The PRII Annual Conference 2020 is moving online for the first time. The theme of next week’s event is ‘Turning Change into New Possibilities’. The organisers have taken the theme to heart and rather than focus on what Covid -19 restictions prevent them from doing, they are taking full advantage of the absence of geographical barriers.
The programme includes 28 top-line speakers from Australia, the US, the UK and Ireland. Eight hours of content is split across two days, next Tuesday and Wednesday, to facilitate other demands on delegates. Keynote speakers include Jim Macnamara, distinguished professor, School of Communication, University of Technology Sydney.
Prof. Macnamara’s latest book examines disinformation, deception and manipulation. Richard Bagnall, chairman, International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication, will also address delegates. The opening session looks at the balancing act ahead regarding the economic and social considerations Ireland faces.
What kind of country do we want? What role can communication professionals play? The speakers are economist Professor Stephen Kinsella, UL and Fr Sean Healy, director, Social Justice Ireland. They will be joined by Emma Kerins, head of policy and public affairs, Chambers Ireland and Jeanne McDonagh, CEO, The Open Doors Initiative.
Some of the speakers and panellists at #PRIIConf20
Top row, from left: Alison Clarke, Lucinda Creighton, Johnny Fallon, Emma Kerins
Bottom row: Jim Macnamara, Mark Redmond, Darryl Sparey, Stephen Waddington
There is also a session on Brexit and the US presidential elections, addressing the potential impacts for PR advisors with Noelle O’Connell, executive director, European Movement Ireland and Mark Redmond, CEO, American Chamber of Commerce. It will be followed by a panel discussion involving Siobhán Molloy of Weber Shandwick.
On the second day, the delegates examine the concept of the new consumer and new retail market post-Covid. The session will be led by Gerard O’Neill, chairman, Amárach, with Elisabeth Fitzpatrick, joint head of consumer practice, Wilson Hartnell; Arnold Dillon, director, Retail Ireland and Adrian Cummins, CEO, Restaurants’ Association.
Later that day a media panel will discuss the post-Covid future of online, print and public sector broadcasting: Is their position stronger or more precarious now? They are Susan Daly, Journal Media FactCheck.ie; Fionnán Sheehan, Irish Independent; Jon Williams, managing director, RTE News & Current Affairs and Aine Kerr, Kinzen.
The conference will hear from four UK-based PR agency founders and thought leaders on new business models and ways of working. They are Alison Clarke, ACC (aka ‘The Pitch Witch’); Stephen Waddington, Managing Partner and Founder, Wadds Inc; Darryl Sparey, MD and co-founder, Hard Numbers and Robert Phillips, founder, Jericho Chambers.
To be part of the PRII’s ‘Turning Change into New Possibilities’, register here
