Following the recent announcement of Caroline Sapriel’s nomination as Fellow of the IABC, Stephen Welch, past chair of the IABC EMENA region, meets Caroline to discuss her career highlights and time with the IABC.

With more than 30 years of experience in communications and PR, Caroline Sapriel and her partner run their own international crisis management consultancy, CS&A. They provide their clients with an integrated approach to crisis preparedness, emergency crisis response, crisis communication, and business continuity after a crisis. CS&A is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

IABC Fellow Caroline Sapriel on her career highlights

A true citizen of the world and passionate about employee engagement, Bhanu Prakash is a delight to speak with. He has a range of experience in internal communication with companies including Amazon, AXA and HSBC.

In this episode we discuss everything from leadership principles shaping company culture to how to cut the clutter with effective communication.

Bhanu has tips for all of us on good email habits and reminds us to think of our end consumer. 

So pop on your headphones or turn up your car radio and sit back for our relaxed 25 minute chat. Enjoy!

Bhanu Prakash on cutting the clutter

Have you been hearing the discussions around sense of belonging? Wondered about the actual definition or how it relates to our work as corporate business communicators? 

Dr Kendi Guantai takes us through some important concepts in this episode and also talks about authenticity. What do you think?

Dr Kendi Guantai is an award-winning Communications and Marketing expert at the Leeds University Business School (LUBS), where she manages and teaches post-graduate courses in Corporate Communications and Public Relations. She also designs and delivers business related courses on the Goldman Sachs 10K Women’s Programme and sits on the advisory board of Archetypical, the company behind the simulation game ‘Corporate Snakes and Career Ladders’. Kendi is a Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence (LITE) Fellow, researching students’ intersectional lived experiences of authentic self and belonging during their studies, and the impact of these experiences on the student lifecycle. In addition to Sense of Belonging, her current research interests include Authentic Leadership and Public Sector Communications, and she is actively involved in Decolonising initiatives at the University of Leeds.  Kendi is the Vice Chair of Leeds ACTS! (Academic Collaboration with the Third Sector) as well as the Chartered Association for Business School’s REAG (Race Equality Working Group). She is a recipient of the Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence (2019) as well as the faculty partnership award for Equality and Inclusion (2021). In 2020, she was recognised as a ‘Local Hero’ by the Leeds City Council for ‘outstanding and tireless services within the local community during the Covid-19 pandemic’.

Dr Kendi Guantai on sense of belonging

Morten Dal from Microsoft and Mike Pounsford from Couravel delve into all those tricky life questions that are pertinent right now. Are we finding balance in the current environment? Are we biased towards too much digital? How do we create psychological safety? What do employees want right now?

With employees being more productive than ever, rapidly changing environments, uncertainty AND the need for difficult conversations, who better than Morten and Mike?

Morten Dal is a global award-winning corporate communications manager and certified Train-The-Trainer PROSCI®️ change manager, and since 2019 working as Senior Customer Success Manager with Microsoft, offering more than 15 years of corporate experience from the customer side (retail, financial sector, foods & beverages).

Focus on hybrid work and digital employee experience
Building great employee experience: Culture & Communication, Productivity & Wellbeing, Skilling & Growth and Knowledge & Expertise. Morten is guiding and helping to empower enterprises and employees to work in a hybrid work scenario during and beyond Covid-19. Orchestrating large onboarding & training programs in large organisations, handling the people side of change.

His employers include: Microsoft, Pandora, Danske Bank, Danisco (DuPont), Copenhagen Business School.

Mike is an organisation development specialist in employee communication and engagement. His work involves helping to develop engagement strategies, strengthening the links between what people do and business strategy, and developing the capabilities of leaders and managers to create engaging environments. He is particularly interested in how organisations listen effectively and run surveys, webinars, and workshops for individuals and organisations across the globe.

He founded Couravel in 2001 and works with associates so he can provide clients with a lot of experience but without the overheads that go with more traditional consulting models. He has an MBA from London Business School and is accredited under the NTL Organisation Development programme. He recently completed a term as UK President of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

Thank you to Iona Wilder for her help editing - greatly appreciated.

We hope you enjoy our IABC EMENA Region podcast with Monique Zytnik.

Seachange, psychological safety and hybrid work with Mike Pounsford and Morten Dal

Are you curious about what it takes to set up your own communications consultancy? What do you need to be at the top? What does an agency look for when hiring?

