APRA Conference Mirrors PR Industry with 60% Female Speakers
The Annual Conference of the African Public Relations Association (APRA), currently taking place in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, has a majority of female speakers, confirming a recent report that 60-75% of Public Relations specialists are women.
Spokespersons Digest reports that the 5-day APRA Abidjan 2024 Conference, with its powerful theme “One Africa, One Voice: Bridging Africa’s Communication Divide,” is a testament to the crucial role of public relations in unifying Africa’s diversity and amplifying its voice globally.
Among the 28 esteemed PR practitioners scheduled to speak, 18 are women, each with a remarkable career trajectory. Notable among them are Ms Esther Cobbah, CEO of Stratcomm Africa and IPRA Board member; Bridget Von Holdt, Co-Market Leader/MD, BCW Africa; and Corazon Sefu Wandimi, Managing Director, Edelman Kenya, all of whom have made significant contributions to the field.
Other female speakers, each bringing their unique perspectives, include Adedoyin Jaiyesimi, Co-Founder, The Comms Avenue (TCA); Eloïne Barry, Founder and CEO, African Media Agency; Regine Le Roux, Managing Director, Reputation Matters; and Gladys Afumwaa Asare-Danquah, Managing Partner, Burgundy Africa and Mrs. Sandrine Roland, Associate Director AOS Africa.
The conference delves into strategies, trends, and solutions for a common approach to communication in Africa, tackling the continent’s challenges and opportunities for public relations professionals.
Male speakers include Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, the Incoming president of APRA; Henry Rugamba, the Secretary-General of APRA; Justin Green, the President/CEO of Global Alliance (GA); Arun Sudhaman, the CEO and editor-in-chief of PRovoke Media, the organizer of the SABRE Awards; and Dr. Omoniyi P. Ibietan, a communication scholar, regulation specialist in multistakeholder sector.
The conference highlights women’s pivotal role in public relations and their contributions to shaping the industry in Africa.
