Women make up nearly 75 percent of the global Public Relations (PR) workforce, yet 51 percent of PR boardrooms are still led primarily by men. Closing that gap, speakers argued at a recent International Women’s Day webinar, requires more than talent. It requires authority, strategic influence and the kind of executive presence that makes women impossible to overlook.
The webinar, organised by Women in PR Ghana under the theme “Authority, Strategic Influence and Executive Presence: Establishing Credibility and Influence in Organisational Leadership,” brought together PR and communications professionals to explore how women can confidently occupy decision-making spaces, advise leadership with clarity and conviction, and position themselves as indispensable strategic partners.
Delivering the keynote, Moliehi Molekoa, Managing Director of Magna Carta, urged women in PR to be deliberate about their professional growth and to build expertise that creates value across multiple markets.
“We need to speak the language of business, which means understanding revenue models, policy environments, risk exposure and stakeholder ecosystems,” she said. “Leaders listen to those who bring insight, not just opinions.”
That theme ran throughout the session. Speakers were consistent in calling on women to move beyond operational roles and into genuine strategic partnerships. Phoebe Pappoe, a strategic PR consultant, argued that credibility in the boardroom begins with a deep understanding of the industries in which professionals operate.
“It is important to understand what drives revenue in the organisation and the risks it faces, so that these factors can inform communications strategies and plans,” she said.
Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, Acting General Manager for Sustainability and Shared Value at MTN Ghana, highlighted the role of strong networks and inclusive leadership in opening doors for women at every stage of their careers. She encouraged leaders to create environments where young professionals and interns feel empowered to contribute ideas, particularly on digital trends shaping the industry.
The session closed with a collective call for organisations to bring communications leadership into the heart of executive decision-making. As one of the most powerful tools for managing reputation and building stakeholder trust, strategic PR counsel belongs at the table, not in a supporting role beneath it.