Join us for this latest International Association of Business Communicators EMENA region podcast with Monique Zytnik.

Our guests today are Jake Moss and Simon Wright.

Jake Moss is the Founder and Editor-in-chief of Vienna's city living guide magazine, Vienna Würstelstand and the creative director at The Wurst Agency - www.thewurst.agency

After completing an epic overland travel from Australia to Europe - which involved a motorbike, a horse, a tuktuk and a blog, Jake crash landed in Vienna and founded a magazine. 

Prior to his international adventures, Jake wrote and worked for several renowned publications on a freelance basis, including The Weekend Australian, The Guardian etc.

Simon Wright is former co-founder of Gatehouse and Director at Gallagher, internal communication agency and most recently Executive Chair of Open Communication Group a global internal communication consultancy.  He has over two decades experience in running and growing successful, award winning, agencies. Simon also provides coaching and counselling to business leaders, as well as non-exec support to multiple organisations including as a trustee at the wonderful national children’s speech and language charity, "I Can". Beyond the more corporate side, he thoroughly enjoys creating the latest Cotswolds food, drink and shopping hotspot in Moreton-in-Marsh, "No.1 Cotswolds" and has other business ventures in the pipeline.

This IABC EMENA podcast was created and produced entirely on a volunteer basis. We welcome your ideas, suggestions and feedback. Contact IABC EMENA Board Member, Monique Zytnik directly via LinkedIn.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Leading a comms agency with Jake Moss and Simon Wright

Disinformation and propaganda is the evil and dark side of what communication can do.

Join us as German based international communication expert Ute Schaeffer dissects what disinformation is, when it is used, how it works and what it aims to do. 

It is a topic that spans wars, elections, pandemics and times of dispute AND deliberately aims to cause social disharmony. This podcast delves into the responsibilities of journalists, what we should be teaching our children and what we can individually do. 

Ute asks key questions such as 'where do we have the space to confront ourselves with the ideas of other people without  going into a free flow of aggression and dispute?'

Tune into this big picture discussion with a communications focus, hosted by Monique Zytnik on behalf of the IABC EMENA region.  

Ute Schaeffer is an international communications professional with a background in journalism and publishing. She is currently Head of Media & Public Relations / Digital Communication for the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH - GIZ is the german federal agency for international cooperation and development. GIZ provides tailor-made, cost-efficient and effective services for sustainable development in cooperation with partner in more than 120 countries worldwide, also in fragile and post conflict countries.

Ute is also the author of Fake statt Fakt - fake vs fact and has worked with organisations such as Deutsche Welle, Germany’s international broadcast, setting up the Ukrainian program and also as the Editor in Chief. Her focus topics include digital communication and the role of disinformation; international policy and development; human rights; and the forward and backward steps in democratisation worldwide. Ute also works with organisations on establishing collaborative workflows and teaching them how to be fit for digital challenges. For more information contact Ute via her website: http://uteschaeffer.de or LinkedIn https://de.linkedin.com/in/ute-schaeffer-5a58b0119

The IABC World Conference 2022 is proud to present “Stronger Together: Gift of Communications Idea Exchange” to benefit The Media Assistance Coordination Center, set up by The Media Development Foundation specifically to combat dis- and misinformation and to support journalists in the Ukraine. All are invited to support this effort and donate! Gift of Communications participants at the World Conference in New York will be randomly matched in pairs and encouraged to learn from each other – to be mentored or reverse-mentored, to brainstorm or run an idea by another professional communicator, or to gain insight into a different culture, industry or marcomms tool. Look for links to donate and participate soon!

Disinformation and democracy with Ute Schaeffer

Meet Zora Artis, GAID IABC Fellow SCMP, CEO of Artis Advisory, Co-founder of The Alignment People, and Chair of the IABC World Conference 2022 as we talk about everything from strategic alignment to encounters on escalators and free ranging employees.

Zora is Australia’s leading Alignment Strategist and has worked with leaders, executives, and boards for over 3 decades to ensure their organisation's structure, leadership, people, brand, communication, and most importantly culture, work together to support their strategy and purpose. 

Combining an award-winning career with vast commercial and board director experience and my alignment methodology Zora now guides clients to optimise simplicity, process, and team contribution. The outcome drives commercial and social impact strategies. You can find some of Zora's research and white papers,  plus contact details at www.artisadvisory.com and LinkedIn.

