Hi Everyone,
This month I had the pleasure of joining students at the London College of Communication, thanks to an invitation from our EMENA Board Secretary-Treasurer, Gloria Walker, IABC Fellow, ABC.
I shared insights from nearly two decades in internal and change comms – and loved seeing how far our profession has come. Back when I was at university, comms courses were rare, and honestly, I didn’t even know this was the career I wanted. It’s fantastic to see students actively choosing comms today, rather than stumbling into it like so many of us did in the ’90s and 2000s.
As we hit “circle back in the new year” season, it’s natural to reflect on 2025 and look ahead. Are you gearing up to start 2026 as a strategic comms leader, or feeling like an overwhelmed order-taker? If it’s the latter, don’t worry: you can catch Jenni Field’s webinar replay with cofenster, What Every Busy Internal Comms Leader Needs Before Planning 2026.
If you’re in Berlin, Brussels, Warsaw, or London, I have good news: there’s an event in your city this December. Check the events section below for details and sign-up links.
And looking ahead – save the date! The third edition of London Unfiltered is on Tuesday 10 February 2026. Expect another sellout evening of storytelling and connection. Tickets go on sale later in December. Want to share a five-minute personal story at a future event? Reply to this email and I’ll be in touch. Huge thanks to my good friend Katie Macaulay at AB for helping make this happen.
I’ll be in touch again just before Christmas, but I want to wish you all a fantastic month ahead. I hope you’re able to start to get into the festive spirit and that the workload eases off just enough to allow time for that new year planning!
Simon Cavendish, SCMP®
Chair, IABC EMENA