By Staff Reporter- The Zimbabwe Institute of Public Relations (ZIPR) has elected communications guru and journalism lecturer Thandolwenkosi Nkomo as president following its Annual General Meeting held last Friday.
Mr. Nkomo, a seasoned communications professional who has been an active member of ZIPR for several years, takes over from Hazel Zisanhi, who completed a successful two-year term as the institute’s president.
In addition to Mr. Nkomo’s election, Charles Sadondo was elected vice-president, and Roberta Katunga as secretary, while Darling Ndlovu joined the ZIPR council as a new council member.
Former president Zisanhi remains on the council as an ex-officio member, assuming responsibility for the Public Relations and Membership portfolio, where she is expected to leverage her considerable experience to support the institute’s growth initiatives.
Mr. Nkomo has expressed his commitment to meeting the expectations of the institute’s members and promoting the public relations profession in Zimbabwe.
“The election of the new council comes at a time when there has been tremendous interest among public relations practitioners in ongoing professional development programs and platforms that enable them to network, collaborate, and contribute to the sustained growth of public relations in Zimbabwe,” Mr. Nkomo said following his election.
“It is our intention to not only meet the needs of local public relations practitioners but to fulfill our role as a thought leader that the private sector, government, and civil society can trust to provide guidance and counsel, especially at a time when there is a need for careful navigation towards attaining national development goals and the international Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he added.
ZIPR has been the national body for public relations professionals for almost 67 years, having been founded in 1957.
Mr Nkomo emphasised the new council’s commitment to continuing to promote excellence, ethical behaviour, and professional development in the field of public relations.
“We will continue to provide a platform for our members to network, share knowledge, and collaborate in fostering growth and advancement within the public relations industry,” he said.
International Public Relations Association (IPRA) board member and chair of the association’s United Kingdom and Ireland Chapter, Jacqueline Purcell, who is a ZIPR Fellow and former ZIPR president, extended her congratulations to the new ZIPR president and noted the long-standing relationship between ZIPR and IPRA.
During the Methew Takaona era at the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, ZIPR, through its partnership with ZUJ, trained several senior journalists in Zimbabwe to become fine public relations managers, many of whom are now flourishing in the corporate sector.