Programme (click each day below to view) Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday Please note: all session dates and timings in the programme may change subject to delegate travel and availability. Tuesday - 10th JunePre-Summit Meetings and Networking – Tuesday 12:00 - 15:00 AMEC International Board of Directors (Closed Session – invitation only) Location: COBURG 4-6 – Vienna Marriot Hotel 15:30 - 17:00 LexisNexis Sponsored Speed Networking Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriott Hotel The 2025 Global Summit officially opens with our exciting speed networking session where you will have the opportunity to meet and connect with fellow attendees in a fun and engaging way. During the session, each person will have a window to engage in conversation with someone they have not yet met, allowing you to learn about their background and what they do while also sharing your own experiences. Be sure to bring plenty of business cards and take advantage of this unique opportunity to build valuable connections and make the most out of the conference. Thank you to our generous sponsor LexisNexis. 17:30 - 19:00 Summit Welcome Networking Reception – Sponsored by Mediatrack Location: EXHIBITOR ATRIUM – Vienna Marriot Hotel The 2025 AMEC Global Summit on Measurement and Evaluation welcome drinks reception is the perfect way to start your first day Summit experience, meet friends, make new introductions and talk to sponsors/exhibitors. The welcome drinks reception is generously sponsored by Mediatrack. 19:00 - 23:00 Delegate Dine Around Self-organised Delegate Dinner, there are four different restaurants and bars within the Vienna Marriott, or you can find a list of restaurants and bars to reserve here. Location: Dine Around – Vienna Marriot Hotel Wednesday - 11th JuneDay One – Wednesday 11th June (Please note: all session dates and timings in the programme may change subject to delegate travel and availability) 08:00 - 17:00 SUMMIT REGISTRATION DELEGATE CHECK-IN Location: EXHIBITOR ATRIUM – Vienna Marriot Hotel 09:00 - 09:15 AMEC Summit Welcome Day One Johna Burke, CEO, Global Managing Director, AMEC; Thomas Netousek, CEO and Headline Sponsor, eMedia Monitor GmbH Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel 09:15 - 10:00 CCO Unfiltered Travis Parman - Former CCO, PMI 30 MINUTE + 15 MIN Q&A Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel 10:00 - 10:30 Audience Compass: Navigating Cross-Channel Influence Stephanie Cohen Glass, Senior Director Communications Strategy & Insights, Microsoft Vincent Jacobi, Vice President Insight & Analytics, WE Communications Keynote, Location: FESTAAL B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel Our industry often speaks idealistically about being audience-centric, but for some that can be too abstract to implement. Our Microsoft Comms Strategy & Insights and WE I&A team did not accept that reality and instead built two productized solutions. Those solutions provide an audience lens that enable our key stakeholders and partners generate greater impact in the fragmented media environment which includes expanding pitch lists with creators and influencers on different platforms and conducting exclusive executive interviews with influencers who historically have not access to senior execs. Overall, it maximized our efforts with the right voices and channels and provided insights into what worked and where we can still learn. • Meeting the audience where they are is not enough. You must craft the content in a voice and tone that represents their needs. • Don’t fall into the trap of believing that larger audiences are better. Smaller, concentrated audiences can be very engaged and may net greater impact if you meet them on the channels they trust and consume. • There is not a magic button you can press; instead, you must blend qualitative expertise with the data findings. Balancing the art of communication with the science of audience data delivers the best outcomes. • Establishing a shared language around the audience is hypercritical for universal understanding, setting expectations and behavior change. 10:00 - 10:30 Measuring Stakeholder Perceptions: Turning Insights into Action for Increased Trust in a Polarized World Shahar Silbershatz, Co-founder and CEO, Caliber Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel In today’s interconnected yet polarized world, businesses that want to succeed must understand their stakeholders’ perceptions all the time, and act accordingly — and that means generating actionable insights from real-time perception measurement. This presentation will focus on how to effectively measure brand, reputation and trustworthiness, and how to use those insights to foster stronger relationships with stakeholders that contribute to business success. We will discuss practical tools to use perception data for risk mitigation and activity optimization, aligning with organizational goals to enhance trust and improve stakeholder loyalty. Key Takeaways include: – Tools and metrics by which to measure stakeholder perceptions in an actionable way – The key factors that contribute to brand