Jerseyman, Steve Shepperson-Smith has been appointed as President-elect of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).
He will become President of the organisation in 2023, the organisation’s 75th anniversary year.
Founded in 1948, the CIPR is the world’s only Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners in the UK and overseas and has nearly 10,000 members. The CIPR advances professionalism in public relations by making its members accountable to their employers and the public through a code of conduct and searchable public register, setting standards through training, qualifications, awards and the production of best practice and skills guidance, facilitating Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and awarding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner status (Chart.PR).
The Channel Islands regional group was founded in 2008, and whilst the smallest region, is proud to support ten Fellows of the Institute and sixteen Chartered Practitioners which equates to being the highest percentage representation out of all of the regional groups, and a testimony to the level of professionalism in the industry on offer in the Channel Islands.
Steve was born and educated in Jersey at St. Peter’s School, Victoria College and Hautlieu. His career started in the local industry with agencies, Crystal Public Relations and Image Public Relations before he moved in-house as Head of PR for Sure in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man. He moved to London to become Head of External and Internal Communications for Cable & Wireless Communications Plc. He is now a Senior Corporate Communications Manager for Vodafone Group Plc where he leads PR for the company’s Africa portfolio and global reputation management programme.
Steve has been a member of the CIPR for 23 years. He is a Fellow of the Institute and a Chartered Practitioner. He has been a volunteer for the CIPR for over a decade, including as a founder member of the Channel Islands Group and, later, Chair of the Institute’s Greater London Group. Mr Shepperson-Smith is a current member of the CIPR Board and chairs its Finance Committee.
Steve will be the second Channel Islander to lead the CIPR after Jason MacKenzie was President in 2017. Steve said: “CIPR is the best community in PR and consistently helps practitioners to build careers, businesses and lifelong friendships. In addition, our Charter mission to fight for ethical, honest and transparent communications has never been more important in an era of disinformation and fake news.”
