Keynote speakers
METTE REFSHAUGE
From Insight to Impact
Whether you come to communication from the research, educational, editorial, business, or corporate angle, we all face the same challenges that puts pressure on our profession, on the fundamental concept of trust, and our very relevance. For corporate communicators, shifting between academic, strategic, and hands-on mindsets isn’t optional - it’s a daily necessity to stay relevant and create value. Real time. Through case-based examples, this session explores why the symbiosis between strategic thinking and communication craft is more critical than ever — what we risk losing if we don’t get it right, and the value we can unlock if we do.
Mette Refshauge is Head of Corporate Communication and Sustainability at A.P. Moller – Maersk and has previously held similar roles at TDC, Scandinavian Airlines, and Danfoss. Alongside her corporate role, Mette is actively engaged in bridging the gap between communication education and the professional field aiming to future-proof the skills, education, technologies, and careers that will shape the next generation of the communication profession. She supports this through collaborations with mainly Danish universities and the co-authored 2024 book Mastering Corporate Communication.
STEPHEN WADDINGTON
Lost knowledge. How we need to reconnect public relations academia and practice
This presentation will address a fundamental challenge facing public relations: the troubling disconnect between academic research and practice that has led to significant lost knowledge with consequences for both domains. The session will draw on my 30-year career in practice and, more recently, my PhD research project examining the relationship between public relations and management. This disconnect is more than an academic concern. Public relations practice continues to struggle for recognition as a management function precisely because practitioners don’t engage with theory that could help them demonstrate value in terms that management understands.
Stephen Waddington is a professional advisor at Wadds Inc. and PhD researcher at Leeds Business School. His career spans leadership roles at Ketchum, Rainier PR and Speed, working with a range of clients including The Economist, Intel, Microsoft, NHS and Tesco. He co-founded Socially Mobile, supporting practitioners in increasing their earning potential. Stephen has written and edited more than a dozen books, including Brand Anarchy, Share This and Exploring Public Relations and Management Communications, and served as CIPR President.