reputation, best practices for measuring those factors, and effective approaches to analyzing this data to inform future initiatives – How to apply those tools to activate trust – How to ensure the process of measurement and action becomes an ongoing part of the business strategy 10:30 - 11:00 NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK Location: EXHIBITOR ATRIUM – Vienna Marriot Hotel 11:00 - 11:15 POV: You’re a journalist in 2025 Amrita Sidhu, Managing Director, Medianet and Medianet Insights Keynote Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel The inbox never sleeps. The deadlines don’t pause. The 3AM fact-check is just part of the job. You’re burnt out. Underpaid. You’re watching your industry transform in real time. “Disrupted. Dismissed. Distrusted.”, they say. And yet — you keep going, because the stories still matter. As trust is eroded and misinformation sprouts at every corner, you are both the problem and the solution. Step inside the mind of a journalist in 2025 as Medianet’s Managing Director Amrita Sidhu shares a revealing snapshot of the Australian media’s state of play, based on insights from close to 1,000 journalists that were part of the latest Medianet Media Landscape Reports. Why this matters: The AI anxiety in every newsroom With nearly 9 in 10 journalists concerned about generative AI, how is it reshaping journalism and redefining what “truth” looks like in a world of synthetic content? The pressures driving newsroom discontent Shrinking teams. Flat wages. Burnout on the rise. Discover how financial and structural instability is transforming the job of a journalist — and what it means for your organisation’s reputation and its communication efforts. The trust tipping point — and the opportunity for communications professionals. With public trust in journalism hanging in the balance, and social media being a double-edge sword, how can communications professionals step up and build much needed trust and credibility with journalists? The grounding role of effective measurement How does reliability in measurement play an essential part in understanding communication impact and results in the context of generalised mistrust and a media industry in a constant state of flux. 11:00 - 11:45 CEO Panel: Leading Through the Chaos — AI, Geopolitics, and the Human Factor Panel: Bruce Davidson, CEO, Mediality; Steffen Egelund, CEO, Mediatrack Pte; Magdalena Horanska, CEO NEWTON Media & Secretary General FIBEP; illia Krustev, CEO, A Data Pro; Tim Marklein, CEO, Big Valley Marketing Moderator: Maja Pawinska Sims, Global Head of Features & EMEA News, PRovoke Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel In this candid conversation, top CEOs confront the defining challenges of 2025—from the rapid rise of AI and shifting geopolitical landscapes to copyright dilemmas, tech disruption, and the mental health of the modern workforce. This panel goes beyond trends to explore how today’s leaders are balancing innovation, ethics, and empathy while shaping resilient organizations for an uncertain future. 11:15 - 11:30 The Future of PR: What 1,000+ PR pros reveal about AI, measurement and what’s next Natan Edelsburg, Chief Partnerships Officer, Muck Rack Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel How are today’s leading PR teams adopting AI and proving their impact? In this micro-session, Natan Edelsburg, Chief Partnerships Officer at Muck Rack, shares exclusive insights from a survey of over 1,000 PR professionals. Get a data-driven look at how AI is being used in real-world communications workflows—plus the latest trends in measurement and reporting. From automation to attribution, learn how teams are evolving their strategies to stay ahead in an industry that’s changing fast. 11:30 - 11:45 2025 State of Social Media Samantha Monk, Senior Global Account Executive, Meltwater Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel A presentation of the most recent findings of Meltwater’s annual State of Social report. We explore the trends, challenges, and priorities defining the future of social media. Based on insights from over 1,100 survey responses, this session provides a comprehensive overview of the social media landscape and actionable takeaways to guide strategy in 2025. -Social is seen as important, but team size isn’t growing. -36% plan to increase social budgets vs. 39% planning to maintain investment as-is. -Instagram is now the most used channel. -Brands are prioritizing brand awareness over web-traffic on organic social. -Social listening is becoming increasingly vital for brands, but bandwidth and cost are barriers to having a robust solution in place” 11:45 - 12:05 Tackling the #PRethics of Organizational Gaslighting Mary Beth West, Senior Strategist - Fletcher Marketing Communications & Founder of The #PRethics Community Keynote, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel In popular culture, “gaslighting” – which was Merriam-Webster’s 2022 “word of the year” – is a widely used term to describe psychological head games, most often seen in either toxic family or intimate relationships. People who “gaslight” others generally