took place in Singapore on 14 October 2025, focused on the theme of Communications at the Crossroads, attracting more than 200 participants to the National Gallery.
- [PRAXIS MENA](https://www.earned-first.com/praxis-mena.md) - The inaugural international edition of PRAXIS MENA took place in Abu Dhabi on 3 February 2026, focused on the theme of From Message to Mission, attracting more than 150 participants to the Saadiyat Rotana.
- [Reputation Capital Council](https://www.earned-first.com/research-reputation-capital-council.md) - The Council has been established to support groundbreaking research by Sandpiper Research & Insights and Earned First into how organisations build, manage and deploy reputation as a strategic asset.

## Posts
- [PR 2030: "Strategic" perception belies functional reality](https://www.earned-first.com/pr-2030-strategic-perception-belies-functional-reality.md) - The inaugural PR 2030 Transformation Study finds communicators across Asia, the Middle East and Africa winning the argument on strategic value, but without the access or responsibility that should follow.
- [Jeremy Seow steps down from Allison](https://www.earned-first.com/jeremy-seow-steps-down-fallison-asia-pacific-coo.md) - Allison's Asia-Pacific chief operating officer left the Stagwell firm last month, after more than six years.
- [The age of a single global reputation is over | Partner Content](https://www.earned-first.com/the-age-of-a-single-global-reputation-is-over-partner-content.md) - The AI era is fast rendering the 'single global reputation' playbook obsolete. The Hoffman Agency's Isabelle Demaude on why comms leaders now need cultural intelligence, not just cultural awareness.
- [Podcast: Culture, Cannes & cockroaches with Charlotte Mceleny 🎙️](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-culture-cannes-cockroaches-with-charlotte-mceleny.md) - A wide-ranging discussion that explores how trust underpins everything from creators to AI to Gen Z political movements.
- [The battle for GEO](https://www.earned-first.com/the-battle-for-geo.md) - As search becomes a reputation environment, questions about GEO ownership risk diminishing the full communications remit.
- [Mainardo de Nardis steps down as Edelman president & COO](https://www.earned-first.com/mainardo-de-nardis-steps-down-as-edelman-president-coo.md) - Mainardo de Nardis will remain on Edelman's board, stepping down from president/COO duties after less than a year.
- [Zeno snaps up ex-Axicom leaders to bolster growth](https://www.earned-first.com/zeno-snaps-up-ex-axicom-leaders-to-bolster-growth.md) - Zeno has hired former Axicom heads Matt Lackie, Lisa Sullivan and Jake Green to oversee "next chapter of growth".
- [⌛️ Early Bird ends on 31 July | PRAXIS Asia-Pacific](https://www.earned-first.com/early-bird-ends-on-31-july-praxis-asia-pacific.md) - PRAXIS Asia-Pacific returns to the National Gallery Singapore on 7 October to examine the Earned Imperative.
- [The government dividend 🇮🇳](https://www.earned-first.com/the-government-dividend.md) - As 'cockroach' protests erode the state's credibility, new data reveals the PR sector's growing proximity to power.
- [PR in Cannes: Exploring the era of relationship capital](https://www.earned-first.com/pr-in-cannes-exploring-the-era-of-relationship-capital.md) - ICCO's PR in Cannes roundtable explored how trust is migrating from institutions to networks.
- [Resilience is Africa's competitive advantage 🌍](https://www.earned-first.com/resilience-is-africas-competitive-advantage.md) - The continent's strongest consultancies are pairing sustained commercial performance with more sophisticated advisory, measurement and AI capabilities.
- [Africa Consultancy Performance Index: Leaders' Shortlist](https://www.earned-first.com/africa-consultancy-performance-index-leaders-shortlist.md) - Earned First's Index Champions will be revealed at PRAXIS Africa in Nairobi on 26 August.
- [Brazen hires Angeline Tan to lead Asia-Pacific expansion](https://www.earned-first.com/brazen-hires-angeline-tan-to-lead-asia-pacific-expansion.md) - Middle East PR firm launches in Asia-Pacific with offices in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
- [Earned First Awards: Final extension ⌛️](https://www.earned-first.com/earned-first-awards-final-extension.md) - In response to popular demand, entries will remain open until 20 July.
- [Finn Partners acquires Australia's Honner](https://www.earned-first.com/finn-partners-acquires-australias-honner.md) - Finn's acquisition of the financial and corporate comms agency marks the independent firm's expansion into the Australian market.
- [Edelman appoints APAC production and studio leaders](https://www.earned-first.com/edelman-appoints-apac-production-and-studio-leaders.md) - Jack Shillito and Edmund Quah join the global content and production hub.
- [Silent abandonment a bigger brand risk than public outrage, says Ogilvy](https://www.earned-first.com/silent-abandonment-a-bigger-brand-risk-than-public-outrage-says-ogilvy.md) - Research finds more than 90% of APAC consumers disengage from brands that let them down without posting anything about their experience online.
- [Real Chemistry launches APAC hub via Spurwing acquisition](https://www.earned-first.com/real-chemistry-launches-apac-hub-via-spurwing-acquisition.md) - Spurwing founder Emma Thompson becomes president of APAC growth at world's biggest healthcare communications firm.
- [We Communications names corporate and AI and data advisory leaders for APAC](https://www.earned-first.com/we-communications-names-corporate-and-ai-and-data-advisory-leaders-for-apac.md) - The appointments aim to help businesses with transformation challenges and to derive better results from AI usage.
- [We owe the media more than this](https://www.earned-first.com/we-owe-the-media-more-than-this.md) - PR has long been grounded in its relationships with the media. Yet in response to the LLM-driven gutting of journalism, our industry’s response has been to take more and give nothing back.
