Robyn de Villiers, chairman and CEO of Burson-Marsteller Africa is in Ethiopia to facilitate a training workshop entitled Reputation Management and the Role of the CEO. This week also marks the official launch of Prologue Burson-Marsteller in Ethiopia as a self-standing company focusing solely on public relations.
Prologue Burson-Marsteller is a sister company to Cactus Communication that has been operating in the Ethiopian market for over 15 years and has had an association with Burson-Marsteller.
“Public relations makes an important contribution in helping to form an organisation's perception to the public. These occasions always call out for the support of highly organised, imaginative and personable experts with excellent connections and skill. That's us: Prologue- Burson-Marsteller. We understand the traditions, cultures and insights of Ethiopia. Our relationship with Burson-Marsteller will allow us to access the latest tools and skills to best serve our clients and ensure that our team is trained and operational at global standards,” read a statement on the new partnership.
The training programme with De Villiers aims to bring corporates and individuals to a common understanding of the significant impact of effective communications and the benefits derived from managing public relations well. With over 25 years’ experience in the field of corporate communications and public relations, De Villiers founded a network of in-country communications consultancies which provides local and international clients with market relevant communications services in over 50 African countries.
The Burson-Marsteller Africa network, of which Prologue Burson-Marsteller, is now a partner, is recognised locally and globally as the premier communications network on the continent.
Commenting on her visit to Ethiopia, De Villiers said: “It is a privilege to visit Ethiopia and to be able to highlight the importance of effective reputation management to communications executives and organisations in Addis Ababa. Globally, it is accepted that CEOs are responsible for managing the reputations of their organisations and protecting the value of their corporate brands.
“In my experience, this message is beginning to hit home in countries across Africa and I value the opportunity to share my understanding of this increasingly important area of overall business success during my visit. I am also delighted to have been able to share in the excitement of the Prologue Burson-Marsteller launch.”
