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Comms should come from the brain not the heart, argues ex-WHO comms chief

Professional practice needs to be informed by research into what works and what doesn’t, says a senior comms figure.

‘We like to think of our partnership as a superpower’

Clare Jennings and Alice Holmes, joint communications director at Mishcon de Reya, discuss how their shared role brings double the expertise, resilience and energy to the law firm.

‘I understand what our customers experience because I've lived it’

Remitly’s Tatiana Wheeler-Brown unpacks how she designs campaigns that appeal to the UK’s immigrant communities.

Should your CEO be your main spokesperson?

In.Comms canvassed the opinions of a range of comms professionals on whether CEOs should be the main voice for an organisation or take more of a backseat.

‘Anything you’re saying internally has the potential to be external’

An integrated strategy is the future of comms, according to Tamara Pickett, communications and external relations director at Virgin Group.

How do you prevent comms fatigue when senior leaders keep asking for more?

Our experts provide strategies for internal comms teams to manage communication overload following a major project.

How to… get the most out of Reddit

The platform can be a useful way to reach your audience but it's important to understand how it works.

How to… ensure clarity for employees amid AI-driven lay-offs

CCOs must offer more than empathy or compassion, they need to provide clear strategically aligned direction as we head into a new era.

Business rates, bourbon and brews: The comms behind a U-turn

What three classic about-face cases can teach us about how to (or how not to) handle a policy decision 180.

Comms can bridge the gap between the C-suite and staff when trust is lost

Internal comms teams are uniquely positioned to support leaders as they mend their fractured relationships with employees following a breakdown of trust.

Is internal comms getting harder?

As the wider economic landscape continues to put pressure on businesses, internal comms is grappling with increasing demands, rapid technological change and a shift in employee-employer relationships.

Spin doctors and the splinternet: Entering a new comms era

How President Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt and her ilk are redefining the rules of engagement with the media.

Your CEO won’t communicate internally with employees. What now?

Three comms experts offer practical advice on how to empower a hesitant CEO to become a visible, authentic and effective leader through internal channels.

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The utilities man who loves helping leaders and their teams to connect

With more than 30 years’ experience in internal and external communications, United Utilities’ Stephen Chawke is proud to be coaching the next generation of internal communicators.

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What’s it like doing comms for one of the world’s biggest sporting events?

“I’m a super lucky man,” says Luca Casassa, communications director of the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee.

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Should comms teams ever be criticised in public?

PR experts from some of the UK’s biggest companies are among those who have shared their views with In.Comms on whether comms teams should ever be openly taken to task.

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How to get managers to effectively support internal comms strategies

Improving employee engagement cannot be achieved by internal comms alone.

Internal comms rules your CEO really needs to know

In an era of pervasive smart phones, the reputational risks of making a mistake have never been higher.

Why do so many comms chiefs have sustainability in their portfolio?

In a climate where it is now much harder (but arguably more important) for companies to talk about their green credentials, In.Comms weighs up the efficacy of the dual-role leader.

How to create a newsletter that really engages employees

When newsletter open rates plateau or decline, the creation process becomes more trouble than its worth, or if you’ve just fallen out of love with the current template, perhaps it’s time for a refresh?

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Why rebranding as Intact Insurance meant a radical new approach to comms

Jon Sellors, director of external affairs at Intact Insurance, tells In.Comms how the switch from RSA Insurance has been so much more than just a name change.

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Should you take a comms job at No. 10?

In.Comms spoke to several veterans of the Downing Street communications operation to weigh up the highs, the lows and the oddities of doing PR for the PM.

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How to handle an Amazon-style internal crisis

Ever sent an email to the wrong person? Accidents will happen, but after any blunder it’s what you do next that really matters.

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‘I realised Harry Styles’ fans now are probably in the age bracket for screening’

The social media team behind the NHS’ recent viral meme discuss taking risks and how it all happened.

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‘Comms means being curious and having moral and cultural literacy’

Having managed global crises and high-stakes data breaches, the ICO’s Angela Balakrishnan has wisdom to share about everything from authentic leadership and diversity, to doing something scary every day.

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Should you turn your employees into influencers?

Influencers promoting brands is nothing new, but your own staff can be more effective. Encouraging them to become ‘empluencers’ can help boost trust, engagement and the bottom line – but be careful it doesn’t backfire.