- [Julianna Richter exits Ogilvy PR](https://www.earned-first.com/julianna-richter-exits-ogilvy-pr.md) - Julianna Richter is leaving Ogilvy PR after six years as global CEO
- [Earned First Awards: Less than one week left ⌛️](https://www.earned-first.com/earned-first-awards-less-than-one-week-left.md) - Entries to the inaugural Earned First Asia-Pacific Awards will close on 7 July.
- [Cannes learns context 🦁](https://www.earned-first.com/cannes-learns-context.md) - As someone who has chronicled the PR sector's uneven emergence at Cannes since 2009, there are good reasons for optimism.
- [From creativity to the C-suite: comms themes that emerged from Cannes](https://www.earned-first.com/from-creativity-to-the-c-suite-comms-themes-that-emerged-from-cannes.md) - AI found rare optimism at Cannes, the CCO continued its evolution to enterprise strategist, Chinese brands are exporting culture, and earned trust is the only currency that survives an age of insularity.
- [Cannes: Relationships over algorithms](https://www.earned-first.com/cannes-relationships-over-algorithms.md) - Insights from an Earned First/Zeno dinner that brought together marketing and communications leaders as Cannes 2026 drew to a close.
- [Cannes Podcast: Chris Foster on creative shifts, earned momentum and acquisition lessons](https://www.earned-first.com/cannes-podcast-chris-foster-on-creative-shifts-earned-momentum-and-acquisition-lessons.md) - The Omnicom PR CEO on why creativity is shifting toward influence, what AI means for earned media, and what seven months of building the industry's largest PR network has taught him.
- [Cannes Podcast: Craig Buchholz on the PR Grand Prix, the CCO's rise and more](https://www.earned-first.com/cannes-podcast-craig-buchholz-on-the-pr-grand-prix-the-ccos-rise-and-more.md) - The Burson US CEO speaks to Earned First at Cannes Lions 2026, the morning after the agency's PR Grand Prix win.
- [Cannes: This year's communications themes](https://www.earned-first.com/cannes-this-years-communications-themes.md) - Earned First editors Arun Sudhaman and David Blecken recap 2026 Cannes Lions themes, including the emergence of CCOs and the PR sector's increasing confidence on the Croisette.
- [Cannes Podcast: We's Nitin Mantri on community, crisis and counsel](https://www.earned-first.com/cannes-podcast-wes-nitin-mantri-on-community-crisis-and-counsel.md) - The We. Communications Asia-Pacific president discusses brand communities, crisis-prone startups, and the region's growth outlook.
- [Cannes Podcast: Jim O'Leary on agency upheaval, AI myths & Cannes' transformation](https://www.earned-first.com/cannes-podcast-jim-oleary-on-agency-upheaval-ai-myths-cannes-transformation.md) - Penta's global CEO on why he sees more change ahead in the next five years than the previous five decades, the gap between agencies' AI claims and substance, and how Cannes itself is being remade by technology.
- [Cannes: Why human judgement matters more than ever in an AI world](https://www.earned-first.com/cannes-why-human-judgement-matters-more-than-ever-in-an-ai-world.md) - As AI becomes ubiquitous, sound judgement, good taste and the ability to build trust are valuable differentiators, according to communications leaders at a Penta roundtable in Cannes.
- [International president Ed Williams departs Edelman](https://www.earned-first.com/international-president-ed-williams-departs-edelman.md) - Edelman's regional leaders will now report directly to global president and COO Mainardo de Nardis.
- [Cannes Podcast: Zeno's Barby Siegel and Thomas Bunn on the CMO-CCO growth gap](https://www.earned-first.com/cannes-podcast-zenos-barby-siegel-and-thomas-bunn-on-the-cmo-cco-growth-gap.md) - In the first our Cannes podcasts, Zeno global CEO Barby Siegel and chief client impact officer Thomas Bunn examine the firm's Clarity 2030 research, which studies CMO attitudes toward reputation, earned media, and AI discoverability.
- [Edelman bets on holding company disruption for growth](https://www.earned-first.com/edelman-bets-on-holding-company-disruption-for-growth.md) - Richard Edelman says geopolitics, not competition, cost the firm growth in the first half of the year.
- [Cannes: KitKat wins PR Grand Prix for 'Heist'](https://www.earned-first.com/cannes-kitkat-wins-pr-grand-prix-for-heist.md) - Burson London was also named the inaugural PR Agency of the Year.
- [Nestlé names sustainability chief as CCO](https://www.earned-first.com/nestle-names-sustainability-chief-as-cco.md) - Antonia Wanner succeeds Lisa Gibby at world's largest F&B company.
- [Cannes bubbles rise again 🫧](https://www.earned-first.com/cannes-bubbles-rise-again.md) - Creativity helps us make sense of larger truths, but the line between myth-making and fabrication is a thin one.
- [The CCO's unsteady ascent 📈](https://www.earned-first.com/the-ccos-unsteady-ascent.md) - As communicators take a seat at the top table, they must work out how they are going to stay there.
- [Podcast: Tetsuya Honda on Japan Inc's global comms challenges](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-tetsuya-honda-on-japan-incs-global-comms-challenges.md) - The founder of Honda Office and PR Collective Asia on why Japanese companies are under-communicating in Southeast Asia.
- [Vietnam's long game | Partner Content](https://www.earned-first.com/vietnams-long-game-partner-content.md) - In this edition of Independents’ Day — Earned First’s monthly series in partnership with PROI — Arthur Do talks trust, complexity, and why the regional playbook keeps failing in Vietnam.
- [Earned First at Cannes 2026 🦁](https://www.earned-first.com/earned-first-at-cannes-2026.md) - Join us at our Cannes events or follow our coverage from the Croisette.
- [Golin Ketchum takes flight](https://www.earned-first.com/golin-ketchum-takes-flight.md) - Omnicom PR's Golin Ketchum launches with a new brand and leadership team.