Organisational, leadership and team alignment with Zora Artis

It's finally happening for the first time in 3 years. The world's leading event for business communicators kicks off on 26 June in NYC - #IABC22 World Conference. Expecting 800 comms professionals from across the globe to be there but if you're not able to join us then there's definitely a way you can experience it.

Listen to a brief chat with Zora Artis, Chair of the IABC World Conference 2022 about the freshly released Digital Pass.

IABC has released the Digital Pass a taster of some of the incredible content. There are 5 general sessions live-streamed and on-demand for 30 days, plus 10 Listening Lounges on-demand for 180 days. It's only US$99 for IABC members and US199 for non-members.

So jump on and grab your digital pass at https://bit.ly/3xS8ak7

• Opening keynote Frank X. Shaw CCO Microsoft
"Find Your Voice! Diplomacy, Influence, and the Evolution of Communications" Live stream 0900-1015 EST Mon 27 Jun (Q&A with Danielle Bond SCMP)
• Plenary Panel Communication Professional 2030
Live stream 1600-1700 EST Mon 27 Jun (moderated by Justin Joffe with Maria Gemskie Myron Marlin @Michael McIntyre)
• Plenary session Dan Gregory Kieran Flanagan
Why Influence Beats Intelligence In Communication
Live stream 0900-1015 EST Tue 28 Jun (Q&A with Zora Artis, GAICD IABC Fellow SCMP)
• Plenary Panel Changing the Conversation: Communicating Climate Science (moderated by Peter Finn with Taniya Thomas Trisha Bauman Rachael Moore @Dr. Marco Tedesco)
Live stream 1600-1700 EST Tue 28 Jun
• Closing keynote Lisa Osborne Ross US CEO Edelman
Communicating with Belief-Driven Employees & Consumers in 2022 (& QA with Danielle Bond SCMP)
Live stream 1115-1230 EST Wed 29 Jun
Plus 10 Listening Lounges:
• Go Far Together: How Leaders Can Work Together Digitally to Inspire a Global Audience Roger Christie Craig Mullaney
• Four Stories Leaders Use to Create Meaning Nancy Duarte
• The Neuroscience of Pronouns Dr. Laura McHale
• Sustainability: A Critical Part of Your Communications Strategy Alisa Bonsignore
• Communication Can Drive Buy-In for Purpose Transformation phil preston - purpose expert
• People over Brand: Leveraging LinkedIn for Exec Thought Leadership that Drives Brand Awarenss Amanda Guisbond
• The Rise of the Connectors - The Dance Between Tech and Internal Comms Monique Zytnik Andreas Ringsted
• Communication: Breaking Barriers Across the Globe Prerna Sinha
• Tricksy Words: Finding and Refining Belle Walker
• What 1,000 Hours of Call Have Taught me About Connection Lisa Riemers

IABC World Conference Digital Pass now available!

Welcome to the International Association of Business Communicators EMENA region podcast. Join us as we talk all things comms in Saudi Arabia with Gary Hernandez and Sarah Palmer. We cover everything from what it is like to work in Saudi Arabia in a communications role; to what you should look for in a new hire, and what new graduates should focus on to kick-start their career.

Gary is a new IABC EMENA board member and has over 20 years of experience in writing and communications in the oil and gas industry and is currently located in Dhahran.

Sarah is also an expat in Saudi and currently in Jeddah, a port city on the red sea. She is the Director of Corporate Affairs Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries and has a multitude of experience in public relations, marketing and freelance writing in Australia, the UK and Middle East.

If you like this podcast, please reach out to Gary and Sarah on LinkedIn and let them know.

Saudi Arabia with Gary Hernandez and Sarah Palmer

Co-hosted by Monique Zytnik (IABC EMENA) and Ross Monaghan (IABC APAC), this intimate panel discussion, featuring Tineka Everaardt, Maria Farmer, Natalie Collard and Sally Goldner, will inspire you with stories and strategies of women who have stepped up to show what is possible. We also hear insights from Karen Matthews, Catalina Gardescu, Robert Andersson and Christine Elmer.

Designed for communication professionals and entrepreneurs of all levels. This is actually a leadership discussion for people of all genders about what could be holding you back, real battles you may face and tactics to help you step up.

Tineka Everaardt is an award-winning journalist, who has worked in the newsrooms of Channel 7 and Channel 9 as a senior producer and reporter. She was the Communications Manager at Priceline and a Senior Media Advisor for the Victorian State Opposition. Now she runs her own communications business, Everlist, offering media training, media releases, copywriting, and voice overs. She works closely with PR agencies who want a journalist’s perspective. 

