The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has welcomed Jim Donaldson CMPRCA, Chief Executive Officer, FleishmanHillard Fishburn, as its Chairman for 2018-2020.
Donaldson replaces the 2016-2018 PRCA Chairman Steffan Williams MPRCA, Partner, Portland, who becomes PRCA Vice-Chairman.
Donaldson, who oversees FleishmanHillard ’s UK and Middle East operations, brings over 20 years of experience in leading teams across Europe, the Middle East, and the UK. Before joining FleishmanHillard in 2014, Donaldson was the Chairman of Weber Shandwick’s EMEA corporate practice.
Jim Donaldson CMPRCA, Chief Executive Officer, FleishmanHillard Fishburn, said: “I am really pleased to be taking over as Chairman at such an important time for the PR industry. We are now clearly a significant employer across the UK and I also feel we have come of age somewhat as practitioners in the last three to five years. But there is so much more to do across the board – and particularly in areas like diversity and inclusion. I often talk about PR being the most ‘abused’ term in industrial history, with so many people still using PR as a throwaway comment or a derogatory thing. We must be proud of what we do, how we do it and the impact our industry has on so many different walks of life in the UK – and we must make sure that we get a whole host of new people entering the industry to see what we have to offer. I hope to be able to work on some of these issues over the next couple of years with Francis and the terrific PRCA team.”
Francis Ingham MPRCA, Director General, PRCA, said: “Jim’s incredible stature and experience within the UK and the international industry will further strengthen the PRCA’s standing as the world’s most dynamic and forward-looking PR association. With our shared commitment to standing up for our industry, and to increasing even further its diversity and inclusivity, the next two years will see the PRCA be more ambitious than ever.”