- [Japan's domestic playbook is no longer enough](https://www.earned-first.com/japans-domestic-playbook-is-no-longer-enough.md) - This week's newsletter examines the structural trends reshaping Japan's communications sector, Burson's hire of Jonty Summers, OPR's new A-P lineup, and much more.
- [Podcast: Burson's Red Surtida on GEO's 'credibility paradox'](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-bursons-red-surtida-on-geos-credibility-paradox.md) - Burson's Asia-Pacific head of intelligence and transformation joins the podcast to explore how AI answer engines assess brand content.
- [Omnicom PR's Asia-Pacific lineup takes shape](https://www.earned-first.com/omnicom-pr-creates-asia-pacific-leadership-lineup.md) - A number of agency leaders from FleishmanHillard, Golin and Weber Shandwick have accepted new positions under newly-installed Omnicom PR CEO Joanne Wong.
- [Leadership lacks credibility in GEO era, Burson study finds](https://www.earned-first.com/leadership-lacks-credibi-in-geo-era-burson-study-finds.md) - Research shows that corporate brands and leaders can be highly visible in AI-generated answers yet completely fail to win audience trust for lack of proof.
- [Ex-Sodali leaders establish capital markets advisory firm](https://www.earned-first.com/former-sodali-leaders-launch-capital-markets-advisory-firm.md) - Alleato opens with 35 people across three Australian cities, including the acquisition of design agency Rifle Media.
- [Former Allison affiliates launch new consultancy brands](https://www.earned-first.com/former-allison-affiliates-launch-pr-agency-brands.md) - Alkimyx Global's launch in India comes after Hyper M in Korea, both led by former Allison affiliates.
- [Jonty Summers to depart Hanover Middle East](https://www.earned-first.com/jonty-summers-to-depart-hanover-middle-east.md) - Samantha Gregson Donnelly has taken over as MD of Hanover Middle East.
- [Of cockroaches & credibility🪳](https://www.earned-first.com/of-cockroaches-credibility.md) - India's Cockroach Janta Party has 22 million Instagram followers, no formal ideology, and many lessons for communicators paying attention to the power of frustrated youth.
- [KKR expands A-P comms team with new appointments](https://www.earned-first.com/kkr-expands-a-p-comms-team-with-new-appointments.md) - KKR's latest senior addition is Jinal Parekh as assistant VP in Mumbai.
- [Cheering at the wake](https://www.earned-first.com/cheering-at-the-wake.md) - Earned media is back, they say, but earned from what, and paid for by whom?
- [The hard road from disruptor to respected sports brand](https://www.earned-first.com/the-hard-road-from-disruptor-to-respected-sports-brand.md) - The Enhanced Games and LIV Golf are two sporting properties with a shared challenge: getting attention and earning legitimacy are entirely different games.
- [Introducing Earned First's Workplace Monitor](https://www.earned-first.com/introducing-earned-firsts-workplace-monitor.md) - Our new research programme will offer a comprehensive assessment of employee sentiment and satisfaction at both PR agencies and in-house departments across Asia-Pacific.
- [Vector rethinks global push as founder loses control](https://www.earned-first.com/vector-rethinks-global-push-as-founder-loses-control.md) - Japan's biggest PR firm had ambitious plans to overtake Edelman atop the global rankings, but a debt crisis has put an unconventional entrepreneur/entertainer in charge.
- [Podcast: Holding groups, CMOs & Cannes with Charlotte Mceleny](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-holding-groups-cmos-cannes-with-charlotte-mceleny.md) - Industry journalist Charlotte Mceleny joins the podcast to discuss pressing questions at a time of significant marcomms disruption.
- [Omnicom PR names Joanne Wong as Asia-Pacific CEO](https://www.earned-first.com/omnicom-pr-names-joanne-wong-as-asia-pacific-ceo.md) - New international structure installs OPR leads at regional and local levels, displacing several existing senior roles at Weber Shandwick, FleishmanHillard and Golin.
- [Enter Now: Asia-Pacific Consultancy Performance Index 2026 🌏](https://www.earned-first.com/enter-now-asia-pacific-consultancy-performance-index-2026.md) - Submissions are now open for the 2026 Asia-Pacific Consultancy Performance Index, our data-driven benchmark that recognises PR consultancies across a range of key industry metrics.
- [Nomura names international corporate comms leader](https://www.earned-first.com/nomura-names-corporate-comms-leader-for-aej.md) - Fritz Quinn joins the Japanese bank after 17 years at AMEX.
- [Japan's SSU to integrate with entertainment firm Akatsuki](https://www.earned-first.com/japans-ssu-to-integrate-with-entertainment-firm-akatsuki.md) - New entity will combine creative PR and IP management, while privatising the country's second-biggest PR firm.
- [Weber Shandwick names new CEO](https://www.earned-first.com/weber-shandwick-names-new-ceo.md) - Karen Pugliese will become Weber Shandwick's new CEO upon Susan Howe's retirement in September.
- [Jim O'Leary to depart Weber Shandwick for Penta](https://www.earned-first.com/jim-oleary-to-depart-weber-shandwick-for-penta.md) - Weber Shandwick's global president is leaving to become CEO of corporate advisory firm Penta.
- [AI CEO avatars are inevitable](https://www.earned-first.com/ai-ceo-avatars-are-inevitable.md) - Corporate reputation experts, say hi to simulacra.
- [PRAXIS comes to Africa](https://www.earned-first.com/praxis-comes-to-africa.md) - Earned First and Africa PR Week announce strategic partnership to elevate the Global South's communications voice.
- [Podcast: Mazen Nahawi on conflict, communications and courage in the Middle East](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-mazen-nahawi-on-conflict-communications-and-courage-in-the-middle-east.md) - The CARMA CEO on why Gulf nations risk losing the narrative war, and what non-Western holding groups bring to global communications.