use a range of unethical communication techniques to deflect responsibility for their own bad behaviors. But what happens when the same disinformation-driven gaslighting techniques are industrialized… adopted by organizations, brands, and their PR teams, to deflect criticism, counterattack those who dare question leadership, and confuse valid issues by manipulating media? New and emerging research is delving into the problem of organizational gaslighting as an unethical PR practice – with metrics that the industry will want to watch, to take stock of whether one’s PR program is sliding down the slippery slope into unethical, trust-destructive territory. Attendees will gain qualitative and quantitative insights gathered from senior PR agency leaders in recent months about: Ways in which organizational gaslighting manifests in the PR service context Whether organizational gaslighting is perceived to be on the rise, according to agency leaders Whether agency leaders perceive clients gaslight them / their teams The likelihood of PR teams doubting their own judgment or questioning their own credibility when under pressure from clients How self-censorship in the PR workplace correlates with gaslighting behaviors How this research is setting the stage for consumer-level inquiries in the next year 11:45 - 12:00 Insight of ICCO’s World PR Report – lessons for the broader comms industry Andras Sztaniszlav, Interim CEO, ICCO Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel 12:00 - 12:30 Coding with Large Language Models: Infrastructure and Evaluation Across Models Mr. Stavros Vologiannidis, Founder, Strategy - DataScouting Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel As PR and communication professionals navigate an increasingly complex media landscape, Large Language Models (LLMs) offer a game-changing opportunity to automate tasks traditionally reliant on human effort. This session presents a comparative evaluation of LLM performance on multiple coding tasks and explores how DataScouting’s advanced software infrastructure empowers media and PR teams. By leveraging AI-driven automation, professionals can streamline media monitoring, enhance data enrichment, and generate more insightful reports across online, social, broadcast, and print media—enabling faster, more accurate, and strategic decision-making. Stavros Vologiannidis is one of the founders of DataScouting. He has a PhD in Control Theory and his research interests include control, machine learning and systems theory. DataScouting is a software development company committed to providing robust and scalable software solutions to companies and organizations for PR Dashboards, Broadcast, Online and Print media monitoring by using technologies such as text, image and video analytics, speech recognition, LLMs and machine learning. 12:05 - 12:30 How Synthetic data is revolutionising communications Mary Elizabeth Germaine, Chief Data and Strategy Officer - Ketchum, Penelope Mantzaris, SVP, Human Intelligence DXI EMEA, Edelman DXI, Moderator, Kyle Mason, Head of External Monitoring, Shell Panel, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel This panel will discuss how AI and synthetic audiences are increasingly being used for insight mining, content development, to adapt communications in-flight, and to evaluate content performance. Key take aways: How agencies are creating custom AI models that can replicate and predict the responses of key audience segments. How synthetic audiences are revolutionising strategy and planning processes How the world’s leading PR agencies use synthetic data to predict communications impact How synthetic audiences are used to aid in crisis management and rapid response Closing the gap in linking outputs to outcomes and business impact with synthetic audiences 12:30 - 13:00 Managing Risk and Reputation in the Digital Age Giuseppe Polimeno, Executive Vice President, Global Data Innovation, Ketchum Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel In today’s world, reputation is a delicate balance. A negative customer experience shared online or a viral video exposing unethical practices can tarnish a brand overnight. Similarly, legislative changes can appear suddenly and catch businesses off guard. Most social listening & brand tracking activities are too noisy and reactive to keep pace, requiring new innovative approaches that provide the “data that matters” for a world where even real time isn’t always fast enough. In this thought-provoking session, Ketchum will present a clear, actionable framework for modern risk monitoring, illustrated with insights and examples from the field. 12:30 - 13:00 From Data to Impact: Using theories of change and insights to shape campaign strategy and measurement David Cantor, Deputy Director, Measurement and Insights, Gates Foundation Keynote, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel Great campaigns don’t just tell a story—they’re built on data. This session will explore how to use measurement and theories of change to align complex communications objectives. Key Takeaways: A theory of change is critical for both strategy and measurement. