Perspectives: Davos or not, earned credibility will define thought leadership in 2026

Geopolitical uncertainty, economic volatility, and rapid technological advancement have reshaped the environment in which organisations operate. Against this backdrop, communications professionals are navigating an increasingly complex landscape while remaining focused on their core mandate: building trust, protecting reputation, and fostering meaningful connections with stakeholders.

As the industry approaches World PR Day 2026, themed “The Golden Age of Strategic PR”, Telum Media spoke with three communications leaders: Toni Chan, Global Head of Communications at Lalamove; Jonathan Tan, Founder and Managing Director of VoxEureka; and Abigail Ng, Senior Manager, Corporate Affairs at Temus about what strategic communications means today, the forces reshaping the profession, and what the next decade may demand from communicators.

The forces reshaping modern PR
The communications landscape has transformed significantly over the past decade, driven by a combination of different factors.

Among the most apparent shifts is the fragmentation of the media landscape.

Toni observed that communications has moved away from centralised news outlets towards a matrix of niche podcasts, social media platforms, and online communities.

As a result, the traditional “one-pitch-fits-all” approach is becoming obsolete.

“Success today requires more careful consideration of our communication objectives, tailoring our approach to ensure our messages land effectively, authentically, and precisely with the right audience, rather than just shouting into the void,” she said.

The shift extends beyond where stories are published; it has also changed how people consume information.

Abigail pointed to the Reuters Institute's 2026 Digital News Report, which found that social and video platforms have overtaken both television and news websites as sources of news.

“Audiences don't wait for a journalist to validate a story anymore,” she said, noting the collapse of the traditional media-gatekeeper model.

For Jonathan, the democratisation of communications has a profound impact on public trust.

“You have citizen journalists, Substack, Reddit communities, and so many different canvases and platforms. On one hand, the press's influence has diluted. And at the same time, who do you trust anymore?”

He added that declining trust has become even more pronounced as global leaders increasingly communicate directly through different platforms, presenting competing versions of the truth, and making it harder for audiences to distinguish authentic information from misinformation.

Abigail observed a similar trend, noting that scepticism today extends beyond news media to institutions and carefully crafted corporate messaging.

These developments, however, are not occurring in isolation.

Jonathan believes that AI is accelerating and amplifying many of these existing shifts, increasing both the pace and complexity of change facing communications professionals.

What does strategic PR really mean?
The current communications landscape finds itself balancing two realities: adapting to constant change while remaining anchored to its core purpose.

For Abigail, that core purpose has remained consistent.

Although the media landscape has changed compared to a decade ago, she believes that PR's fundamental role is still to build and maintain relationships between an organisation and its publics.

“What's actually changed is that our realm of ‘publics’ has kept expanding.”

Today, those publics extend far beyond journalists and consumers to include employees, leadership, partners, policymakers, and the wider industry. While communicators can now engage many of these audiences directly, without relying solely on the media, the challenge lies in maintaining consistency across every touchpoint.

“The strategic skill is holding one coherent narrative across all of them,” she added.

That expanded remit has also changed how communicators contribute within organisations.

Jonathan recalled a perspective from another communications leader that has stayed with him: “We are the radar and compass for organisations.”

To him, that captures the role of today’s communicator - to stay close to the ground, continuously sensing cultural, societal, and economic signals before synthesising those insights to help steer organisations and brands in the right direction.

In an environment increasingly shaped by questions of authenticity, creative integrity, truth, and trust erosion, he believes the profession's strategic value has never been greater.

“Whether it's the golden age or not, I think the demands and the stakes of that role is more pertinent and critical than ever.”

Toni shares a similar view, describing PR as a discipline centred on reputation management. Beyond driving positive stories, she believes communicators are responsible for building credibility and trust while helping organisations minimise potential reputational risks.

“It isn't just about crisis cleanup, but proactive prevention.”

That preventive role extends beyond external communications. Toni noted that PR teams can play an active role in shaping internal strategy, such as expanding relevant communications and media training beyond senior executives to better equip employees against emerging reputational risks.

Taken together, these evolving responsibilities point to a broader shift in how the function is viewed within organisations.

As Abigail puts it: “PR sits much closer to strategy now - part storyteller, part strategist, part guardian of reputation, and increasingly a relationship-builder across audiences that used to be handled separately.”

