Stephen WADDINGTON

Stephen Waddington is a professional advisor at Wadds Inc. and PhD researcher at Leeds Business School who supports agencies and in-house teams on a range of management, corporate communications and public relations issues.

His agency career includes leadership roles at Metia, Ketchum, Rainier PR and Speed. He has worked for clients including The Economist, HM Government, Intel, Microsoft, The Press Association, NHS, Tesco and Virgin Media Business.

Stephen co-founded Socially Mobile, a social enterprise that supports public relations practitioners in increasing their earning potential. It delivers management training to those from lower socio-economic backgrounds and underrepresented and underserved groups.

He has written and edited ten books, including Brand Anarchy, Exploring Public Relations and Management Communication and Share This, and served as President of the CIPR.

Conference Presentation 

Unlocking the future of corporate communications and its contribution to management

Corporate communications stands at a critical inflection point. While the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily elevated its status, many organisations have already begun reverting to old models that undervalue communications as a management discipline. This session challenges regression and charts a path forward.

In an era defined by populist movements, climate activism, AI transformation, and weaponised misinformation, the ability to navigate complex stakeholder landscapes has become essential to organisational survival. Yet public relations continues to underperform as a strategic function - trapped between tactical execution and strategic ambition.

Attendees will leave with actionable insights for transforming corporate communications from a cost center to a value driver, including specific governance models, measurement frameworks, and integration strategies that position communications as a core management capability.