This year our AGM on 30 October precedes a hugely important topic of misinformation and disinformation, which is currently challenging public relations people worldwide. We shall be presenting this in two parts. The first one, on 30 October, looks at the global and national public and IGO/NGO sectors. The second (on 6 November) will focus on the challenges facing the media, agency and private sectors.

Every professional PR person knows about misinformation and disinformation, don’t they? The extent of it, who is behind it, how it is affecting organisations, governments, public sector, NGOs, private sector and communication consultancies and all the ecosystems that support them? It’s frightening, but it also offers huge opportunities for those who want to become trusted sources and to contribute to a healthy and safe information system.

This two-part webinar explores how deep and wide the issue is and what can be done about it. The two panels of world-leading experts will guide you through the complexities and leave you with some solid guidelines on how you can ensure you are wise to mis and disinformation, how to avoid being an unwitting contributor and how you can be a force for good in this challenging environment.

Professor Emeritus Anne Gregory will facilitate this session. We have four outstanding panellists on 30 October from whom our audience will learn so much.

• Laure VanHauwaert, Executive Director for EU Institutions and Government, WPP Government and Public Sector Practice.  
Laure will focus on the big picture of mis/disinformation globally, citing WPP’s research and examples of the different issues and approaches around the world. She will also provide timely advice on when and how Government should react to mis/dis information and how AI tools are being developed to assist the public sector. 

• Susanne Weber, Deputy Head of Department, Department IV/10: EU Communication and Strategy, Austrian Federal Chancellery
Susanne will provide a cross-Europe perspective and examples on the challenges posed, the collaboration that is taking place in Europe to ensure communication from governments is kept safe, along with the measures being taken to combat mis/disinformation. She will also outline the EU’s efforts to ensure the public is educated about the dangers to democracy, society and as individuals.

• Simon Baugh, CEO, UK Government Communication Service, Cabinet Office.
Simon will focus on the issues that mis/disinformation creates for Government, the steps the UK is taking to combat it and the actions they are striving to generate from citizens and other key players. Simon will also explain the publicly available guides and policies the UK has developed and that can be used by other public sector organisations.

• Olha Izhyk, Risk Communication and Infodemic Management Officer, WHO Health Security Division, WHO Regional Office for Europe 
Olha operates on the front line in health emergencies. She will explain how WHO deals with infodemic management and combats mis and disinformation in very practical terms and when being successful is literally a matter of life and death.

The formal part of our meeting, the AGM, will last from 11.30 to 12 noon and the panel will join at noon to allow for the business part of the AGM to be completed, including the election of the 2026 committee. Do join us.  We look forward to seeing you at the webinar!

Also interested in catching the second part of the webinar series on combating misinformation and disinformation worldwide? Please register here.

Contact: Nishika Bajaj
Email: [email protected]