Why is it so hard for comms professionals to get CEO roles?

In.Comms asked trade body chiefs and headhunters for their views on how comms professionals can position themselves to reach the very top.

How we do comms at… London Business School

Felicity Glennie Holmes, chief communication officer at London Business School, shares her insights on the communication strategy, culture and challenges at one of the world’s leading business schools.

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11 things to do (plus one to avoid) to land your next in-house comms job

If you’re even thinking about moving to pastures new this year, here’s the practical advice you need to help boost your chances of getting the role you want.

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BBC, M&S, Meta, Heathrow… the worst corporate disasters of 2025

In.Comms reveals the biggest reputational catastrophes of the year – including fires, tech outages, cyber attacks and more.

What does the comms community want for Christmas?

In.Comms asked a selection of in-house comms professionals what they wish for this year - for the profession and for themselves.

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Protect your brand from the downsides of using AI in advertising

As the use of AI becomes more widespread, make sure it won’t cause issues for your customers, or get you into legal hot water.

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How to get more out of LinkedIn

Five ways to increase your visibility and get more engagement on the world’s biggest professional network.

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‘Employees seem genuinely excited that we’re now a B Corp’

Haymarket’s head of communications and impact Tara Geoghegan on why the company has joined the global movement – and how it's brought everyone along on the journey.

Black and white cutouts of Tony Hayward, Gerald Ratner and Don Rea Jr, with a prawn sandwich and some BP protestors

What happens when your CEO loses the plot?

We all make mistakes but, as history shows, some cause more damage than others.

How will the Budget affect comms professionals?

As the dust settles after the most dramatic Budget season in living memory, we speak to comms figures for their take on its impact.

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Turn comms from order taker to strategic partner

With many CCOs seemingly facing an existential crisis thanks to AI, here are the barriers standing in the way of success, and the steps needed to clear them.

What is going on with comms recruitment?

Frustration is mounting among comms professionals as job descriptions become impossibly broad, salaries shrink and expectations of a ‘unicorn’ employee skyrocket.

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Rumours, lies and mistakes: learning to live with mis- and disinformation

Dealing with falsehood is anything but a new problem, but in this post-truth age the many challenges it presents are becoming ever more front of mind for comms people.

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Use your senior leaders as strategic assets

To engage stakeholders effectively it’s becoming ever more important for comms teams to deploy senior leadership in a strategic way.

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Build a neuroinclusive workplace using internal comms

One in five people in the UK can be considered neurodivergent. So what is your organisation doing to make sure those voices are being heard?

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Protect yourself from AI brand drift

With web searches aggregating mentions of your brand into a single listing, how can you help ensure they are accurate?

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Shalini Gupta on how AI and commercial acumen are reshaping internal comms

The IoIC’s Internal Communication Leader of the Year shares her insights on transforming employee comms into a strategic powerhouse.

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Choosing your channels: what are the best ways to engage with employees?

From traditional intranet and email bulletins, to Whatsapp, fortune cookies and emoji-only announcements, the options available are greater than ever now.

The big question logo, with pictures of Gabriela Weiss Clarke, head of communications, PRCA  Gavin Ellwood, executive chair at Ellwood Atfield 
Lindsay Williams, managing director, The Media Coach, and a former broadcast and financial journalist  Sarah Leembruggen, managing director of The Works Search  Alastair McCapra, chief executive, CIPR  Charlotte Bradshaw, founder, Bradshaw Search

Is it right to hand top comms jobs to journalists?

With PR professionals continuing to lose out to journalists on some of the country's top comms jobs, In.Comms canvasses industry opinion.

Are you being seen? AI is dramatically changing the way people search

Whether it’s SEO, GEO, AEO or the next version around the corner, things are changing fast… but that could be good news.

Meet the HR man who embraced a rising comms tide at Severn Trent Water

Though issues such as price rises and executive pay keep bobbing back up, group HR and communications director Neil Morrison says authentic and consistent messaging is vital.

Grenfell: ‘Winning back trust is not just the right strategic move, it's the only move you should make’

After the tragedy Nick Price-Thompson tells In.Comms how he sought to create local government comms that put the emphasis on listening.