- [Hong Kong CEO exits Burson](https://www.earned-first.com/hong-kong-ceo-exits-burson.md) - Simeon Mellalieu is leaving Burson after less than two years in charge of its Hong Kong office.
- [Industry vibe check 🌡️: one year on](https://www.earned-first.com/industry-vibe-check-2.md) - Against an ever more turbulent backdrop, Earned First revisits the five trends that helped launch its presence 12 months ago.
- [Clarity is the differentiator | Partner Content](https://www.earned-first.com/clarity-is-the-differentiator-partner-content.md) - In this edition of Independents’ Day — Earned First’s monthly series in partnership with PROI — Louise Mezzina explores why integration and cultural insight matter more than structure or scale.
- [Treat AI as another channel at your peril](https://www.earned-first.com/treat-ai-as-another-channel-at-your-peril.md) - The real question facing PR is not how quickly we can master AI visibility but whether we are willing to break a decades-long cycle and finally use the tools at our disposal to do something far more valuable.
- [Roundtable: The Narrative Crisis](https://www.earned-first.com/roundtable-the-narrative-crisis.md) - Earned First and Zeno convened in-house comms leaders in Singapore to examine what it means to lead communications when narratives move faster than organisations can respond.
- [The mighty status quo](https://www.earned-first.com/the-mighty-status-quo.md) - Asia-Pacific emerges as the strongest advocate for reinventing corporate affairs, even as the function struggles to account for the risks ahead.
- [Podcast: AI and the future of women in the workplace](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-ai-and-the-future-of-women-in-the-workplace.md) - Nineby9's Christine Fellowes and Ashbury's Jane Morgan on what the data shows about AI's uneven impact on women in the workplace.
- [Vero acquires majority stake in SEA's Mad Hat Asia](https://www.earned-first.com/vero-acquires-majority-stake-in-seas-mad-hat-asia.md) - Deal takes Vero's fee income to $13.5m and deepens its integration of corporate and public affairs with cultural intelligence across the region.
- [When signals fade](https://www.earned-first.com/when-s.md) - As politicians lean into vice, business leaders are seeking quietude
- [Presence without performance: Gulf internal comms study](https://www.earned-first.com/presence-without-performance-gulf-internal-comms-study.md) - Nine in ten Gulf organisations have an internal communications function, but fewer than one in three think it actually works.
- [PR isn't dead. It just keeps getting mistaken for marketing](https://www.earned-first.com/pr-isnt-dead-it-just-keeps-getting-mistaken-for-marketing.md) - The industry should probably read Sir Martin Sorrell's premature obituary for PR as a warning shot. Keep selling channels, and the channels will eat you.
- ["We are all responsible": AI in Healthcare Roundtable](https://www.earned-first.com/we-are-all-responsible-ai-in-healthcare-roundtable.md) - Earned First and We.Communications convened senior comms and public affairs leaders from the healthcare sector to confront the promises, pitfalls and policy challenges of AI across Asia-Pacific.
- [Ashbury adds senior talent in Asia and Middle East](https://www.earned-first.com/ashbury-adds-senior-talent-in-asia-and-middle-east.md) - This week's newsletter features Ashbury's hires of Jane Morgan and Saima Farooqi, while also examining Burson's potential sale, and much more.
- [Podcast: QI Group's Ramya Chandrasekaran on AI, culture & the evolving role of the CCO](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-qi-groups-ramya-chandrasekaran-on-ai-culture-the-evolving-role-of-the-cco.md) - Ramya Chandrasekaran on embedding AI, navigating geopolitics across 17-plus markets, and why comms leaders need to get close to the lawyers.
- [Introducing the Earned First Awards](https://www.earned-first.com/introducing-the-earned-first-awards.md) - Across the profession, awards have multiplied. Recognition for serious communications work hasn’t.
- [No ordinary sale](https://www.earned-first.com/no-ordinary-sale.md) - WPP's heavily-trailed decision to sell Burson marks another watershed for the public relations sector.
- [Notes from the AI front lines](https://www.earned-first.com/notes-from-the-ai-front-lines.md) - The pace of change can appear breathtaking, but the PR industry's adoption of AI is likely to be rather more uneven than it might first appear.
- [When data isn't enough | Partner Content](https://www.earned-first.com/when-data-isnt-enough-partner-content.md) - In this edition of Independents’ Day — Earned First’s monthly series in partnership with PROI — Doy Roque explores the impact and limits of data-driven communications in the age of AI.
- [Edelman KSA CEO steps down](https://www.earned-first.com/edelman-saudi-ceo-steps-down.md) - Elie Azzi has left Edelman after more than two years with the firm in Riyadh.
- [FGS Global expands Asian PA offering with ex-Global Counsel hires](https://www.earned-first.com/fgs-global-expands-asian-pa-offering-with-ex-global-counsel-hires.md) - The KKR-owned consultancy has recruited several former Global Counsel executives in Singapore, where it is also installing new leadership.
- [Podcast: Mary Njoki on PR transformation in Africa](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-mary-njoki-on-pr-transformation-in-africa.md) - Glass House PR founder and CEO Mary Njoki joins the Earned First podcast from Nairobi to explore the trajectory of public relations in Africa.
- [Last chance: Help define how public relations is changing](https://www.earned-first.com/last-chance-help-define-how-public-relations-is-changing.md) - There's still time to participate in the new PR2030 study on how the function must transform, led by Earned First, IPR and Ruder Finn Asia.
- [New advisory collective takes on Japan Inc's ASEAN challenge](https://www.earned-first.com/new-advisory-collective-takes-on-japan-incs-se-challenge.md) - Adding to the global unbundling trend, PR Collective Asia aims to cater to demand for speed, flexibility, and separation of strategy and execution.
