Ray Shaw becomes PRIA’s fourth boss since 2012
The Public Relations Institute of Australia has appointed Ray Shaw as its new CEO, making him the fourth person to hold the role in less than two years.
Graham Le Roux was in the role as an interim CEO since March this year. Previous CEO Catriona Barry spent about a year in the role.
Before Barry came Jon Bisset who ran the association until late 2012 when he abruptly departed.
Shaw’s appointment comes at a turbulent time for PRIA which saw president Terri-Helen Gaynor ousted by Mike Watson in February and the entire board resigning.
According to a statement posted on the PRIA website from Watson, the association has started to turn around its finances. Watson said: “Shaw brings impeccable business, innovation and engagement skills to the CEO role.
“This appointment advances a reorganisation signalled by the new PRIA board in February. Redesigned events and services since then have delivered financial success for the organisation and returned the PR Institute to profit this year.
“Shaw understands that PRIA is strategically bridging the communication gap between boardroom advisors and our young gun practitioners. He has working experience with the diversity of our professional members from consultancy, corporate, government, not-for-profit, and academic practice.”
The new PRIA boss previously launched Brisbane PR consultancy Intermedia which later became Event Planners Australia and was sold to event management company MCI.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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PRIA is one of the most useless industry associations in the country. The irony of their inability to project a positive public image for the industry is hilarious.
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Great appointment
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As with most, if not all, industry associations, the PRIA is run by volunteer members but staffed by employees. This a good and bad thing. Hopefully the new CEO will be able to direct operations in accordance with member expectations while at the same time working with the Board on setting a new and exiting agenda.
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And, Richard78, how much have you contributed to help the PRIA correct this? It’s easy to sit on the sidelines and snipe.
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