Maria Farmer is one of the most experienced and formidable women in Australian public relations. Her company specialises in brand building, crisis management, publicity and public relations, offering bespoke solutions. With a history representing some of the best known creatives, actors, fashion and lifestyle brands, restaurateurs and authors in this country, her clients include Baz Luhrmann.

Natalie Collard is the founder and CEO of Quartz Group offering human-centred executive coaching and leadership training. She is also the CEO for Food & Fibre – Great South Coast, on a mission to grow the south-west region of Victoria and its high-potential primary industries. Natalie’s previous roles include CEO of Australian Dairy Farmers and Chair of Women in Renewables.

Sally Goldner is a diversity educator, speaker, life coach, MC and consultant. Her previous and current roles include founding member of Transgender Victoria, co-facilitating Transfamily, 3 CR’s “Out of the Pan” and Bisexual Alliance Victoria Treasurer. She received an Order of Australia in 2019, the 2015 LGBTI Victorian of the Year and joined the Victorian Women’s Honour Roll in 2016.

Thank you to IABC EMENA, IABC APAC for your support and Michael Kümritz our podcast editor.

Leadership: Stories and strategies to empower women in the workplace

Today’s guest is Adam Currie who is based in our Middle East region. He is a communicator with an impressive array of roles behind him. From copywriting for investment magazines in Canada to African leadership publications and then moving onto comms,  Adam is now focused on safety communications for the world’s largest energy company.

Like what you heard? Register for Adam's webinar on 8 March 2023 by going to our website at iabcemena.com. Drop us an email or share your thoughts on social.

Thank you to our IABC EMENA board, members and also our podcast editor Michael Kümritz

Safety communication with Adam Currie

Want to know the latest on digital employee communication and digital workspaces? Tune in to our latest episode with Kurt Kragh Sørensen from IntraTeam in Denmark and Pete Johns from Swoop in the UK, with special guest DJ Bob, as they discuss the latest in developments and why measurement matters.

DEX Benchmark (intranet, collaboration and ESN)
https://intrateam.com/dex_benchmark_intranet_digital_workplace_esn

Peer-to-Peer Networking groups
https://intrateam.com/networking-groups

Swoop analytics benchmarking report for Viva Engage (Yammer)
https://www.swoopanalytics.com/yammer-bm-2022-23

Digital employee experience with Kurt Kragh Sørensen and Pete Johns

Today's guest is  Gloria Walker, who is not only a professor of practice at Hult International Business School and Associate Lecturer at London College of Communication, but she is also a Strategic Communications Consultant and owner of her own business. Gloria has that glorious position of one foot in academia and teaching and the other in the practicalities of clients, business and real-world work. 

Gloria has been our IABC EMENA treasurer for a number of years and not only does she have so much industry context, but she has a great understanding of our association.

Academia and business communication with Gloria Walker

With artificial intelligence leaping ahead in content production and all areas of communications, join us as we talk with marketing and public relations agency leaders Jasna Suhadolc and Ana Margarida Ximenes about what is changing right now and the opportunities that lie ahead. 

Jansna Suhadolc is from Slovenia and is a seasoned digital marketing expert, working with companies from all over the world. Her digital marketing agency is called Actuado and is a HubSpot Platinum Solutions partner.   

Jasna has a passion for new technologies and shares her knowledge as a guest professor,  keynote speaker, and workshop facilitator. She has been an IABC member for over two decades and serves as the IABC Slovenia president, a long-time member of the Management Board of IABC EMENA, and is currently a PAC (Program Advisory Committee) member for the IABC World Conference in Toronto. 

Ana Magarida Ximenes is based on the other side of Europe, in Portugal and is president of Atreviva in Portugal, who are a global communication consultancy with offices in countries such as Spain, Brussels and the other side of the water in Brazil, Colombia and Chile to name a few. Ana is the IABC EMENA past chair and a member and Country Chapter Lead for Portugal of the European Association of Communication Directors. 

Ana has a background in journalism and helps clients with crisis communication, reputation and change management.

Thank you to our podcast editor Michael Kümerz and all of our IABC EMENA members.

Artificial intelligence vs PR & marketing with Jasna Suhadolc and Ana Margarida Ximenes

Bold new frontiers for communication or digital hype?

O﻿ur panel discussion brings to the fore what many of us have been thinking. With so much noise and so little time, what do we really need to know right now in our digital realm?