- [All aboard the multipolar express](https://www.earned-first.com/all-aboard-the-multipolar-express.md) - Multipolar momentum should expand possibilities for communicators. Instead, rising insularity is testing their ability to connect beyond comfort zones.
- [Beyond 'business as usual'](https://www.earned-first.com/beyond-business-as-usual.md) - As the Gulf conflict drags on, internal communicators must manage employee sensitivities while again making the case for their sustained relevance.
- [Five ethics blind spots that could undermine PR's AI future](https://www.earned-first.com/five-ethics-blind-spots-that-could-undermine-prs-ai-future.md) - The global PR profession has produced substantial AI ethics guidance. A close reading reveals five gaps that still need to be addressed.
- [SEC Newgate launches in Japan](https://www.earned-first.com/sec-newgate-launches-in-japan.md) - Ex-Teneo MD joins to help firm support Japanese and international clients amid corporate and geopolitical upheaval.
- [Upbeat media coverage of AI outpaces public opinion](https://www.earned-first.com/upbeat-media-coverage-of-ai-outpaces-public-opinion.md) - New research by CARMA into perceptions of AI highlights distinct attitudes to opportunity and risk, as well as potential for a new communications approach.
- [Enter Now: Africa Consultancy Performance Index 🌍](https://www.earned-first.com/enter-now-africa-consultancy-performance-index.md) - Submissions are now open for the inaugural Africa Consultancy Performance Index, our data-driven benchmark that recognises PR consultancies across a range of key industry metrics.
- [Podcast: Margaret Key on why she left Publicis & what comes next for PR networks🎙️](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-margaret-key-on-why-she-left-publicis-what-comes-next-for-pr-networks.md) - After recently joining Stagwell, Margaret Key joins the Earned First podcast to talk holding group disruption and much more.
- [Alex Malouf launches MENA comms consultancy](https://www.earned-first.com/alex-malouf-launches-mena-comms-consultancy.md) - Narrative Shapers focuses on international engagement across KSA and the wider Gulf region.
- [Keeping up with China Inc's global ambitions](https://www.earned-first.com/keeping-up-with-china-incs-global-ambitions.md) - Long-awaited overseas expansion creates new opportunity for communicators, but will test the fitness of global and local agency models alike.
- [How independents scale | Partner Content](https://www.earned-first.com/how-independents-scale-partner-content.md) - In this edition of Independents’ Day — Earned First’s monthly series in partnership with PROI — James Brasher discusses how resilient independent agencies grow without losing what made them worth acquiring.
- [State of PR in Africa: AI usage soars amid concerns](https://www.earned-first.com/state-of-pr-in-africa-ai-usage-soars-amid-concerns.md) - Glass House PR's 2026 report reveals near-universal AI adoption in African PR, alongside growing unease about authenticity, platform risk and an education system struggling to keep pace.
- [When stability is the brand 🏙️](https://www.earned-first.com/when-stability-is-the-brand.md) - For countries that have built their reputations on predictability and openness, conflict can be an uncomfortable communications test.
- [PR 2030: Help define how public relations is changing](https://www.earned-first.com/pr-2030-help-define-how-public-relations-is-changing.md) - Senior communicators are invited to take part in a new APACMEA study on how the function must transform, led by Earned First, IPR and Ruder Finn Asia.
- [Out of control](https://www.earned-first.com/out-of-control.md) - It’s time to rethink corporate net zero targets and communications
- [Political comms gets personal in Japan 🇯🇵](https://www.earned-first.com/political-comms-gets-personal-in-japan.md) - Sanae Takaichi’s rise illustrates how personality, tone and shareability have become as important as policy detail, normalising populist strategies in politics and beyond.
- [Iain Twine leaves FGS Global for in-house role](https://www.earned-first.com/iain-twine-leaves-fgs-global-for-in-house-role.md) - The former Singapore and SEA partner joins 'hard discount' retailer Dali.
- [Khushil Vaswani named MD of Zeno Singapore](https://www.earned-first.com/khushil-vaswani-named-md-of-zeno-singapore.md) - New leader joins after senior roles at Ruder Finn Era and Weber Shandwick.
- [Podcast: Gil Bashe on healing the healthcare system 🎙️](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-gil-bashe-on-healing-the-healthcare-system.md) - Finn Partners chair of health and purpose Gil Bashe joins the Earned First podcast to discuss the healthcare sector's trust crisis.
- [Making sense of mergers 🧩](https://www.earned-first.com/making-sense-of-mergers.md) - Agency mergers are no longer a novelty in PR, but familiarity has not made their outcomes any more predictable in a sector where culture and talent remain crucial.
- [Communications in 2026: fewer shortcuts, higher stakes](https://www.earned-first.com/communications-in-2026-fewer-shortcuts-higher-stakes.md) - Five changes shaping how organisations speak, position and earn trust in a more brittle global environment.
- [Podcast: One Plus One's Kelly Bennett 🎙️](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-one-plus-ones-kelly-bennett.md) - New Zealand PR firm founder Kelly Bennett joins the Earned First podcast to discuss PR talent, independence and life after Omnicom.
- [Amazon consolidates India PR with two firms](https://www.earned-first.com/amazon-consolidates-india-pr-with-two-firms.md) - Weber Shandwick and Avian WE have been selected following a competitive review.
- [OPR's umbrella takes shape ☂️](https://www.earned-first.com/oprs-umbrella-takes-shape.md) - By merging Golin and Ketchum and integrating Porter Novelli into FleishmanHillard, Omnicom Public Relations is seeking to simplify the largest PR group ever assembled, as client needs become more complex.
- [MENAT Consultancy Performance Index: Scorecards & analysis](https://www.earned-first.com/menat-consultancy-performance-index-scorecards-analysis.md) - Full scorecards and analysis from Earned First’s 2026 Middle East Consultancy Performance Index, benchmarking PR firms across business, creativity, innovation and culture to identify the region’s top-performing consultancies.
