Dr. Herbert Heitmann

Opening

Prof. Miriam Meckel

Survey

Results: "European Communication Report 2007"

A joint project of the EACD and the University of St. Gallen, the survey presented by Prof. Dr. Miriam Meckel explores the professional backgrounds, challenges and working environments of in-house communication experts all over Europe.

Michael Oreskes

Keynote I

Another New World:
the challenges for European media

To carry out successful communications activities, it is vital to understand the current, uneasy state of European and world media. Michael Oreskes’s opening speech will describe the challenges journalists are facing in a rapidly changing media landscape, and give advice to his colleagues on how to ensure a successful future.

Trends I

The tools of the trade: a successful career in European communications

What are the best approaches to building a successful communications career in Europe? This discussion will pool solutions by drawing on the knowledge of its seasoned panellists who will cite skills, styles and methods which they have found to be most effective throughout their extensive experience.

Prof. Dr. Betteke van Ruler

Marionne Barge van Engelen

Matthias Hocke

Dr. Herbert Heitmann

Annick van Steenbrugge

Moderator: Dr. Andre Wiegand

Trends II

Moving the glacier: creating awareness
and leading debate on climate change

The issue of climate change has seized political discourse worldwide. That our planet is warming at an alarming rate is hardly in dispute: but almost everything else is. This panel will look at how to lead debate on climate change, from its causes, to the threat it poses and the renaissance of alternative energy.

Andrew Vickerman

Sigrid de Vries

Didrik de Schaetzen

Moderator: Rolf Gustavsson

Best Case I

Weathering the storm: communication in times of crisis

Times of crisis present situations in which PR must be most delicately handled, yet at the same they time can offer communications personnel the perfect opportunity to do what they do best. Experts on this panel will focus on how to perservere when challenges to an organisation’s image – or even future – arise.

Tony Halmos

Paul Mylrea

Best Case II

Economy, politics and the media after Enron: how to confront the loss of confidence

Emilio Galli-Zugaro of Allianz will present a practical and detailed overview of what has been learned in a post-Enron world. The case highlights the warning signs to look for in a corporation’s behaviour and communications. He will also detail how to confront the loss of confidence if crisis strikes, as well as how to avoid a crisis in the first place.

Emilio Galli-Zugaro

Trends I

Ahead of the game: the trends and challenges for media in 2008

Crucial challenges face the mainstream media in the coming years. Traditional media will have to constantly overhaul itself if it hopes to thrive in a world that never ceases to change. The panellists will discuss what lies ahead when information spreads at an ever-rapid pace.

Prof. Denis McQuail

Peter Morgan

Simon Walker

Jan Bonjer

Moderator: Anne Swardson

Trends II

More than a game: how sports shape the image of a nation

Few things transfix the eyes of the world with simultaneous moments of unity and division like a sporting event. With sports now broadcast globally, the image of a nation can be made or broken. This panel will examine the phenomena of global sport, and its potential to transform the worldwide perception of a nation.

William Gaillard

Tom van Damme

Marcus Siegler

Florian Wanninger

Moderator: Xavier Ginesta

Best Case I

When the world looks at you: managing
an explosion of media attention

With a media machine permanently craving exciting and original events, sudden and overwhelming media attention can feel like the ground has just disappeared from beneath your feet. This panel looks at the strategies that can be employed to both stay in the spotlight, and get out of it as quickly as possible.

Björn Edlund

Hartmut Schick

Best Case II

Towards a united public sphere:
how to communicate Europe

How can we communicate Europe in a way which people can relate to? An important part of Commissioner Wallström's strategy: getting in touch with the public directly and including them in the dialogue. The mission: pushing forward with an integrated approach to communicating across all member states.

Mikolaj Dowgielewicz

Harald Händel

Trends I

Agenda-setters? The influence of NGOs on European debate

The non-governmental sector has been a pivotal player in shaping the world we live in. 'Global Compact' has set the scene for NGOs' roles as agenda-setters through responsible and ethical citizenship. This panel will shed light on the communicative contribution of civil society to the European 'Public Sphere'.

Kate Nustedt

Amadeu Altafaj

Hajo Friedrich

Trends II

More than money:
success in finance communications

Keeping shareholders satisfied, operating in a transparent and responsible manner while releasing clear and timely reports to the press are just a fraction of the required duties for communications personnel today. Panellists here will address the ubiquitous role of communications in the world of financial institutions.

Koenrad van Hasselt

Viviane Huybrecht

Florence Ranson

Lars Seynaeve

Best Case I

Corporate Responsibility in a
controversial industry

The panel will focus on the widespread concern for corporate responsibility and social accountability. With demands for greater transparency, how should companies approach corporate responsibility while addressing their commercial goals – especially if their activities or products can be controversial?

Fran Morrison

Szabolcs Ferencz

Best Case II

Measuring success: how to develop evidence-based tools

Examining public opinion is a part of the PR agenda. Yet, there are relatively few examples of how measurement and evaluation are influencing communication sub-areas. The case-study presentations on this panel will seek a more holistic view of measurement systems across the profession.