Is social media done? Is AI friend or foe? What is the real tech baseline minus the fanfare for comms?

Through an engaging expert panel session hosted by IABC EMENA's region, we'll unpack these questions, help you make sense of the present, and give you confidence stepping into the future of our communication profession.

Catalina Gardescu: Incoming Director of Marketing, Communication and Admissions, Copenhagen International School
Stephanie Pilon: Vice President Digital Marketing & Managing Director, The Adecco Group
Phil Riggins: Founder and CEO, The Brand & Reputation Collective
Monique Zytnik: Regional Lead DACH, Open Communication Group

This event was part of the IABC EMENA Region's successful City Connect Series, following events in Barcelona, London, Amsterdam , Krakow and Lisbon. Learn more about IABC EMENA: https://iabcemena.com

Digital communication with Steph Pilon, Phil Riggins and Monique Zytnik

Every profession needs to be founded on research. If it is research, understanding and debate on art, mathematics or science, discussion is essential for airing of opinions and challenging ideas.

In this episode Mike Klein and Dr Kevin Ruck debate the latest internal communication research. 

Dr Kevin Ruck is the co-founder of PR Academy which is the largest Chartered Institute of Public Relations accredited teaching centre. Not only is he is the editor and co-author of the leading text book,  Exploring Internal Communication but he has also written numerous academic journal articles and chapters, AND is a member of the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Communication Management. Not one to rest on his laurels, Kevin has just completed another book, co-authored with Mike Pounsford and Howard Krais, called ‘Leading the Listening Organisation: Creating organisations that flourish’. This will be released by Routledge in 2024. Kevin is based in London.

Mike Klein is an internal and social communication consultant based in Iceland, but as many of our globe trotting members, he has lived and worked in many countries including Belgium, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands and the US. I’m sure we’ll all agree that Mike’s super power is super-connecting - identifying people whom he thinks are worth introducing to each other, and then introducing them to each other.      

Mike is the founder of #WeLeadComms, and a prolific writer and speaker.

If you are interested in being a part of our IABC EMENA Region community visit iabcemena.com for more information or reach out to us on LinkedIn. 

Thank you to our podcast editor Michael Kümritz and all of our IABC EMENA region members for your continued support.

Debating internal communication research with Dr Kevin Ruck and Mike Klein

You know when you meet someone and you just have a great vibe? After a short conversation, you’ve already worked out if you would or wouldn’t like working with them. You feel that they get you, or they won’t. Well, this is our topic in today’s episode.

Ben Wickham is a fellow communications person, storyteller and specialist in organiszational behaviour and team dynamics from Utrecht in the Netherlands.

Rethinking how we make decisions with Ben Wickham

Join us for a discussion with IABC International Executive Board member Katie Macaulay. Katie is a leading voice in communications. She is managing director of AB, the world’s first specialist employee communication agency, founded in 1964,
and host of The Internal Comms Podcast. Katie sits on the Board of the International Association of Business Communicators and is a guest lecturer at Cranfield Management School. Katie was named ‘Change Maker’ by the Institute of Internal Communication. In all, her career in corporate, employee and change communications spans more than three decades.\

Don't forget to sign up or renew your IABC membership!

Thank you to our editor Michael Kümritz, and John Philips.

Subscribe to  Katie's Friday Update: www.abcomm.co.uk/Friday

12 episodes for 12 IC challenges:  www.linkedin.com/pulse/internal-comms-podcast-12-challenges-conversations-katie-macaulay/

Katie's LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/katie-macaulay-2b80b88/

Monique's LinkedIn profile: https:/www.linkedin.com/in/moniquezytnik

Wishing you a happy festive season!




A conversation with Katie Macaulay

Welcome to the International Association of Business Communicators EMENA region podcast hosted by Monique Zytnik.

Based in the Manchester area of the UK, Advita Patel is the Director of CommsRebel who helps organisations build a culture that thrives.

Advita recently published her book, which she co-authored with Priya Bates. Called: Building a Culture of Inclusivity, it helps Internal Communication professionals, HR and business leaders engage employees in driving culture change to ensure everyone feels valued and like they belong.

Today we’re lucky to also be joined by Priya Bates, who is joining us from her office in Ontario, Canada. She is the president of Inner Strength Communication, IABC Fellow and also a huge influencer in the internal communication space.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with Advita Patel and Priya Bates

In today's episode host Monique Zytnik speaks with Simon Lancaster, who shares his secrets on speechwriting and what it is like to do a TEDx talk. Simon is based in London and became a speechwriter working for Tony Blair’s Cabinet in the 1990s. 