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to turn research into impact, ensuring their campaigns resonate and drive meaningful organizational outcomes. “ 13:00 - 14:00 LUNCHEON ROUNTABLES Location: COBURG 5-6 – Vienna Marriot Hotel Table 1: Not-for-Profit Hot Topics Host: Camille Raymond, Head of the Communications Impact, Standards & Capacity Building Division (CISC) at the OECD – OCDE Table 2: One Voice, One Value: Measuring the Impact of Unified IR and PR strategies As Communications becomes Increasingly tied to business performance, how can we better align and measure the outputs of financial and PR Communications? This roundtable explores the intersection of IR and PR, focusing on how integrated, messaging, measurement, and strategy can drive real company value. Join peers to share best practices and discuss how to demonstrate impact to the C-suite and investors. Table 3: Coming Soon Table 4: Coming Soon Table 5: Coming Soon Table 6: Coming Soon 13:00 - 14:00 Networking Lunch All Delegates, Location: PARKRING RESTAURANT – Vienna Marriot Hotel 14:00 - 14:30 Paths to Purchase: How communications drive sales and revenue Larry DeGaris, Executive Director, Medill Spiegel Research Center, Northwestern University Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel Linking communications to hard business outcomes is challenging but necessary to gain influence in budget decisions. This presentation proposes a framework for measuring how communications worth through brands, consumer behaviors, and other marketing communications to drive sales. Communications measurement professionals need to do a better job of linking communications to hard business outcomes (i.e., sales). The best results come from a combination of modeling and field experiments. Experimental design for communications can be challenging, but is facilitated by new technologies and worth the effort. The direct effect of communications on sales is weak or non-existent. Communications’ effects on sales are largely indirect, moderated or mediated by brand, consumer behaviors, and/or other marketing communications. 14:00 - 14:30 Aligning Employee Performance Assessments with Communication Metrics: An Organizational Perspective Lisa Tam, Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology SAREC Keynote Presentation, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel This study explores the integration of organizational alignment into HRM by examining the role of employee-organization fit within communication measurement and evaluation (M&E). Through interviews with 26 communication professionals in Australia, it reveals that objective metrics alone cannot fully capture the performance of communication professionals. Subjective measures, such as stakeholder relationships and cultural contributions, are equally vital. The study highlights the importance of assessing organizational alignment as a key input in M&E, offering a fresh interdisciplinary perspective on combining HRM practices with communication frameworks. 14:30 - 15:00 AI and reputation: What you need to know about earned and owned media, and its impact on what Large Language Models (LLMs) are saying about your brand Darryl Sparey, Co-Founder, Hard Numbers Keynote, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel What content shapes what Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT says about the world’s largest brands? Hard Numbers has done the hard yards and analysed where ChatGPT sources the content it disseminates about the world’s 100 largest brands. If you want to know how earned, owned and shared media play a role in influencing the content AI models are sharing about your brand, business, organisation or client, this is the presentation for you. Darryl Sparey, Co-founder of Hard Numbers will present the findings from the latest in their Coverage to Capital research series, this time about AI and Reputation. Key Takeaways will include: How much of what ChatGPT and Large Language models says about the world’s largest companies is sourced from earned media What role do company websites, blogs and owned media play in shaping the views expressed by ChatGPT What impact does PR and communications work have on the content within large language models, and what are the channels that have most impact 15:00 - 15:30 AI’s Media Reset: Broadcast Back in Focus Thomas Netousek, CEO, eMedia Monitor Keynote, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel In this presentation, we’ll explore how AI has reset the media landscape by shifting the focus back onto broadcast as the most reliable source. AI enables structured, actionable insights from a landscape that has evolved from traditional media to fragmented digital and social platforms with varying credibility. At the same time, AI has revolutionized broadcast monitoring, making content more accessible, structured, and manageable. Key Takeaways: Discover how AI has reset the media landscape, reinforcing broadcast as the most reliable source Explore how AI-driven media monitoring has evolved from simple keyword detection to comprehensive story tracking Gain insights from an industry