John Chapman

Nigel Middlemiss

Pierre Louette

Keynote II

The never-present future:
European media in the 21st century

In this century, the direction of media is truly unknown. Such is the pace of change that it is entirely possible, indeed, probable, that the biggest media company in the 21st Century does not yet exist. What seems certain, though, is that news will still be central to the media revolution. What has changed is not the thirst for news, but rather the medium through which we receive it, and the fact that rather than passively wait for media to be fed to us, we now actively seek the media we want.

Working Groups

Inaugural Meetings

The constitutive EACD Working Group meetings are going to take place during the European Communication Summit. Interested members meet on June 12, 8.30 to 9.30 a.m. in the Residence Palace in Brussels. Registration and further information online:

» www.eacd-online.eu

Marc-Oliver Poppen

Greeting

New accents in European Communication

At a time when we can reach the remotest part of the planet instantly, and stakeholder groups get more and more diverse and exigent, Public Relations and communications are facing new challenges every day. The Communication Summit finds ways to manage those tasks and to advance the exchange of knowledge.

Pat Cox

Keynote III

Uniting instead of dividing:
communicating the European idea

Pat Cox, former president of the European Parliament, will speak about objectives for communicating the European idea. For nearly 50 years the goals of the European Movement have been to unite and streamline the interests of individuals, companies and associations toward a more cohesive and smoothly-functioning Europe. Pat Cox will show how this work has to extend to all spheres of European life from democratic principles to human rights issues. He will speak about the major challenge: convincing decision-makers across the continent to move towards a united European future.

Trends I

The strength of a chain:
how cross-border networks can
enhance your career

The European Union is now a multicultural workplace primed to reap the benefits of its own cross-pollination, so how do we approach this as professional individuals? This panel illustrates how international connections and cooperation within the EU have the potential to benefit our lives like never before.

Prof. Wim J. L. Elving

Lars Großkurth

Chantal Tregear

Moderator: Dr. Andre Wiegand

Trends II

A meeting of beliefs:
the challenge of inter-religious dialogue

Religious debate is occurring all over, both between religions themselves and in contrast to the principles of contemporary secular society. This panel will examine the importance of adapting religion to the information age, and the social imperative of developing an understanding between religion and wider society.

Stefan von Kempis

Robin Sclafani

Zareen Roohi Ahmed

Moderator: Jean-Paul Marthoz

Best Case I

Mergers, acquisitions, rapid expansion: the benefits of moving forward

Bringing confidence back to an equilibrium after mergers and acquisitions occur is a priority for a company to be able to move forward, but what are those first few steps? The panellists will present the best path to follow for a cohesive and smoothly functioning operation after the initial shuffle has settled.

Wilfried Remans

Miguel Angel Garzon

Best Case II

Realise stakeholder value: successful Reputation Management

Business success is driven not just by customers. No company with a reputation for offering products of flawed quality or using unethical practices will be profitable for long. Communication therefore has to aim for being favorably perceived by all business-critical stakeholder groups. The experts explain how this can be managed.

Markus Renner

Constanze Kann

Trends I

Owned by everyone, controlled by no-one: web 2.0 and the internet revolution

The emergence of web 2.0 has just taken communication to another level. This development, both electrifying and terrifying, has no end in sight, and has sent media sailing in uncharted waters. This panel will focus on the implications of this new phenomenon for the world of PR and professional communications.

Bart Becks

Dorothee Burkel

Guy Nielsen

Philippe Borremans

Moderator: Aaron Patrick

Trends II

A crisis is an opportunity:
how to focus on strengths

Public interest in international organisations and institutions is steadily growing, regulations have become more complex and crisis situations have never been as unpredictable as they are today. the speakers explain how communications professionals can overcome the challenges presented by crisis.

Lucian Hudson

Best Case I

Branding and rebranding: the quickening drop and flow of identity

How exactly does a corporation present itself to the public at any given moment? As societies and their interests are in a constant state of flux, what measures are taken to reinvent an organisation’s image? How can it properly and successfully exist and demand positive attention in these ever-new environs?

Francesca Polini

Best Case II

Innovative tools: how new technology creates new opportunities

There is more to being innovative than “just” inventing new products. In practice, other innovations are just as important: Being innovative in how to do business, how to run a Communications department, how to shape a business model etc. They make space for a more subtle kind of communication.

Anders Edholm

Francis Bell

Final Forum

Blogs, Vods and Pods – how the New Media change the rules of the game

Communication strategies have to adapt to new developments on the scene. In this rapidly changing and growing field, nothing ever stays the same from one moment to the next. With rigorous progress in New Media technologies, driving along the information superhighway, securely, is a greater challenge than ever. What have Blogs, Vods and Pods really changed in communication management? Are Bloggers the new opinion makers? Or do we overestimate the impact of New Media?

Gabe McIntyre

Corina Cretu

Dirk Delmartino

Neville Hobson

Pawel Wujec

Moderator: Michael Williams