Founder’s Note – September 2026

By Orla Clancy

Welcome to my September Founder’s Note.

September has been an important month for Strategic – one that has brought several firsts, while also giving us an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come and where we go next.

Earlier this month, we held our first Innovation Sprint in London – and our first standalone Strategic event.

The Innovation Sprint was created as a different kind of gathering. Rather than discussing the challenges facing communication leaders, we brought people together to collaborate on them – sharing their experience, challenging assumptions, and developing practical approaches that could be taken back into organizations.

We are now bringing the thinking generated during the Innovation Sprint together in an Executive Insights Report, allowing the work that took place in London to reach a much wider audience.

September also marks the launch of the Strategic Global Awards 2027.

Following the success of our inaugural awards, we are expanding the program for 2027. The Strategic Global Awards recognize the individuals, teams, organizations, and campaigns advancing communication as a strategic management function, with leadership, innovation, ethics, collaboration, and measurable impact at their heart.

The program will also see the introduction of Strategic 27, building on this year’s Strategic 26 and recognizing 27 communication leaders shaping the future of the profession.

Looking ahead, preparations are continuing for another important milestone: the Communication Leadership Summit USA, taking place in Washington, D.C. on October 16 in partnership with IABC. Following our Summits in Brussels, bringing the format to the United States represents another step in the international development of Strategic.

Behind all of these initiatives, we are also continuing to develop Strategic itself.

Over the past year, we have expanded the ways in which people and organizations can engage with us – through Strategic Magazine, membership, events, training, forums, awards, and partnerships. As we look toward 2027, our focus is increasingly on bringing those different parts of Strategic together – creating greater value for our community while building a stronger, more sustainable business.

Thank you, as always, to everyone who continues to contribute to, partner with, and support Strategic.

Best from Ireland,

Orla

Orla Clancy
Founder and Managing Director
Strategic