- [Indian agency collective expands with On Purpose investment](https://www.earned-first.com/indian-agency-collective-expands-with-on-purpose-investment.md) - Zach James and Rishi Seth have made a significant investment in Girish Balachandran's On Purpose, adding the firm to an emerging Indian collective alongside The PRactice.
- [Podcast: PRAXIS MENA review with Iman Issa](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-praxis-mena-review-with-iman-issa.md) - North Seventy Five co-founder Iman Issa joins the Earned First podcast to discuss the key ideas and themes that shaped the inaugural PRAXIS MENA summit in Abu Dhabi.
- [From power brokers to bit players](https://www.earned-first.com/from-power-brokers-to-bit-players.md) - Neo-mercantilism is rewriting the rules of corporate influence
- [Momentum brings responsibility ⚖️](https://www.earned-first.com/momentum-brings-responsibility.md) - At PRAXIS MENA in Abu Dhabi, senior communicators argued that rapid growth and confidence across the region must now be matched by courage, cultural intelligence and a sharper focus on tangible impact.
- [Why communicators must shape decisions | Partner Content](https://www.earned-first.com/why-communicators-must-shape-decisions.md) - In this edition of Independents’ Day — Earned First’s monthly series in partnership with PROI — Madan Bahal explains why strategic depth and judgment matter more than scale or service sprawl.
- [PRAXIS MENA: Trust in healthcare is no longer institutional](https://www.earned-first.com/prxis-trust-in-healthcare-is-no-longer-institutional.md) - Healthcare leaders described a future in which trust, information and decision-making increasingly sit with the individual.
- [PRAXIS MENA: Why brands can’t buy relevance](https://www.earned-first.com/praxis-mena-why-brands-cant-buy-relevance.md) - Brand and agency leaders argued that relevance cannot be bought through spend or scale alone, pointing instead to culture, consistency and earned trust as the real drivers of attention.
- [Emily Poon named CEO at Singapore Institute of Directors](https://www.earned-first.com/emily-poon-named-ceo-at-singapore-institute-of-directors.md) - Emily Poon takes on leadership role after departing Ogilvy PR last year.
- [Atul Sharma joins Value 360 as CEO](https://www.earned-first.com/atul-sharma-joins-value-360-as-ceo.md) - Atul Sharma arrives at Indian independent after recently departing Ruder Finn.
- [PRAXIS MENA: CCO role recalibrates as strategy, data & judgement converge](https://www.earned-first.com/praxis-mena-cco-role-recalibrates-as-strategy-data-judgement-converge.md) - Mubadala CCO Brian Lott and former UK government communications chief Alex Aiken highlighted how communications leadership is evolving toward greater visibility, judgement and strategic responsibility.
- [Edelman posts 4% revenue decline in 2025](https://www.earned-first.com/edelman-posts-4-revenue-decline-in-2025.md) - "This is not a business that rewards passivity," says Richard Edelman, as the world’s biggest PR firm reports a third straight year of revenue decline — to $950m.
- [PRAXIS MENA: Context and earned trust vital to strengthening UAE reputation](https://www.earned-first.com/praxis-mena-context-and-earned-trust-vital-to-strengthening-uae-reputation.md) - Despite a broadly positive perception, the country must find a way to combat "conspiracy theories" and win over neutral observers around the world.
- [PRAXIS MENA: "AI forces agencies to have honest conversations with clients"](https://www.earned-first.com/praxis-mena-ai-forces-agencies-to-have-honest-conversations-with-clients.md) - As AI compresses time and cost across communications, agencies and clients are being forced into difficult conversations about what value really looks like in an automated world.
- [MENA Consultancy Performance Index 2026 — Champions Revealed 🏆](https://www.earned-first.com/mena-consultancy-performance-index-2026-champions-revealed.md) - Current Global took top honours in the Middle East's first Earned First Index, unveiled at PRAXIS MENA in Abu Dhabi yesterday, alongside Action Global and Weber Shandwick.
- [Podcast: Ashbury's Adam Harper on the Gulf's strategic communications shift](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-ashburys-adam-harper-on-the-gulfs-strategic-communications-shift.md) - Adam Harper joins the Earned First podcast to reflect on how capital flows are reshaping the Middle East communications landscape.
- [APCO names new MENA leadership](https://www.earned-first.com/apco-names-new-mena-leadership.md) - Samer El Hachem elevated to president of APCO MENA, while Mamoon Sbeih takes on new role as chief international business development officer and regional chairman.
- [PRAXIS MENA: Middle East communicators urged to reinvent their role](https://www.earned-first.com/praxis-mena-middle-east-communicators-urged-to-reinvent-their-role.md) - Senior communications leaders at PRAXIS MENA argue the industry must prove its value in a more integrated ecosystem by moving beyond legacy roles and "building new models."
- [PR 2030: Examining how public relations must transform across APACMEA](https://www.earned-first.com/pr-2030-examining-how-public-relations-must-transform-across-apacmea.md) - Industry leaders are invited to take part in a new study on how communications is evolving across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East & Africa, led by Earned First, IPR and Ruder Finn Asia.
- [Stagwell’s Mark Penn on global expansion, Allison’s transition & PR reinvention](https://www.earned-first.com/stagwells-mark-penn-on-global-expansion-allisons-transition-pr-reinvention.md) - In a wide-ranging interview, Stagwell chairman and CEO Mark Penn reflects on the group’s push to diversify beyond the US, the transition underway at Allison, and how AI is changing the value of earned media and reputation expertise.
- [Comms beyond consensus](https://www.earned-first.com/comms-be.md) - A World Economic Forum shaped by geopolitical rupture and AI acceleration is forcing corporate communicators to rethink how trust, legitimacy and influence are earned.