Are we seeing more PR heading back in-house?

Set against a tough economic backdrop, a number of companies have dispensed with the services of PR agencies in favour of boosting their in-house PR capability.

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Whose line is it anyway? The debate on where internal comms should sit rumbles on

Some say internal comms deserves to be its own unit, others believe different departments should just collaborate more; In.Comms investigates how the jigsaw can fit together.

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Use behavioural science to help solve your problems

Leaning on a scientific understanding of how the human brain actually works can help make your messaging clearer, more engaging and more effective.

Shaping culture through communications at Haymarket

Communications and impact manager Tara Geoghegan on fostering a unified culture and driving global initiatives in a hybrid world.

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What great change leaders know about internal comms

If transformational change is ‘80 percent about the people’, how can you ensure they are all getting the message?

TfL’s Matt Brown tells us about ‘taming and curating a many-headed beast’

TfL’s director of communications and corporate affairs says his organisation is ‘a beast’ of many parts, with a heritage that also needs to be handled with care.

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From apathy to empathy: revitalising DEI through authentic internal messaging

In the face of political backlash and employee fatigue, corporate DEI initiatives are at a crossroads. So which way now?

How a tiny team uses AI to punch above its weight

Within a year, the small comms team at West Oxfordshire District Council has gone from interested bystander to exploiting AI, with dramatic results.

Cadbury taps into brand heritage to deliver a new benchmark for internal comms

The wide-ranging campaign celebrated 200 years of chocolate-making through fostering a strong sense of pride and belonging.

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The internal comms strategy that put mental health front and centre to create a ‘healthier Amazon’

How a bolder approach and shift in tone helped cause a big boost in resources and outcomes.

Fighting for common sense amid raging culture wars

The National Trust’s director of communications and fundraising Celia Richardson on learning to deal with protest, bots, and concerted attacks.

Proud defender of progressive policy in financial services

If you’re simply responding to what your business wants you to talk about you’ve got things backwards, explains Lloyd’s Banking Group’s Andrew Walton.

A connectivity champion who's always pushing the boundaries

She’s merged O2 with VirginMedia, turned the Millennium Dome into The O2 arena and now has her eye on eradicating ‘data poverty’; but Nicola Green still has her feet firmly on the ground.

From tech disruptor to creative force in luxury lifestyle

Soho House’s chief communications officer Anouska Ruane tells us about creativity, versatility and keeping the magic of the brand alive while driving growth and commercial success.

The mastermind behind governmental comms services

Alex Aiken, comms advisor to the UAE and former executive director of UK Government communications, explains the importance of building a common platform upon which everyone can build and prosper.

The deep diver who says a good idea can come from anywhere

Alex Doorey, who has since moved on to M&S, takes us deep under the surface of her job as VP corporate affairs, brand, marketing and sustainability, at energy supplier Ovo.

Bringing passion, purpose and brand leadership to sport

Having guided the comms for some of sport’s biggest global productions, the Football Association’s director of marketing, communications and public affairs, Joanna Manning-Cooper, believes that, at heart, her job is simple… or should be.

IoIC CEO on the evolving role of internal communications

Jennifer Sproul, chief executive of the IoIC, talks to In.Comms about the rise of ‘shadow communications’ and the increasing need for empathetic leadership in uncertain times.

Global comms, creative risk and why ‘perfect is the enemy of good‘ at Heineken

From Bluetooth bottle-openers and boring phones to pub-saving campaigns, Jonathan O’Lone’s remit at Heineken is anything but ordinary. He shares what all of this has taught him (so far).

Shangri-La Group’s Laura Baker on ‘breaking the fourth wall’

As luxury brands seek to foster deeper connections with audiences, Baker discusses how transparency can build credibility.

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Former agency boss Gemma Mc Aloon on the ‘shock’ of moving in-house

When Mc Aloon moved to a brand new role building an in-house comms operation at a luxury hotel and investment group, life definitely did not slow down.

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Have a happy and lasting relationship with your agency

There’s no one set of rules that can cover every agency relationship. So what should you do?

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‘During the Heathrow shutdown, the comms challenges were incredibly complex’

When a huge fire blacked out Heathrow, Shaun Jepson, British Airways’ head of corporate communications & public affairs, needed a quick and well-drilled response from his team.