A defining moment for communicators
If today's communications landscape is more complex than ever, it is also opening up new possibilities for the profession.

Jonathan described modern PR as an “expressive blank open canvas”, offering a breadth of opportunities that would have been difficult to imagine when he first entered the industry two decades ago.

From earned media and influencer engagement to creative production and research, the profession has expanded well beyond its traditional boundaries. As organisations increasingly expect integrated communications support, Jonathan pointed out that practitioners and agencies alike must continue evolving their capabilities and skill sets to stay relevant.

Yet with greater influence comes greater responsibility.

As communications becomes more deeply integrated into organisational strategy, Toni believes communicators play the role of a supportive and objective voice within the business.

Rather than stepping in only when issues arise, she argues that communicators should work constructively with internal teams to identify blind spots, address vulnerabilities, and ensure that organisational actions align with external messaging.

For Jonathan, that responsibility is ultimately rooted in integrity.

“It is our responsibility to be not just storytellers, but truth tellers,” he said.

Building on his earlier description of communicators as the "radar and compass" for organisations, he believes practitioners have a responsibility to stay true to their values, speak up when necessary, and help steer organisations towards what they believe is right.

Reflecting on his experience as an agency leader, Jonathan acknowledged that the industry is not without ethical dilemmas. While certain practices may deliver powerful or commercially attractive results, he personally has chosen to walk away from them in order to stay true to his values.

“As agency leaders and communicators, we have the power to decide how we shift influence, conversations, and narratives. If we don't speak up for what we believe is right, then who will?”

Technology, meanwhile, is reshaping how that responsibility is carried out.

Abigail believes communicators will increasingly move away from producing every piece of work themselves towards orchestrating collaboration between AI and people.

“Agents handle scale, synthesis, monitoring, and first drafts; people bring judgment, relationships, and accountability.”

Beyond improving efficiency, she sees AI helping organisations maintain messaging consistency at scale while preserving institutional knowledge as a living resource for stronger storytelling.

However, she cautioned that these capabilities also demand thoughtful governance.

As guardians of coherent and trustworthy narratives, communicators must exercise discernment over what is worth saying, what should remain unsaid, what can be delegated to AI, and what should always remain in human hands.

Jonathan shares a similar belief that, despite rapid technological advancement, certain qualities will always be valuable.

He said that soft skills, contextual intelligence, and relationship-building, will continue to distinguish human communicators from AI. He also believes that human intuition is equally important - the ability to exercise sound judgment, recognise the early signs of an emerging issue, and understand nuances that cannot simply be taught but are developed through lived experience and observation.

Ultimately, all three leaders believe the future of PR will bring both greater opportunities and greater responsibilities. It all comes down to how well communicators balance innovation with judgment, influence with integrity, and scale with trust.

As Abigail concluded:

“For me, the golden age isn't about doing more but orchestrating well. When everyone, and everything, can publish, coherence and trust become the hardest and most valuable things we protect.” 

Global communications agency, Burson, has announced the appointment of Gemma Hudson as CEO, Burson Group Australia and New Zealand, with immediate effect.

Based in Sydney, Gemma will oversee the agency’s business across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, including its specialist government relations firms, Hawker Britton and Barton Deakin. She will report to APAC CEO, HS Chung.

Gemma brings more than two decades of experience across healthcare, brand and consumer, corporate and public affairs, and technology communications. She was most recently at Johnson & Johnson, where she was Director, Communications & Public Affairs, AUNZ, responsible for internal and external communications, including brand communication, public affairs, and corporate reputation.

Prior to that, Gemma spent 11 years at WE Communications, including three years as Executive Vice President, APAC and EMEA, for its International Health practice. Before that, she spent eight years building and leading the firm's Australia and New Zealand business, including three years as CEO.

“We are thrilled to welcome Gemma to lead our AUNZ business as we accelerate our growth ambitions and continue to expand our offering,” said HS Chung, Burson’s APAC CEO.

“Gemma brings a valuable client-side perspective and deep sector experience which will bolster our healthcare practice and elevate the unique ‘culture to cabinet’ positioning in AUNZ - supporting clients across consumer and brand, advocacy and influence, corporate affairs and government relations.”

“I’m excited to be returning agency side and joining Burson at such a significant time for the communications industry,” said Gemma.