pioneer with 30 years of experience in AI” 15:00 - 15:30 Update your CommsOS-From a Linear to a Cyclical Operating System Iskren Lilov, Head of Marketing and Comms of Ruepoint and AMEC Comms Taskforce Lead Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel Traditional comms run like an old‐school software install – download once, hit 100 %, freeze until the next big release. Tomorrow’s high-performing teams run a living CommsOS: a perpetual update cycle where data patches strategy, strategy powers action, and action instantly generates the next data set. Iskren Lilov (Head of Marketing & Comms at Ruepoint and AMEC Comms Taskforce Lead) will guide you through upgrading from the linear “plan-push-pray” workflow to a six-phase, always-on loop. Building on research and an extensive development cycle, Iskren will show why the time is now to roll circularity out at scale across organisations of all sizes. You will see how the right blend of human expertise and smart tech (quality media data, AI-driven insight, repeatable processes) keeps the loop turning – and why a flawed toolbox can crash the whole system. Expect clear prerequisites, practical examples, and an insightful look at the tools that make continuous improvement frictionless. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 ✔️ A bug-by-bug teardown of the linear comms “operating system” and why it stalls ✔️ The six interconnected phases of CommsOS – and how each lap compounds ROI ✔️ A checklist of resources, processes and software needed to install the loop ✔️ Real-world metrics linking inputs, outputs and outcomes for C-suite proof ✔️ Guidance on merging analyst insight with AI to keep updates automatic yet human-led Iskren’s evidence-based approach will leave you with a ready-to-deploy roadmap for a sustainable, data-driven PR ecosystem – no reboot required. 15:30 - 16:00 NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK All Delegates, Location: EXHIBITOR ATRIUM – Vienna Marriot Hotel 16:00 - 16:30 Developing an Integrated Evaluation Framework for Internal Communication Kevin Ruck, Co-Founder PR Academy Keynote, Location: Festaal B-D This session will look at developing an Integrated Evaluation Framework for Internal Communication using the current IEF as a model including: – Valuing internal communication within the communication mix – Common internal communication outputs, outcomes and impacts – Using a channels, topics, listening and leadership model for activities – Using the ICQ10 for formative research 16:30 - 17:15 4.0 Barcelona Principles Update PANEL - TBA Panel, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel This session will unveil the fourth iteration of the Barcelona Principles – our industry’s global articulation of what best practice in communication measurement and evaluation should incorporate. Since their inception in 2010, the Principles have offered a compass for comms practitioners whether in house or in agencies, in house teams, vendors, researchers and students alike to guide the evolving practice of PR and comms in how to measure and evaluate its work in a more meaningful, transparent, and outcomes-driven manner. 17:15 - 17:30 Closing Remarks – Housekeeping For Gala Dinner Location, Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel 18:30 - 19:30 MI Brand Distillery Sponsored Cocktail Summit Reception Location: Palais Coburg Residenz Coburgbastei 4, 1010 Vienna (2 min walk from the Summit Venue, Vienna Marriot Hotel) Delegates are cordially invited to the pre-gala dinner drinks reception, generously sponsored by MI Brand Distillery. The theme for the evening is A Rising Tide Lifts All Ships—Your Invite to the Captain’s Table. This unique gala—celebrating the idea that a rising tide lifts all ships—will be the ultimate Captain’s Table gathering. Held in the atmospheric Casemates of Vienna’s historic Palais Coburg Residenz, the evening invites delegates to unwind over fine food, flowing drinks, and a shared sense of purpose. Suggested Dress Code: Wear your favorite cocktail attire—or if you’re feeling like you’re cruising through choppy waters, bring your best cruise-inspired look to celebrate the night in style. Think bold touches, elegant details, and a bit of fun—after all, you’re at the Captain’s Table. 19:30 - 23:30 Summit Gala Dinner – A Rising Tide Lifts All Ships—Your Invite to the Captain’s Table Location: Palais Coburg Residenz Coburgbastei 4, 1010 Vienna (2 min walk from the Summit Venue, Vienna Marriot Hotel) The Summit gala theme in 2025 is celebrating the idea that a rising tide lifts all ships—will be the ultimate Captain’s Table gathering. Held in the atmospheric Casemates of Vienna’s historic Palais Coburg Residenz, the evening invites delegates to unwind over fine food, and flowing drinks. Dress Code 🎩: Wear your favorite cocktail attire—or bring your best cruise-inspired look to celebrate the night in style. Think bold touches, elegant details, and a bit of fun—after all, you’re at the Captain’s Table. Included with all in-person passes. Thursday - 12th JuneDay Two- Thursday 12th June (Please note: all session dates and timings in the programme may change