The International Public Relations Association (IPRA) has revealed its newly elected Board for 2025, showcasing a diverse group of seasoned professionals who will guide the organization in the coming year. Tatevik Simonyan from Armenia joins the Board, representing West Asia and Middle East.
IPRA’s governance structure is anchored by its Board of Directors. The Board is led by a President elected by the Board and operates under a set of bylaws established by the organization.
The newly elected Board includes: Alain Grossbard (Australia), Anne-Gret Iturriaga Abarzua (Austria), Tatevik Simonyan (Armenia), Daniel Silberhorn (Germany), Elena Fadeeva (UAE), Enric Ordeix (Spain), Esra Chism (UK), Faisal Zahrani (Saudi Arabia), Jacqueline Purcell (UK), Jim McQueeny (USA), and Svetlana Stavreva (Bulgaria).
Board members are selected through a combination of regional elections and expertise-driven appointments, underscoring IPRA’s commitment to promoting excellence and innovation across the global public relations industry.
“Our Board for the term 2025 – 2026 comprises a set of experienced PR professionals from all around the world. Some, like our new Armenian Board member, have a responsible for their global region, others contribute PR expertise in specialist fields. Altogether we have Board members from 13 different countries and backgrounds,” said IPRA Secretary General Philip Sheppard.
The IPRA Board meets every month via an online informal meeting and sits formally as a Board typically three times a year. These meetings coincide with other IPRA events such as the judging and Gala of the Golden World Awards.
Congratulating the newly elected members of the IPRA Board, Tatevik Simonyan said: “It is both an honor and a privilege to join the IPRA Board of such a prestigious organization. This milestone highlights my mission to represent Armenia on the global stage and contribute to advancing the communications industry worldwide. Being the first representative from Armenia in IPRA’s 70-year history is especially inspiring and underscores the growing role of our region in shaping global PR trends. I am confident this role will not only foster collaboration but also serve as a catalyst for empowering PR professionals in West Asia and the Middle East, ensuring their voices are heard on international platforms.
About IPRA
The International Public Relations Association (IPRA), established in 1955, is the leading global network for PR professionals, with membership spanning up to 95 countries. IPRA is committed to advancing ethical and trusted communication practices while fostering professional development and innovation within the public relations field.
IPRA is the organizer of the annual Golden World Awards for Excellence (GWA), a global competition recognizing outstanding achievements in public relations. Since its inception in 1990, the GWA has set the benchmark for excellence across various categories.
The GWA also awards the Global Contribution Award for campaigns aligned with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, while its Grand Prix for Excellence honors the year’s most exemplary campaign.
Notably, SPRING PR successfully organized the Golden World Awards 2019 in Yerevan, Armenia, welcoming 120 leading experts, senior executives, and government representatives from over 50 countries.
About Tatevik Simonyan
Tatevik Simonyan is an accomplished entrepreneur and award-winning strategic communications executive with a strong academic background, holding a Master of Sociology with a focus on Public Relations and Sociological Research Methods from Yerevan State University (YSU). She is the founder of the Doing Digital International Forum and co-founder of SPRING PR, a leading communications consultancy.
Tatevik serves as a Board Member of IPRA London, an Advisory Board Member of the World Communication Forum Davos, and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in New York. Her leadership has positioned her as a prominent voice in the global PR landscape, driving innovation and excellence in strategic communication. For the past five years, she has also served as a jury member for the prestigious IPRA Golden World Awards (GWA), evaluating and recognizing excellence in public relations campaigns worldwide.
Awards
Personal Recognitions:
- Awarded the Global PR Leader of the Year in 2022, New Delhi, India.
- Named among the global 50 Influential Communications Leaders of 2022 by the exchange4media PR & Corporate Communications Women Achievers Summit and Awards.
Corporate Recognitions:
- Winner of the WCFA Digital PR Awards 2021 for the project Milk is Love.
- Recipient of the IPRA Golden World Awards 2021 for the project The Road of Flavors.
- Awarded the Global Host Award at the IPRA Golden World Awards 2019 for organizing the event in Yerevan.
- Special Jury Prize at the Eventiada IPRA Golden World Awards 2018 for the Guinness World Record project The Longest Gata.
- Winner of the C4F Davos Awards 2017 for the pro bono initiative Let’s Care Armenia.
