Harry Friend’s Post

The Chief Communications Officer in Focus Yesterday, Hedley May hosted a group of some of the most senior communications officers in the UK, to discuss our latest piece of thought leadership: The Chief Communications Officer in Focus. Our report highlights how the relationship between businesses and their stakeholders is more complex than ever. Corporates are now expected to take positions on a wide variety of issues such as AI, climate change, DEI, geopolitics and a myriad of societal questions, all of which are invariably polarising and difficult to navigate. As a result, the ability to engage effectively with stakeholders is an essential element of most businesses’ licence to operate, and it carries great risk, as well as great opportunity. The role of the Chief Communications Officer however, remains the most amorphous of functions, with widely varying remits and reporting lines. So, what are the factors that enable the most effective CCOs to successfully help steer their organisations through this complexity? Drawing on our expertise in appointing this role, as well as recent interviews with leading CCOs, we have identified the key elements that elevate a great individual in this function and the risk businesses face if they fail to define it. Please click here to read the full report: https://lnkd.in/ew_K5Kq5 With thanks for their contribution to the report: Caitlin Hayden Richard Menzies-Gow Steve John Andrew Walton Natalie Whitty Paul Fincham George Gordon Claire Dixon David Prager Rowan Adams Kathryn van der Kroft Joakim Reiter Greg Dawson Yasmin Diamond, CB Nick Lakin George Mayhew Fiona Laffan Chris Hogwood Stephen Doherty #ExecutiveSearch #Leadership #PR #Communications #Comms #CorporateAffairs

Caitlin Hayden

Group Communications Director at BAE Systems

1mo

Harry: Thanks for the breakfast yesterday and taking the time to focus on our role. I find this analysis incredibly helpful as I look at my own development, and for developing the people in my team to fill in behind me one day...

Paul Fincham

Communications, Corporate Affairs & Marketing Leader | NED & Trustee

1mo

Harry, thank you for bringing together such a great group for yesterday’s thought provoking discussion. It was great to compare notes on the opportunities ahead for the CCO role and our teams.

Claire Dixon

Trusted adviser to C-suite and Board | Communications, Reputation, Corporate Affairs specialist | Trustee | Coach | Mentor

1mo

Thanks for hosting Harry and great to swap notes with peers and take comfort in the commonality of the challenges everyone is facing!

Chris Hogwood

Managing Director at Landsec

1mo

Thanks Harry - great to be part of the research and a really enjoyable discussion earlier this week. Felt both illuminating and cathartic!

See more comments

To view or add a comment, sign in

Explore topics