subject to delegate travel and availability) 08:00 - 17:00 SUMMIT REGISTRATION Location: EXHIBITOR ATRIUM – Vienna Marriot Hotel 09:00 - 09:15 AMEC Summit Welcome Day Two Johna Burke, CEO, Global Managing Director, AMEC; Thomas Netousek, CEO and Headline Sponsor, eMedia Monitor GmbH Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel 09:15 - 10:15 Reset Analysis and Public Communication to Change the World Jim Macnamara, Distinguished Professor, School of Communication at the University of Technology, Sydney Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel Input, Outputs, and Outcomes for Public Policy Distinguished Professor Jim Macnamara returns to the AMEC Global Summit stage again to give a preview of his latest book – his 20th – that identifies a major opportunity to expand the work of public communication professionals and content analysts that can change the world. Jim will report 18 months of research that will be published in an upcoming book, Public Communication and Public Policy. Jim notes that public policy is developed by governments and public institutions at all levels – local, state, national, international. In democracies, engagement and consultation with stakeholders and citizens to reflect the voice and will of the people is a fundamental human right.[1] However, Jim’s research across three continents shows that public communication predominantly occurs after public policies have been decided, employed one-way to announce and promote policy acceptance and compliance. He outlines steps for a reset in which public sector communication includes increased input to public policy and increased listening by governments and public institutions through analysis not only of media content, but of expressions of the ‘voice of the people’ such as in public consultation submissions, transcripts of public meetings, citizens assembles, and so on. [1] Article 21 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights states: “The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government. 10:15 - 10:45 The new communication KPIs enabled by the hybridization of data and generative AI Caroline Fallit, Managing Director, JIN Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel Today, communication is driven by channels rather than objectives. Data is siloed in online dashboards, agency Excel files, or image barometers. No one has a comprehensive view or manages to demonstrate how communication levers contribute to the company’s objectives. How can data hybridization and the advent of AI help overcome this challenge? The key points of the Impact Factor approach : 1. The role of the impact framework in aligning communication objectives, the action plan, and indicators 2. The importance of distinguishing and articulating result indicators (KRIs) and performance indicators (KPIs) 3. The strengths of data hybridization (search, social, media, analytics) for a consolidated view of performance 4. The contribution of generative AI in introducing highly specific qualitative elements related to the organization into performance measurement 5. The contribution of generative AI in providing the necessary insights for decision-making, starting from the reporting phase 10:15 - 10:45 B2B Marketing Trends from LinkedIn and what they mean for reputation, content, and impact Nicole Moreo, Head of Customer Insights for North America, LinkedIn Keynote: Location, Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel This session will examine LinkedIn’s latest research and showcase the latest trends shaping B2B Marketing, the LinkedIn platform, and what these trends mean for brand positioning, employer branding, executive visibility, and reputation. You’ll walk away with: Audience insights: LinkedIn’s changing demographics and audience behavior. Video and creators: How pros are showing up in meaningful ways, and how you and your org can get in on the action. Find your voice: The future of thought leadership on LinkedIn and how you and your organization’s leadership can stand out in a crowded feed. By the numbers: Smart approaches to interpreting LinkedIn’s audience data for better content decisions. Next steps: Real Lessons you can apply today to shape your strategy 10:45 - 11:30 NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK All Delegates: Location, EXHIBITOR ATRIUM – Vienna Marriot Hotel 11:30 - 12:00 Protecting People, Information, and Reputation in an Evolving Digital, Political, and Regulatory Environment Lisa Kaplan, Founder & CEO, Alethea Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel The C-suite and communications teams face unprecedented challenges in protecting their organizations from online risks like disinformation, false narratives, and general online activity that can lead to real-world offline action like boycotts or protests. Communications teams are on the front lines of dealing with the evolving tactics of bad actors and the growing list of targets including customer bases, supply chains, compliance efforts, and brand and market reputation. In a world overwhelmed with data, insight into these high-engagement and high-impact topical areas, and what’s being said about your company, arms communications teams with data that brings clarity, greater certainty, and a predictive value to strategic risk management decisions. 