Asia-Pacific Association of Communications Directors (APACD), a regional association of in-house communications professionals, has announced its integration with Public Relations & Communications Association (PRCA). The move aims to leverage the organisations' combined network to build stronger capabilities and synergies among corporate affairs and communications professionals in the region.
As part of this integration, APACD will function as part of PRCA and work closely with the stakeholders, including the board of directors, specialist committees and PRCA partners, to deliver value to its existing and new members.
APACD will transition to an independent committee within PRCA with its own dedicated management team led by Chair Shweta Shukla, Head of Corporate Affairs, ASEAN & Taiwan at Haelon; Head of Program, Asiya Bakht, Founder of Beets Public Relations and Strategy Advisor, Arun Sudhaman, Founding Editor of Earned First. The key existing board members, including Keith Morrison, who has been the President since 2017, will join the management committee and continue to support APACD.
Commenting on the integration, Ed Burleigh, Head of PRCA APAC, said, “We are so excited to welcome APACD members into the PRCA fold. As industry bodies committed to help create a thriving PR industry, we found alignment in our objectives and values. The inclusion of APACD will strengthen PRCA’s offering while also opening new avenues for learning and networking for APACD members.”
Shweta added, “The integration of APACD and PRCA brings the finest minds from in-house and agency professionals together, creating a seamless network that can help us better serve business and client needs. I am looking forward to working with my peers to unlock new skills, stakeholder connections and growth opportunities for our members.”