Back“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”
– Daniel J. Boorstin
There has been no shortage of questionable decisions and clever PR moves in the news this week, giving David Yelland and me plenty to discuss on When It Hits the Fan.
A fascinating evening with the Ipsos team also got me thinking about the value of good judgement in our profession.
Away from that, I have been catching up with old friends, looking back on my CIPR presidency and getting rather excited about the talent heading to Soho Theatre in November.
But first, to this week’s fan hitters.
When It Hits the Fan
The stakes could not be higher. To the winner, global supremacy. To the loser, irreversible decline.
That is how the battle for building more data centres is being fought by Amazon.
This week, David Yelland and I look at how the company is fighting back against the “misinformation and outright lies” that surround data centres. The public has apparently got them all wrong. But just how do you shift opinion when it seems everyone has already made up their mind?
The Conservatives also scored a great PR win with their own 88ft ‘tapestry’ depicting the last two years in politics. The masterstroke was to include a number of journalists in the artwork – which meant they all posted about it, giving the stunt far more publicity. The very obvious flattery worked a treat – but there are more subtle ways of getting journalists on side which are just as effective.
Also, the risks of making pets political. Labour minister Jenny Riddle-Carpenter found herself in hot water after rather clumsily linking black labradors to some kind of ‘Far Right fantasy’. The reaction has been exactly as you can imagine.
➡️ Listen to this week’s When It Hits the Fan
The Judgement Economy
I joined Thomas Fife-Schaw and the Ipsos Corporate Reputation team this week for the launch party of the Ipsos Reputation Council 2026 report, Life After Predictability, ahead of its public release on 22 October.
The research draws on the views of nearly 200 senior communications leaders across 17 markets, exploring how uncertainty, AI and changing stakeholder expectations are reshaping our profession.
One phrase from the evening caught my attention: the judgement economy.
As organisations face increasingly complex decisions and competing pressures, they need communicators who can interpret what is happening, challenge assumptions and help leaders make informed choices.
With AI changing how information is produced and consumed, the research also examines the expanding role of senior communicators as strategic advisers, helping organisations manage reputational risk and build trust.
Good judgement has always been central to good PR. The challenge now is making sure organisations recognise its value.
➡️ Register for the Ipsos Reputation Council 2026 webinar on 22 October
My CIPR Presidency Year
A photograph with former CIPR President Steven Shepperson-Smith this week brought home just how quickly my own presidential year is passing.
It has gone remarkably quickly, and with only a few months left, I have been reflecting on the people I have met, the conversations I have been part of and the priorities I set out to champion.
From professional standards and the responsible use of AI to strengthening our international community, it has been a privilege to contribute to discussions about the future of our profession. I have particularly enjoyed meeting practitioners at different stages of their careers and seeing how much time and energy our volunteers devote to the Institute.
One of the pleasures of the role has also been the encouragement and advice of former Presidents, including Steve, who know better than anyone what the year involves.
Congratulations to Anne-Marie Lacey (Chart.PR FCIPR), who has just been elected President-Elect for 2027. She will follow Dan Gerrella , to whom I hand over at the end of this year.
I have recently put together a page on my website sharing some of the highlights of my presidency, particularly for anyone who might be considering the role in future.
Every President brings their own priorities, interests and personality to the year. I have certainly done things my own way, and there is still plenty I hope to accomplish before December.
For now, I am enormously grateful to everyone who has helped make the experience so rewarding.
➡️ A look inside my year as CIPR President
A Decade of Collaboration
It was lovely to catch up with Selma Day, Editor of Mayfair Times, this week as we made plans for a special event we are hosting together in November.
Selma and I have worked together for nearly ten years, and it has been a real pleasure collaborating with her over that time. She has done a wonderful job of building Mayfair Times into a publication that celebrates the people, businesses and communities that make London such an interesting place.
On Wednesday 4 November, we will be celebrating the magazine’s Indian and South Asian Edition, hosted in partnership with Curzon PR at the Sundaram Tagore Gallery on Pall Mall.
We are bringing together guests from business, entrepreneurship, media, culture and public life for an evening of conversation, champagne and canapés, celebrating the people and ideas shaping Indian and South Asian life in London.
I am really looking forward to welcoming everyone and, of course, working with Selma again.
PR Has Talent
I have had such fun this week chatting with some of the confirmed performers for PR Has Talent. We have some wonderful acts lined up, and everyone is getting ready for the big night at Soho Theatre on Tuesday 17 November.
Graham Goodkind and I have been delighted by the talent coming forward from across the PR industry. And the good news is that tickets are now on sale.
Graham and I created PR Has Talent to bring our industry together for a fun evening while supporting Soho Theatre’s New Writing Programme. Curzon PR and Frank are supporting the production pro bono, with all net proceeds going to the programme.
Now we need a full house to cheer everyone on. I hope to see plenty of you there.
➡️Book your tickets for PR Has Talent priced at £34
Until next week,
Farzana
Originally featured in Substack
