About Monika Fourneaux, Head of PRCA EMEA

Monika’s current role incorporates management of MENA, as well as Europe and Africa.

Monika joins the association with more than 10 years of experience, having served as Marketing and Communication Manager at world-leading organizations where she gained extensive knowledge on press relations, communications, and global events.

Monika holds a master’s degree in commerce and management and a bachelor’s degree in Japanese from the University of Lille, France. She speaks fluently French, German, Czech and Japanese. She is also a fictional writer and published her first historical fiction, Story of Lenka, in 2021. 

About her thoughts for the industry

The PRCA (Public Relations and Communications Association) was founded in London, in 1969 and over time became the world’s largest professional PR body, representing more than 35,000 PR professionals in 82 countries worldwide. PRCA established the Professional Charter and Code of Conduct that compels members to adhere to the highest standards of ethical practice.

PRCA MENA was launched in 2016 with the aim of raising standards in PR and communications in the region. Our growth plans in the region are ambitious, as we consolidate our position as the region’s most influential PR association. But with a high-performing team behind me, I’m confident that we will continue to deliver on our promise of offering a truly international stage and network for our members. 

It is a privilege for me to be serving our members in the MENA region, where the PR industry continues to grow rapidly. We organise networking and speaking opportunities for our members as well as multiple trainings and webinars that can help master and level up PR skills for all PR professionals. The PRCA MENA Regional and Digital Awards became an integral part of our offering and are highly appreciated by our community. I must say, we are a great community!

The focus in 2023

With the current geopolitical situation, gulf countries might expect significant social-economic growth. Brands will seek to establish even deeper and more meaningful connections with their clients which will directly benefit the PR industry. We are currently discussing a conference in Saudi Arabia, taking place in November. 

Awards

The PRCA Awards, which recognise the most talented professionals in PR, will be sought after more than ever in the coming years. Brands coming from other parts of the world need to find agencies that are rich with talent and creativity. And so, PRCA awards are an important way for agencies to demonstrate its effectiveness and capability. 

Education / Trainings 

Furthermore, I had many discussions with our members regarding talent retention which is one of the key issues in the MENA region. We are currently discussing with our partners how to help agencies overcome this issue and provide a solution to help members cope with these difficulties.

Industry research/ reports 

And finally, in cooperation with YouGov, we will introduce a new report called Value of the PR industry in the MENA region, which will complement our annual PRCA MENA Census report. This report should be considered as valuable feedback, helping PR professionals to understand how the business world perceives the PR industry. In this report, we will be focusing on different industry sectors such as retail, hospitality, health and well-being, e-commerce, banking, environmental, education, governmental, real estate, and F&B. 

There are many more exciting things to come! Stay tuned!