“Today's geopolitical environment has made it more important than ever for organisations to navigate culture, reputation and policy. I'm delighted to be joining a business that brings together the capabilities to support clients across that full spectrum.” 

How earned-first agencies can build a competitive advantage that clients actually value

There is a simple truth that earned-first agencies (in fact, ALL agencies) often ignore: positioning is not a marketing exercise. It is a growth strategy.

Agencies that consistently outperform the market grow because they have established a clear, credible, and differentiated position in the minds of clients. They have answered one question better than everyone else:

Why should a client choose us instead of dozens of seemingly similar competitors?

In an increasingly crowded market, the answer cannot be "because we're strategic", "because we're creative", "because we’re good at media relations", or "because we deliver integrated communications". Every agency says that. Those have become table stakes, not a source of competitive advantage.

Here's the reality: if you position yourself correctly, you often win the battle before the pitch or selection process even begins.

Positioning is the first of The Savage Company's Five Doors to Revenue Growth. I’ll cover it in depth in this column and share insights on the other four doors in future articles.

Most agencies sound exactly the same

Ironically, agencies that help clients develop powerful brands often fail to do the same for themselves.

Visit the websites of twenty PR agencies and you'll encounter an almost identical list of capabilities:

• Media relations

• Content creation

• Social media

• Corporate communications

• Strategy

• Reputation management

• Stakeholder engagement

• Issues and crisis communications

The problem isn't that these services aren't important. It’s that clients already assume competent agencies can deliver them. Listing capabilities is the equivalent of a chef advertising that they know how to boil an egg.

The point is this: clients don't purchase services; they purchase solutions to urgent business problems.

Pause a moment. Breath in. I’m repeating it because it is so critical. Prospects purchase solutions to urgent business problems.

That subtle shift changes everything.

Start with the client's problem, not your services

Positioning should begin with: "here's the business problem we solve."

The strongest agency positioning is always client-centric rather than agency-centric.

Instead of describing capabilities, describe outcomes. Instead of promoting activity, promote impact. Instead of talking about yourself, talk about the client's future.

The most compelling positioning answers four simple questions:

• Who do we help?

• What critical business problem do we solve?

• What outcome do we consistently create?

• Why are we uniquely qualified to deliver it?

One useful framework is remarkably simple:

We help (who) achieve (outcome) by (our distinctive approach).

If your agency cannot explain its value within the first ten seconds of a conversation, your positioning probably isn't sharp enough. I call it ‘passing the grunt test’.

Have a look at your website. If a prospect is reading it, will they - in ten seconds - sharply understand what you do, what problem you solve, and why they should engage you?

Specialisation is not limiting. It's liberating.

One of the biggest mistakes agencies make is trying to appeal to everyone. They fear that narrowing their focus will shrink the opportunity.

In reality, the opposite is usually true.

A narrowly focused agency serving a profitable client segment is almost always more valuable than a generalist trying to compete across every category.

Specialisation creates expertise. Expertise creates trust. Trust creates pricing power.

As Blair Enns argues, the availability of substitutes gives buyers power. The fewer credible alternatives clients perceive, the stronger your negotiating position becomes.

That's why agencies should stop trying to become the best at everything. Instead, aim to become the only credible choice for something that matters.

You can specialise in several ways:

• Solve one important problem exceptionally well across many industries.

• Become the recognised expert within one industry or client category.

• Dominate a narrowly defined market where deep expertise is valued.

The principle remains the same: fewer things, done brilliantly. I love specialisation. Remember - pigeonholes are full of cash.

Go where the value is

Not every dollar is an equally good dollar.

Many agencies spend enormous energy chasing work that is highly competitive, poorly differentiated, and increasingly commoditised.

Routine standard media relations often represent what could be described as "thin value". These services are oversupplied, widely available, and heavily price-driven.

By contrast, the greatest opportunities lie in "thick value". Thick value exists where markets remain underserved, where problems are difficult to solve, and where genuine expertise is scarce.

These assignments often involve high-stakes challenges such as organisational transformation, reputation management, complex stakeholder environments, behavioural change, or executive positioning.

They’re harder. More strategic. And significantly more valuable.

Scarcity creates value.