11:30 - 12:00 Global Data Quality Initiative Rob Key, Founder and CEO, Converseon Keynote, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel High data quality is the foundation of all insights and communication research. In the world of AI, it’s not just “garbage-in, garbage-out,” it’s also “bias in-bias out.” Unstructured media, social and voice of customer data is notoriously noisy and volatile requiring organizations to take proactive steps to address. For the last several months, AMEC has led an international workstream to establish Key Principles and recommended approaches designed to tackle unstructured data quality issues. This effort iis in partnership with the Global Data Quality Initiative, a consortium of leading market research industry organizations focused on addressing the ongoing and emerging risks to data quality in the market and social research, consumer insights, and analytics industry. This session will review current challenges, new approaches and provide a critical overview of these key principles to help ensure your data is “research and AI ready”. 12:00 - 12:30 Fairy tales and horror stories: applying genAI-based solutions to answer real client research questions Maya Koleva, Director of Research and Insight, Commetric Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel The session explores the opportunities and pitfalls of using generative AI in research, measurement and evaluation. This session will contrast ideal scenarios (“”fairy tales””) with real-world challenges and missteps (“”horror stories””) when integrating GenAI into research processes. Attendees will gain insights into how GenAI can augment AMEC-aligned frameworks, ensure rigorous methodologies, and deliver actionable insights while safeguarding accuracy, transparency, and ethics. – Understand how to use AI-generated insights to answer client-specific research questions while preserving rigor, accountability, and transparency. – Explore real-world pitfalls, including bias, misinformation, and over-reliance on AI-generated outputs, and discover strategies to ensure research remains credible, ethical, and aligned with AMEC standards. – Discover how human expertise combined with GenAI can elevate the quality of evaluation by validating outputs, contextualizing findings, and ensuring alignment with client objectives and the IEF stages. – Learn best practices for using GenAI ethically, ensuring compliance with data privacy laws and copyright protection, and avoiding the dangers of “”black box”” AI in client reporting. 12:00 - 12:30 AI-Powered Narrative Intelligence for Government PR and Disinformation Mitigation Nesin Veli, CEO, Identrics Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel Government PR requires a deep understanding of the public discourse, the key players shaping narratives, and the networks through which information flows. In this session, Nesin Veli, CEO of Identrics, will explore how AI-powered media intelligence evolves into strategic intelligence, enabling institutions to navigate complex information ecosystems. He will discuss how AI technologies help public institutions map information discourse, identify key influencers, track narrative propagation, and analyse engagement trends. From real-time data collection and multilingual network mapping to automated source tracking and influence analysis, this session will highlight how AI-driven insights support governments in strategic positioning, reputation management, and effective communication at both national and international levels. – Learn how AI technologies help governments detect, track and analyse emerging narratives and disinformation campaigns. – Explore how new technologies could help identify key players, content creators, and amplification patterns within coordinated influence operations. – Discover how public institutions can integrate AI-driven insights to optimise messaging, anticipate crises, and maintain information credibility. – Gain insights into the importance of public-private partnerships in leveraging technology for strategic decision-making and combating information disorder. 12:30 - 13:00 The Disinformation Challenge: Safeguarding Brand Authenticity in Digital Crises Dan Brahmy, CEO and Co-Founder, Cyabra Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel As digital disinformation grows more sophisticated, crisis communicators must not only react swiftly but also ensure that their responses are grounded in truth and trust. This session explores the ABCs of disinformation—Actors, Behaviors, and Content—providing actionable strategies to detect, monitor, and mitigate emerging threats before they escalate. Through real-world case studies and cutting-edge social intelligence, attendees will learn how to protect their brand narratives and restore public confidence in times of crisis. Key Takeaways will include: -Understanding the ABCs of Disinformation: Learn how Actors, Behaviors, and Content shape digital deception and influence public discourse. -Detect & Neutralize Emerging Threats: Discover how AI-driven social intelligence tools can identify and preempt disinformation campaigns before they go viral. -Authenticity as a Crisis Management Strategy: Explore methods for distinguishing genuine narratives from manipulated ones and building resilience against misinformation. -Proactive Reputation Defense: Gain insights into real-time monitoring and mitigation strategies that help protect brands and executives from digital threats. -Future-Proofing Communication Strategies: Learn best practices to adapt PR and crisis response playbooks for the evolving landscape of AI-generated content and synthetic media. 