Dale Peucker has returned to AMPR as Communications Director. She has moved back to Australia from London after finishing her time as Account Director at Relevance International. During her time in the UK, she worked at a number of agencies, including b. the communications agency. 

Global strategic advisory group, H/Advisors, has appointed Amel Osman (pictured) as Managing Director and Head UAE.

She brings 15 years of communications experience to the role, having previously led corporate communications teams in Dubai and international PR agencies. From her previous roles, Amel gained a regional understanding and contextual intelligence for local and global organisations operating within the MENA region. She succeeds Laura Stockwell, who led the launch and build-out of H/Advisors across the GCC.

Neil Bennett and Tom Johnson, Global Co-CEOs of H/Advisors, said: “We’re delighted to have Amel on board. Her experience in the region is extensive, and she will bring considerable knowledge and energy to our business as we look to expand our services and team. The Middle East is one of the most dynamic and exciting markets in the world and we are thrilled to be investing behind these markets, helping local companies to go global and international firms to engage more meaningfully in the region.”

Dany Naaman, CEO at Havas Village Middle East, said: “Havas and its joint venture with Chalhoub Group in the region is long established and has provided a strong base for H/Advisors to launch its strategic communications services in Dubai. We have been successfully integrating our talent pools and experience over the last two years, and we are confident that Amel’s appointment will help propel the business to the next level.  We know that institutions and organisations across this region are shaping global agendas with increasing influence, and our teams are here to help them navigate that responsibility with clarity and strategic precision.”

On her appointment, Amel said, “Great communication happens when local insight, strategic intelligence and meticulous execution come together. I look forward to joining H/Advisors whose breadth, depth and global perspective, strengthened by the Havas ecosystem, reflect the region’s complexity and support organisations as they navigate it with confidence. Across the Middle East, regional actors are shaping global conversations, and we look forward to supporting clients as they grow, transform, and strengthen their reputations across these dynamic markets.”

H/Advisors launched its Dubai office in 2023 with a particular focus on financial and corporate communications, as well as crisis and issues management. Based in Havas Village Middle East, the company also has offices in Riyadh, Cairo and Muscat.

 
 

One Asia Communications, a network of independent agencies across the Asia Pacific region, has released a regional white paper titled, "AI Adoption Among PR Professionals in Asia 2025". The study unveils how AI is reshaping communications in Asia, covering insights including perception, adoption as well as challenges and ethics in AI usage.
 
The research, conducted in partnership with RB Consulting, surveyed close to 300 in-house communications professionals across 12 Asian markets: Singapore, Mainland China / Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, and India.
 
How PR professionals view AI
Approximately 58 per cent of respondents view AI positively, while 40 per cent hold a neutral perspective. Optimism is particularly strong in markets such as Indonesia and Vietnam, while markets like Japan and South Korea exhibit more caution. The study suggests that the narrative in the latter markets has matured beyond novelty into strategic evaluation, pointing to the need for governance frameworks, ethical guidelines, and clarity around human-AI collaboration.

The study finds the optimistic yet cautious sentiment to be an indicator that most PR professionals are ready to invest in AI tools, but believe that outcomes depend on how AI is used, flagged, and managed.

AI Awareness and adoption
Though awareness and interest in AI has spread widely across the region, adoption remains uneven and limited. Over half of respondents (51 per cent) use AI daily and are categorised as “proficient” in the study, while 39 per cent have limited experience, often experimenting with free tools.

Across the region, AI tools are mainly used for research, content creation, trend and sentiment analysis, and campaign measurement. Markets like Malaysia and India show broader integration in media analysis and content, while Hong Kong is more cautious – which the study suggests may be due to time constraints, budget limitations, or a lack of clear frameworks. The findings indicate that AI use remains mostly individual, without institutional guidance or formal training.

PR role transformation
The study observed that AI has shifted PR’s role. Corporate communications departments use AI for sentiment tracking, message consistency, and stakeholder engagement - as seen in Taiwan, where it supports quicker and more informed decision-making.

Marketing communications teams, meanwhile, lead AI experimentation in campaign ideation, content personalisation, and audience insights. In the Philippines, PR teams are beginning to adopt AI-driven analytics to guide outreach and identify emerging media trends.

The research suggests that higher-level PR skills, including storytelling, strategic thinking, ethical decision-making, and stakeholder interpretation, are becoming increasingly essential as AI automates repetitive work.

Barriers to adoption
60 per cent of respondents cited adopting AI and new technology as the biggest challenge they anticipate in the next two years. The findings suggest that while communicators across Asia are optimistic about AI’s potential, many still grapple with the speed, structure, and cost of implementation. 42 per cent cited measuring communication success, while 41 per cent cited managing misinformation and disinformation as key concerns.

The challenge lies in bridging the measurement gap: communicators must move beyond counting coverage to understanding how visibility translates in an AI-indexed world, where reputation is shaped as much by what algorithms surface as by what journalists write.

Bridging the skills and trust gap
A lack of structured training and formal programmes remains one of the most persistent barriers to confident AI adoption. The study emphasises the need for training that integrates AI into strategic planning, not just execution. Four key priorities emerge: prompt engineering, ethical use, strategic integration, and measurement and evaluation.

Strategic integration of AI would ensure that AI is not merely adopted for convenience but leveraged as a strategic partner.

Ethics and accountability
While AI enhances efficiency and creativity, it also introduces risks around bias, misinformation, and data privacy. Based on the survey, most professionals agree on three key ethical priorities: transparency, human oversight, and data protection.

The study suggests that communicators view themselves not just as users of AI but as gatekeepers of accuracy and trust. As such, clear governance frameworks and ethical review processes are needed to ensure AI strengthens rather than compromises the trust that defines meaningful communication.

Key takeaways for communicators

• Move beyond merely adapting: Lead AI adoption to serving trust, truth, and human connection.
• Ensure reliable and structured content is accessible to AI systems.
• Operate AI usage within the boundaries of transparency, accountability, and trust.
• Provide accessible training and support, and establish a redefined understanding of communications success.
• Build technological fluency, ethical clarity and strategic vision to advance the profession forward.