The Swiss Public Relations Association has decided to professionalize its management and has appointed you as its head. What was the reason for this decision?
«Like many other professional orders, also pr suisse is under considerable pressure due to evolving educational, economic, and digital policies. The strategy was therefore revised, recognizing that the association's revitalization could no longer rely on the traditional militia system. With an operational director, decisions can be implemented quickly and the various initiatives can be integrated coherently. I accepted this role because the association can certainly benefit from professional management to strengthen its impact nationwide.
Pr suisse has decided to no longer offer exams for the Federal Certificate of Public Relations Specialist. What can young people who wish to obtain an equivalent certification do today?
«The decision was difficult but inevitable: professional profiles and market needs have changed, enrolments had been in sharp decline for several years and employers tend to place greater value on other qualifications. Pr suisse will continue But to organize, in collaboration with KS/CS Communication Switzerland, the professional exam for communications managerFurthermore, through collaborations with universities of applied sciences, universities, and private partners, we aim to bring together and highlight the best available training offerings. My advice is to pursue a combined path: obtain the SAQ personal certification and complement it with CAS/DAS/MAS degrees or other targeted programs, such as in corporate communications, public affairs, crisis communications, and artificial intelligence governance.
How do you see the PR industry evolving over the next three to five years, especially in light of artificial intelligence?
«Public relations will increasingly become a tool similar to a “GPS navigator” for organizations that need to find the most suitable paths to achieve their goals. The faster technology accelerates, the greater the need for guidance, context, and trust-building. AI will simplify many routine tasks, but it cannot replace judgment, ethics, responsibility, and the ability to constructively manage tensions between public opinion, politics, the media, and business. Successful communicators will be those who can read data, recognize risks early, speak the language of their stakeholders, and view ethics not as an obligation, but as a true competitive advantage.