- [Earned First appoints David Blecken to senior editorial role](https://www.earned-first.com/earned-first-appoints-david-blecken-to-senior-editorial-role.md) - Overseeing research and insights, David Blecken will play a key role in shaping Earned First’s long-term strategy and development.
- [Davos: CEOs warn of business risk from reputation shortfalls](https://www.earned-first.com/davos-ceos-warn-of-business-risk-from-reputation-shortfalls.md) - A study of more than 3,000 C-suite leaders finds reputation is now a material business risk, while warning that many CCOs lack the mandate, insight and commercial alignment to manage it effectively.
- [Davos: The end of ‘business as usual’ for global companies](https://www.earned-first.com/davos-the-end-of-business-as-usual-for-global-companies.md) - Rising insularity, technological disruption and declining faith in institutions are forcing global companies to rethink how leadership, legitimacy and trust are built at a local level.
- [Six rules for PR in the AI search era](https://www.earned-first.com/six-rules-for-pr-in-the-ai-search-era.md) - How do we build earned credibility that survives in a world where machines increasingly do the summarising?
- [The magic mountain returns 🏔️](https://www.earned-first.com/the-magic-mountain-returns.md) - The comms world will descend on Davos next week, at a time when its counsel is needed more than ever.
- [Reputation Capital Council convenes corporate affairs leaders in Davos](https://www.earned-first.com/reputation-capital-council-brings-corporate-affairs-leaders-together-to-shape-future-of-reputation-management-2.md) - More than 70 senior executives have come together to form the Reputation Capital Council, a global initiative supporting groundbreaking research into reputation as a strategic asset, with findings to be unveiled in Davos next week.
- [MENA Consultancy Performance Index: Leaders' Shortlist](https://www.earned-first.com/mena-consultancy-performance-index-leaders-shortlist.md) - Earned First's Index Champions will be revealed at PRAXIS MENA in Abu Dhabi on 3 February.
- [FGS Global names new Asia chair](https://www.earned-first.com/fgs-global-names-new-asia-chair.md) - Former Brunswick Asia partner Susan Ho takes on leadership position at KKR-owned advisory consultancy, which has also released compelling new research into a "rewired world".
- [Reputation Capital Council brings corporate affairs leaders together to shape future of reputation management](https://www.earned-first.com/reputation-capital-council-brings-corporate-affairs-leaders-together-to-shape-future-of-reputation-management.md) - More than 70 senior executives have come together to form the Reputation Capital Council, a global initiative supporting groundbreaking research into reputation as a strategic asset, with findings to be unveiled in Davos next week.
- [Podcast: Madan Bahal on sustaining growth through turbulence](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-madan-bahal-on-sustaining-growth-through-turbulence.md) - Adfactors PR co-founder Madan Bahal joins the Earned First podcast to reflect on the struggle for consistent growth, how public relations can become more valuable, and what succession will look like at his consultancy.
- [Middle East/India head Atul Sharma exits Ruder Finn](https://www.earned-first.com/middle-east-india-head-atul-sharma-exits-ruder-finn.md) - Shivaram Lakshminarayan named India MD while Malvika Sinha becomes chief client officer.
- [2026 bets & warnings 🔮](https://www.earned-first.com/2026-bets-warnings.md) - Perspectives from Earned First’s Advisory Council on emerging points of acceleration and pressure shaping the marcomms world in 2026.
- [38 years of reinvention | Partner Content](https://www.earned-first.com/38-years-of-reinvention-partner-content.md) - In this edition of Independents’ Day — Earned First’s monthly series in partnership with PROI — Andreas Fischer-Appelt reflects on nearly four decades of change in communications, and what constant reinvention now demands of leaders.
- [Burson MENAT makes senior hires in Dubai](https://www.earned-first.com/burson-menat-makes-senior-hires-in-dubai.md) - Sana Ali Khan joins Burson as chief client officer and Claire Lawson becomes head of Burson Dubai.
- [Spectres at the feast 👻](https://www.earned-first.com/spectres-at-the-feast.md) - Sir Martin Sorrell’s remarks revive familiar anxieties about the role of public relations, brought into sharper focus by the rising importance of storytelling in the GEO era.
- [Thailand: When everyone looks good, no one is believed](https://www.earned-first.com/thailand-when-everyone-looks-good-no-one-is-believed.md) - In a system where reputation is protected by default, the PR industry must focus on proving authenticity rather than polishing image.
- [Senior departures at Ruder Finn Asia](https://www.earned-first.com/david-ko-departs-ruder-finn-asia.md) - Digital/AI leader David Ko leaves after nine years with Ruder Finn in Hong Kong, while Singapore GM Pamela Phua has stepped down following an 18-month stint.
- [Welcome to Omnicom Public Relations 🏔️](https://www.earned-first.com/welcome-to-omnicom-public-relations.md) - Omnicom now controls the largest PR portfolio ever assembled, raising questions about whether unprecedented scale can deliver the transformation this moment demands.
- [Australia’s creative and purpose frontier | Partner Content](https://www.earned-first.com/australias-creative-and-purpose-frontier-partner-content.md) - In this edition of Independents’ Day — Earned First’s monthly series in partnership with PROI — Icon Agency’s Joanne Painter explores how global work, earned-first creativity and rapid AI adoption are reshaping the Australian communications landscape.
- [Albert Shu takes on marcomms leadership role at SJ Group](https://www.earned-first.com/albert-shu.md) - Former Weber Shandwick president is now chief communications and marketing officer at Temasek portfolio company SJ Group.
- [The quiet crisis undermining global PR | Partner Content](https://www.earned-first.com/the-quiet-crisis-undermining-global-pr-partner-content.md) - As global and multimarket budgets erode, the industry risks losing a core revenue stream. Reclaiming it demands new models, fresh thinking, and renewed focus on chemistry and culture, argues The Hoffman Agency's Caroline Hsu.
