NEWS: New CIPR President-Elect Confirmed

News from CIPR:

Dan Gerrella Chart.PR, Dip CIPR, FCIPR has been named the 2026 President-Elect of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).

Dan is Associate Director at Liz Male Consulting and brings more than a decade of experience working with the CIPR, including four years on its Board of Directors and two years on Council. His career spans both agency and in-house roles, including his position as former Head of Communications Asia Pacific, for global architecture practice Broadway Malyan, where he led regional communication strategies across diverse markets.

Dan will serve another three-year term on the Board of Directors, beginning 1 January 2026 and ending 31 December 2028, assuming the role of President-Elect in 2026, President in 2027, and Past-President in 2028.

Statement from the returning officer

At the close of voting, 17:00 on Friday 17 October 2025, 434 votes had been cast of 8,049 ballots issued, a turnout of 5.4%. The count was conducted by the Single Transferable Vote system. Dan Gerrella was elected at Stage 2. There were no appeals or complaints within the statutory 48 hours from the close of voting. I therefore declare Dan Gerrella duly elected as CIPR President-Elect 2026.

Dan Gerrella Chart.PR, Dip CIPR, FCIPR commented: “I’m honoured to be named president-elect and will work hard to deliver my priorities over the coming years. I’d like to thank the members who engaged with the election and voted. It was a very professional and well fought campaign, and Aileen and Graham were great candidates.

It’s healthy for the CIPR to have a contested election and have the opportunity to debate the next steps for the Institute. I hope we see more people put themselves forward in the future. Now the work starts. I’ve got five priorities, with the aim of building our profile, engaging with volunteers and members, supporting our professional development and ensuring that we have a sustainable CIPR, fit for the future.”

CIPR 2025 President, Advita Patel Chart.PR, FCIPR said: “Many congratulations to Dan on being named our next President-Elect. This election saw three candidates step forward, each bringing their own valuable expertise and perspectives to the race, and reflecting the quality, strength and depth of our membership. I’d like to thank Aileen and Graham for putting themselves forward and for engaging with so many of our members with their campaigns.

Having worked with Dan for several years and recently on our Board for the last two years, I know he has a deep understanding of the profession and the Institute with a genuine commitment to strengthening the CIPR for every member. I have no doubt he will be a fantastic President-Elect and an outstanding President in 2027.”

Written by: Editor