Founder’s note – June 2026

By Orla Clancy

Welcome to my June Founder’s Note.

June has been an exciting month for Strategic as we continue to grow our global community and expand how we support communication leaders.

This month, we welcomed new members and columnists, while introducing new initiatives designed to strengthen professional development, executive dialogue and international collaboration.

One of the highlights has been the continued development of Innovation Sprint London, our new executive working session taking place on 17 September at The Trampery, Old Street. We were delighted to announce Louise Thompson as facilitator and will soon introduce our Executive Mentor panel. Registration is now open, and we look forward to bringing together a curated group of communication, business and organisational leaders to develop practical approaches to some of the profession’s most pressing challenges.

We also announced the Communication Leadership Summit USA, which will take place in Washington, D.C. on 16 October in partnership with IABC. Following the success of our unconferences in Brussels, we are excited to bring this collaborative leadership format to North America. Registration is now open.

This month also marked the launch of Strategic Forums – a new series of one-day online executive sessions focused on the issues shaping the future of communication, leadership and organisational influence. These forums are designed to provide a space for senior professionals to explore emerging challenges and exchange practical insights throughout the year.

Another milestone was the announcement of Christine Tobar as the inaugural recipient of Credentialed. Developed in collaboration with the Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence (CSCE), in partnership with the Global Communication Certification Council, the initiative recognizes practitioners committed to professional excellence and continuous development. Applications are open.

Looking ahead, Strategic Training, powered by CSCE, will deliver three virtual courses this July, while Strategic Magazine continues to publish thought-provoking perspectives from our members, Global Columnist Network and partners every day.

As Strategic continues to evolve, our ambition remains the same: to create meaningful opportunities for communication leaders to learn, connect and shape the future of the profession together. Over the coming months, you’ll see further opportunities to engage through new events, partnerships and member initiatives.

Whether you are a member, partner, columnist or part of the wide community, thank you for being part of Strategic. Your support, ideas and contributions are helping shape a truly global network. 

Best from Ireland,

Orla

Orla Clancy
Founder and Managing Director
Strategic

Written by: orlaclancy