PRGN Elects Natacha Clarac as President

NEW YORK-LONDON-HONG KONG – The Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) announced today the slate of new officers recently elected for one of the world’s largest networks of independent Public Relations, Public Affairs and communications agencies. The appointments were announced at PRGN’s bi-annual Spring member conference, held in Hong Kong on May 24-25.

Natacha Clarac, general director of Athenora Consulting in Brussels, Belgium, will lead PRGN, the worldwide network of 54 independently owned firms, as President for the next 16 months until October 2025. She had previously served as President-Elect.

As the 33rd president of PRGN, Natacha Clarac succeeds former President Andy See Teong Leng, principal partner and managing director of Perspective Strategies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, who will now assume the duties of Immediate Past-President and chair of PRGN’s Advisory Board.

“I am a true believer of our identity as ‘Accelerator of Growth’. Worldwide, we touch hearts and minds and help our clients achieve the influence they need, to be heard and to participate in shaping opinions at many levels,” said Natacha Clarac.

Other officers elected by PRGN members for 2024-2025 include:

• President-Elect David Wills, Senior Vice President of Media Profile in Toronto, Canada;
• Secretary Frédéric François, Managing Partner of two cents in Brussels, Belgium, who is serving a second term; and
• Brad Kostka, President of Roopco in Cleveland, Ohio, remains Treasurer of PRGN.

Next to the presidential transition, several leadership positions have been renewed with new committee chairs appointed who will also serve as members of the PRGN Executive Committee.

Bill Southard, President and CEO of Southard Communications in New York, replaces Leeza L. Hoyt, President of The Hoyt Organization in Los Angeles, California, as chair of PRGN’s Marketing Committee. Leeza led the committee in the past six years.

The Membership Committee will be chaired by Chuck Norman, Principal of S&A Communications in Raleigh Durham in North Carolina, replacing David Wills, who held the position for more than five years and now begins serving as President-Elect of PRGN.

PRGN’s Knowledge Committee will be led by Nick Leighton, Owner and CEO of NettResults Middle East, PRGN’s member agency in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. In the past three years Shannon Quinn, Executive Vice President of L.C. Williams & Associates in Chicago, Illinois, served as chair of the Knowledge Committee.

“My heartfelt appreciation goes to all the members of the PRGN Executive Committee, especially those who are transitioning after many years of service. Your dedication and extensive pro-bono contributions have been instrumental in shaping PRGN into the dynamic global organization it is today,” said outgoing president Andy See Teong Leng.

After the leadership transition, PRGN’s Executive Committee and international leadership team is now made up as follows:

• President: Natacha Clarac
• Immediate Past-President: Andy See Teong Leng
• President-Elect: David Wills
• Secretary: Frédéric François
• Treasurer: Brad Kostka
• Regional Vice President for the Americas: Sean Dowdall, President of Landis Communications, Inc. (LCI) in San Francisco, California
• Regional Vice President for Asia-Pacific: Joanne Chan, Principal and Managing Director of LBS Communications Consulting in Hong Kong, China
• Regional Vice President for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa): Christina Rytter, Founder and Managing Director of Scandinavian Communications in Copenhagen, Denmark
• Business Development Task Force Chair: Owen Cullen, Managing Director of Cullen Communications in Dublin, Ireland
• Conference Committee: Wendy Spivak, Principal and Co-Founder of The Castle Group in Boston, Massachusetts
• Knowledge Committee: Nick Leighton
• Marketing Committee: Bill Southard
• Membership Committee: Chuck Norman

About the Public Relations Global Network

Founded in 1992, PRGN is one of the world’s largest international networks of independent public relations and communications agencies, with approximately 900 professionals in more than 70 locations. PRGN partners are independent, local, owner-operated public relations and marketing communications firms that share expertise and resources while providing broad-based comprehensive communications strategies to clients worldwide.

Companies or organizations interested in PRGN’s local agency network services can visit its Agency Directory section for more information. Independent agencies interested in joining the network can visit the member recruitment section of the PRGN website for more information.