Since then he has written speeches for CEOs of some of the biggest global companies including Unliever, HSBC and InterContinental Hotels Group. Additionally, in the last years, his books have won awards and he has kept himself busy lecturing at Henley Business School and Cambridge University on creative writing.

We hope you enjoy the show. Find out more about IABC EMENA at https://iabcemena.com. Reach out to Simon and Monique on LinkedIn. Thank you to our podcast editor Michael Kümritz.

www.linkedin.com/in/simon-lancaster-speechwriter
www.linkedin.com/in/moniquezytnik

Speechwriting secrets with Simon Lancaster

With four communication experts from four countries, this episode looks at hot topics globally and what Lisa Riemers, Michael Nord and Adrian Cropley will present on at the IABC World Conference in Chicago 2024.

Lisa is dialing in from London today and is an accessible content, communications, and digital workplace specialist. She is on the IABC EMENA UK&I chapter board. She has been selected to talk about communicating with impact: how to make your comms more accessible.

Michael is a change and transformation communication specialist based in the Netherlands, is a key member on our IABC EMENA board and a long-term IABC member. His session is on mindfulness.

Based in Melbourne, Australia, Adrian is the Founding Partner of the Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence and is focused on helping leaders and organisations communicate purposefully. He will be running a dialogue den with Bonnie Caver on: Ethics, Governance, and Responsible Use of AI in a Changing World, where they will discuss AI and responsible use. He is an APAC member and past IABC Chair.

Hosted by Monique Zytnik, we hope you enjoy the show.

1) Register for the IABC World Conference; https://wc.iabc.com
2)Register for the UK&Ireland chapter webinar Lisa mentioned: Fact or fake? Verifying content in the age of AI https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fact-or-fake-verifying-content-in-the-age-of-ai-tickets-887040711647
3) Find out more about IABC EMENA: https://iabcemena.com. Consider joining us

WE welcome new members.

Communication trends with Adrian Cropley, Lisa Riemers, Michael Nord and Monique Zytnik

Welcome to the International Association of Business Communicators EMENA region podcast, this is Gary Hernandez. I am a long-time IABC member, an ABC, and a Director on the EMENA Region board. It is my pleasure to host today’s podcast with special guests Rachel Miller and Monique Zytnik!

Rachel and Monique have both recently published new books which focus on Internal Communications:
- Rachel Miller: Internal Communication Strategy: Design, Develop and Transform Your Organization Communication
- Monique Zytnik: Internal Communication in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

We thought it would be great not only to take a look at these books, but also to discuss with Rachel and Monique the state of internal communication today.  

We hope you enjoy the show!

The Internal Communication Book Club with Rachel Miller, Monique Zytnik and Gary Hernandez

Dialing in from New York City, our next guest is Pinaki Kathiari, a podcast host and CEO of Local Wisdom, a digital communication agency. With a focus on internal communication and technology, this is a great conversation that will inspire you. Pinaki is a fellow IABC member and is currently the Vice President of Professional Development for the IABC New York Tristate Area Chapter.

Digital communication and leadership philosophy with Pinaki Kathiari

Find out what is important in building a strong global communication team with Christopher Wade. In this podcast hosted by Monique Zytnik, we delve into how his team works and what is important for a team to be successful.

Christopher Wade is the VP of Internal & Employee Engagement Communications at Fresenius Medical Care. He is a bilingual, C-suite comms professional with 20+ years' experience in delivering measurable results at embedding company culture and strategy in Fortune 500 companies - contributing to a positive reputation and securing long-term relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Building a global communication team with Christopher Wade

The IABC EMENA Podcast enters an exciting new chapter! In this special handover episode, longtime host Monique Zytnik passes the mic to the new host, Chared Verschuur.

Tune in to hear:
✅ Chared’s inspiring journey from journalism in the Philippines to inclusive leadership & communication consultancy in Europe.
✅ Her insights on belonging at work, featuring the ACES framework (Authenticity, Care, Empowerment, Support).
✅ Monique’s reflections on her years as host, her proudest moments, and behind-the-scenes podcasting stories.
✅ Chared’s vision for the future of the podcast: amplifying underrepresented voices, tackling rapid change, and unlocking fresh ideas.