If what you do is easy to replicate, clients have abundant alternatives. If what you do is difficult, specialised, and genuinely rare, premium pricing becomes far easier to justify.

Productise solutions, not services

One of the most significant shifts occurring in professional services is the move from selling hours to selling solutions.

Forward-thinking agencies are increasingly packaging their expertise into proprietary programmes designed to solve recurring business challenges.

Rather than selling media relations, strategy workshops, or social campaigns independently, they assemble integrated solution sets around client problems.

Instead of asking clients, "what services do you need?", they ask, "what problem are you trying to solve?" This represents a profound shift in positioning.

Clients don't buy activities. They buy confidence that an important business challenge will be solved.

Some leading firms now organise their offerings around themes such as transformation, reputation resilience, executive influence, AI adoption, or brand acceleration.

Behind each programme sits a carefully designed combination of capabilities, methodologies, and intellectual property. This makes the agency substantially harder to copy.

Competitors can replicate services. They cannot easily replicate a well-developed framework, process, or solution built around years of accumulated expertise.

Develop a point of view

Powerful positioning requires more than selecting a niche.

It requires having a perspective.

The agencies that command attention don't simply describe what they do. They articulate what they believe. They challenge conventional thinking.

They confidently explain why the market has changed and why clients need a different approach. That doesn't require being controversial simply for attention, but what it does require is courage.

Clients remember agencies with a clear point of view far more readily than those that offer safe, generic observations. An agency should be known for something.

If someone described your firm over lunch to another marketer, what words would they use?

What problem would they say you solve? What would you be famous for?

If those answers aren't obvious, your positioning probably isn't yet distinctive enough.

Build the narrative

Great positioning isn't just strategy.

It must also be translated into a simple narrative that everyone inside the business can articulate consistently. A useful structure includes four components:

1. Create a memorable strapline that captures your core idea in just a few words.

2. Define your positioning by clearly stating the business you're truly in - not simply "public relations," but perhaps reputation transformation, earned influence or behavioural change.

3. Develop a proposition that identifies the client problem you solve, for whom, and the unique outcome you deliver.

4. Explain how you deliver that outcome through your distinctive capabilities, frameworks, or expertise.

This narrative becomes the foundation of business development, recruitment, marketing, thought leadership, and client conversations.

Be prepared to claim your space

Many agencies delay sharpening their positioning because they believe they need years of evidence before making a bold claim. But often the reverse is true.

Choose your focus first. Communicate it consistently. And build the proof over time.

Differentiation isn't created by waiting. It's created by repeatedly demonstrating expertise within a carefully chosen space.

Done is almost always better than perfect.

A minimum viable position, consistently communicated, is more powerful than endless internal debate.

Positioning is never finished

Markets move quickly. Client priorities shift. Technology changes.

Positioning should therefore never become a "set and forget" exercise.

The strongest agencies revisit their strategic positioning regularly - often every nine to 12 months - to ensure it remains relevant to emerging client challenges.

That doesn't mean changing direction constantly. It means continually asking whether your expertise remains aligned with where future demand and future profit are heading.

Winning before the pitch

Ultimately, positioning determines the quality of opportunities that arrive at your door.

When your agency becomes recognised for solving one valuable problem exceptionally well, prospects begin self-selecting. The conversations become easier. The sales cycle shortens. Pricing pressure reduces.

Your team spends less time explaining what you do and more time discussing how you can help. That is the real objective.

The strongest agencies are not those that shout the loudest. They are the ones that occupy a distinctive position that clients genuinely value.

Growth rarely comes from doing more of everything. It comes from doing fewer things with greater expertise, greater confidence, and greater relevance.

The future belongs to earned-first agencies that stop selling services and start owning problems.

Because when clients believe you are uniquely qualified to solve their most important challenge, you've already won the battle before the first meeting begins.

Chris Savage is one of Asia Pacific’s pre-eminent creative communications industry leaders. Following a highly successful 25-year career in public relations, Chris launched The Savage Company in 2015, focused on helping business leaders energise growth. He has built and led some of the region’s biggest PR companies and groups, including as Australia CEO and Vice Chairman Asia Pacific of Burson-Marsteller, CEO of Ogilvy PR Australia, and COO of marketing content and communications group, STW Group (now WPP ANZ). Chris is also a shareholder and chairman of eight communications agencies.

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