- [Maturity in the Middle East 🧭](https://www.earned-first.com/maturity-in-the-middle-east.md) - As capital and talent flow into the region, the comms brief is shifting from volume and optimism to strategy, intelligence and counsel that challenges.
- [Podcast: Joe Lipscombe on global creativity from the Gulf](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-joe-lipscombe-on-global-creativity-from-the-gulf.md) - In a wide-ranging conversation, The Romans’ Joe Lipscombe argues that the Middle East’s PR boom will only matter if the Gulf evolves from a lucrative outpost into a genuine engine of creative influence
- [Fifty shades of grey](https://www.earned-first.com/fifty-shades-of-grey.md) - Does PR represent the worst of late-stage capitalism, or could it actually be a force for good?
- [HS Chung appointed Burson APAC CEO as Adrian Warr exits](https://www.earned-first.com/hs-chung-appointed-burson-apac-ceo-as-adrian-warr-exits.md) - Adrian Warr returns to the UK after less than 18 months as Burson's South Asia-Pacific CEO.
- [Omar Qirem to depart Edelman Middle East](https://www.earned-first.com/omar-qirem-to-depart-edelman-middle-east.md) - Edelman's Middle East CEO is leaving after more than seven years in charge.
- [Ex-Burson META leaders launch Paritee-backed firm](https://www.earned-first.com/ex-burson-menat-leaders-launch-paritee-backed-firm.md) - Lisa Welsh and Iman Issa have founded North Seventy Five in partnership with European comms network Paritee.
- [Laboratories of resilience](https://www.earned-first.com/laboratories-of-resilience.md) - The ICCO Summit made clear that the PR community’s resilience now depends on ideas moving across regions, generations and models, reflecting the volatility of the world the industry must navigate.
- [GWPR study: The deepening shadow of harassment](https://www.earned-first.com/gwpr-study-the-deepening-shadow-of-harassment.md) - Global Women in PR’s 2025 Index finds harassment increasing and DE&I policies declining across PR, offsetting only limited progress in flexible work and gender balance in leadership.
- [Podcast: Aman Gupta on the next era of influencer marketing](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-aman-gupta-on-the-next-era-of-influencer-marketing.md) - Presented by Finn Partners, this Earned First podcast episode features SPAG Finn's Aman Gupta on how influencer scoring is transforming the way healthcare and technology brands build trust.
- [The search for solid ground](https://www.earned-first.com/the-search-for-solid-ground.md) - A shifting environment is forcing PR firms to rethink how they operate, even as the sector’s fundamental value lies in guiding organisations through complexity and fragmentation.
- [Asia’s independent PR evolution | Partner Content](https://www.earned-first.com/asias-independent-pr-evolution-partner-content.md) - In this edition of Independents’ Day — Earned First’s monthly series in partnership with PROI — SPRG founder and chairman Richard Tsang reflects on three decades of transformation in Asian communications.
- [Podcast: PRAXIS Asia-Pacific review with James Brasher & Joyce Liong](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-praxis-asia-pacific-review-with-james-brasher-joyce-liong.md) - Presented by Finn Partners, this Earned First podcast episode unpacks PRAXIS Asia-Pacific’s key themes—from comms as strategic partner to the rise of AI, credibility, and empathy—and how leaders can build data fluency, business acumen, and agility without sacrificing culture.
- [Fault lines in the Kingdom 🇸🇦](https://www.earned-first.com/fault-lines-in-the-kingdom.md) - Beneath the energy of Riyadh’s Athar Festival lies a familiar tension, reflecting the global PR industry’s own struggle to balance expansion, ownership, and reinvention.
- [Podcast: The Hoffman Agency's Isabelle Demaude](https://www.earned-first.com/podcast-the-hoffman-agencys-isabelle-demaude.md) - From AI-driven credibility crises to the return of earned media, Isabelle Demaude discusses how communicators can balance authenticity, cultural nuance, and courage in an increasingly polarized world.
- [PRAXIS A-P: Influence & leadership in the AI era](https://www.earned-first.com/praxis-a-p-influence-leadership-in-the-ai-era.md) - AI is reshaping how trust is built, demanding new strategies from brands and their leaders.
- [PRAXIS A-P: "Communicators can't just be tool pushers"](https://www.earned-first.com/praxis-a-p-communicators-cant-just-be-tool-pushers.md) - AI is reshaping the job market, and communicators must move quickly to stay relevant in a fast-changing landscape.
- [Run towards the fire 🔥](https://www.earned-first.com/run-towards-the-fire.md) - At the inaugural PRAXIS Asia-Pacific in Singapore, more than 200 communicators examined how their industry must adapt to new pressures — from boardroom reinvention and AI disruption to the changing nature of credibility and geopolitics.
- [PRAXIS A-P: Communicators face 2030 reality check](https://www.earned-first.com/praxis-a-p-communicators-face-2030-reality-check.md) - New research from Zeno Group, unveiled at PRAXIS Asia-Pacific, set the stage for a candid discussion on how AI, automation and shifting skills are reshaping communications — and how teams can prepare for what’s next.
- [A-P Consultancy Performance Index: Scorecards & analysis](https://www.earned-first.com/a-p-consultancy-performance-index-scorecards-analysis.md) - Full scorecards and analysis from Earned First’s 2025 Asia-Pacific Consultancy Performance Index, benchmarking PR firms across business, creativity, innovation and culture to identify the region’s top-performing consultancies.
- [PRAXIS A-P: "Earned media's currency is credibility"](https://www.earned-first.com/praxis-a-p-earned-medias-currency-is-credibility.md) - As cultural fragmentation collides with AI-driven content pollution, communications leaders at PRAXIS argued that credibility now demands more empathy, cultural intelligence and independent voices.

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