This episode is packed with inspiration, insights, and exciting plans for the podcast’s next chapter. Don’t miss it!

🌐 Learn more about IABC EMENA: https://iabcemena.com/
💡 Share your guest suggestions or feedback: chared@goodcomms.nl

On inclusive leadership, communication & transitioning the IABC EMENA podcast

How do the words we use shape our workplaces and societies? In our latest IABC EMENA Podcast episode, Dr. Claudia Gross shares her expertise on green words—language that fosters inclusion, collaboration, and positive action. If you're a communicator or leader looking to refine your messaging and make language more impactful, this episode is for you.

On how words create worlds with Dr. Claudia Gross

Human leadership and communication coach Chaya Mistry joins Chared Verschuur to explore regenerative leadership—what it is, why it matters, and how communicators can drive real transformation by creating space for reflection, connection, and change.

On regenerative leadership with Chaya Mistry

What does gardening have to do with internal communication? A lot, according to Tony Stewart. In this episode, we explore how internal communities—when cultivated with intention—can spark transformation from the inside out. From digital “gardens” that bridge silos to quiet revolutions that challenge the status quo, Tony shares practical wisdom and real-world examples on why internal community management is no longer a “nice-to-have” but a vital function in future-ready organizations.

On internal communities and quiet revolution with Tony Stewart

What’s your story and who’s telling it? In this episode of the IABC EMENA podcast, host Chared Verschuur speaks with Lucy Eckley, storytelling expert and founder of The Leading Story, about how communication professionals can move from amplifying others to owning their own narrative.

Lucy shares her five-part framework for crafting a compelling personal brand story, reflects on the role of storytelling in leadership and inclusion, and explains why so many comms professionals struggle to talk about themselves. They also explore how organizations can use narrative to drive visibility, belonging, and bold change.

Whether you’re refining your LinkedIn profile, preparing for a new role, or trying to elevate diverse voices in your organization, this episode is packed with insights that will inspire you to own your story with confidence and clarity.

On owning and telling your story with Lucy Eckley

Internal communication expert and IABC EMENA Chair Simon Cavendish joins host Chared Verschuur to unpack what it really means to lead through change. From trust and transparency to the IKEA effect, we explore why internal comms is central to transformation and how to make it human, practical, and effective. Whether you're navigating system rollouts, culture shifts, or organisational upheaval, this episode offers clear, candid insights from the frontlines of change.

On change, trust, and the IKEA effect

The past week hasn't been the best for media in the region. We sat down with Scott Shuey and Ed Clowes from Gulf News to talk about why the media matters and how PR people can improve their engagement with the media. IABC is an organization that is committed to a free press globally.

The IABC EMENA Podcast on the media/PR relationship with Scott Shuey & Ed Clowes

This week we spoke to András Vicsek, the Co-Founder of Maven7 and the man behind Orgmapper, a tool that helps communicators identify change agents and accelerate change. András talks about informal networks and shares insights on why these people matter to internal communications, and how to find them. Enjoy the podcast, and sign up so you're always informed on communications across EMENA.

The IABC EMENA Podcast With András Vicsek & Orgmapper

One of our keynote speakers is an IABC favorite. Klavs Valskov is a former IABC EMENA Chair. He will be joining us all in Bahrain to talk at EMENAComm about how he led the GE Oil & Gas Baker Hughes merger through a transformational shift, both internally and externally. The aim was to win the support of both employees and customers, as the company sought to achieve its vision of becoming the world's first digital industrial oil and gas company. Listen in, and then come along to EMENAComm to hear Klavs tell the full story.

The IABC EMENA Podcast With Klavs Valskov On Transformational Comms

IABC EMENA's former chair Neil Griffiths shares why you should stand for a board role with the world's largest family of communicators.

Neil Griffiths on why you should serve on the IABC EMENA board

The IABC EMENA Podcast highlights the voices and stories of communication professionals shaping the future of our field across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. As part of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), we bring the region’s unique perspectives to the forefront, exploring how communication drives positive change in business and society.

With a network spanning industries, disciplines, and cultures, our podcast celebrates the diversity, innovation, and impact of communicators in the EMENA region. From navigating rapid change to amplifying underrepresented voices, we provide a platform for learning, sharing, and connection.

Join us for actionable insights, fresh ideas, and conversations that inspire progress—together, we are raising the standard of communication excellence across the EMENA region.

The IABC EMENA region podcast

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks