86% of PROI's independent PR firm members grew in 2022: Jeff Lambert on the PRmoment India podcast

 20th March 2023    Podcasts 
 Paarul Chand

Are independent PR firms growing post-Covid, why does ESG matter for independent PR firms, and is shareholder activism on the rise? 

To answer some of these questions, PRmoment India editor, Paarul Chand, spoke to Jeff Lambert, chairman of Michigan-based PR and investor relations firm Lambert Global, and global chair of independent PR firms coalition PROI Worldwide. Lambert visited India last week to attend the PROI Worldwide Global Summit in Delhi.

Lambert also shared his views on whether PROI is accessed as a network by brands for communications work, on handling activist investor firms such as Hindenburg Research (Lambert worked with Nikola Motors-one of the first companies to face an activist issue from short sellers), why ESG is the PR professional's gateway to the seat at the boardroom table and why young PR professionals must invest in their professional growth.

PROI Worldwide is made of 83 independent PR firms representing over 7000 employees and combined member revenue of over a billion US Dollars.

Listen in

The interview covered the following:

• Jeff’s take on the growth of independent PR firms in India: 0:00
• What have you observed about the growth of independent agencies in India: 3:06
• Is there going to be a net job loss in PR: 5:15
• Do the larger brands access networks like PROI for work as a network: 7:41
• What is the role of independent firms in advancing ESG: 9:39
• What are the skills that a communicator needs to have to come across as a strategic partner in the boardroom using ESG as an entry point: 12:13
• Is shareholder activism on the rise? What are the implications for high-level communication: 14:33
• Is activist investing on the rise? Is it on the rise? Is it a concern: 16:59
• Top trends and opportunities for independent firms in the future: 19:11
• Advice for young PR professionals: 22:05