12:30 - 13:00 Beyond Metrics: How Communications intelligence is driving business impact at PwC Brittnee Long, Director - Digital Communications and Corporate Affairs, PwC Keynote: Location, Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel In an era where information overload is the norm, the challenge isn’t collecting data – it’s making sense of it. This presentation explores how PwC has evolved it’s measurement approach – linking communications to business outcomes, embracing a user-centric framework, and leveraging AI for faster, smarter insights. By cutting through the noise, we’re not just tracking conversations, we are shaping decisions, driving impact and redefining the role of communications in the enterprise. 1. Communications must evolve from passive reporting to delivering strategic insights that inform decision making. 2. A well structured measurement framework should connect communication efforts to business outcomes, not just vanity metrics. 3. Different stakeholders consume information differently – tailoring insights to their needs increases engagement and impact. 4. Leveraging AI and digital assistants can enhance speed to insight, ensuring decision-makers get the right information at the right time. 5. The value of communications extends beyond PR teams – data-driven insights influence leadership, strategy and business growth. 13:00 - 14:00 Networking Lunch Location: PARKRING RESTAURANT – Vienna Marriot Hotel 13:00 - 14:00 LUNCHEON ROUNTABLES Location: COBURG 5-6 – Vienna Marriot Hotel Table 1: Coming Soon Table 2: One Voice, One Value: Measuring the Impact of Unified IR and PR strategies As Communications becomes Increasingly tied to business performance, how can we better align and measure the outputs of financial and PR Communications? This roundtable explores the intersection of IR and PR, focusing on how integrated, messaging, measurement, and strategy can drive real company value. Join peers to share best practices and discuss how to demonstrate impact to the C-suite and investors. Table 3: Coming Soon Table 4: Coming Soon Table 5: Coming Soon Table 6: Coming Soon 14:00 - 14:45 2025: Marketing Without Cookies, Now What? Panel: Location, Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel 14:00 - 14:45 Generations In The Workplace Dimitar Mitrev, CEO - MI Brand Distillery; Errick Towns, Director, International Affairs - Page; Maggie West, Student at University of Tennessee Panel: Location, Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel 14:45 - 15:00 AMEC Glossary Project Aseem Sood, CEO, Impact Research and Measurement Pvt Keynote: Location, Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel 14:45 - 15:00 AMEC Education Announcement Keynote: Location, Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel 15:00 - 15:30 Lessons from the epic saga of Nemesis Reborn Hayley Peters, Strategy and Planning Director, Smoking Gun Keynote: Location, Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel Solving the reputation conundrum of closing and relaunching the world class rollercoaster, Nemesis. A strategic storytelling piece that spans 18 months… 1. The power of strategic storytelling 2. Balancing the needs of 4 different audience levels 3. The bow tie strategy 4. How we utilized measurement to evolve the campaign overtime 15:00 - 15:30 Broadcast redefined: how organisations are using audio visual communications to reach and engage with audiences effectively Matt Oakley, SVP, Analytics and AI, Hotwire Claire Pimm, Director, National Resilience Communications, UK GCS Moderator, Steph Bridgeman, Founder & Lead Consultant, Experienced Media Analysts Panel: Location, Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel Perspectives from Claire Pimm at UK Government and Matt Oakley from Hotwire on how ‘broadcast’ is being reset and redefined. Key Take Aways will include: Hear how the spoken word and visual storytelling can cut through to audiences who are increasingly shunning other forms of news consumption. “”How TV and radio channels are taking a ‘new media’ approach to optimising their own content How agencies can support organisations to identify the most appropriate audio visual opportunities Measuring the impact of broadcast campaigns – from amplification to engagement 15:30 - 16:00 Measurement Will Never Be The Same Jonny Bentwood, Global President, Data & Analytics, GOLIN Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel – Search Revolution: How 67% of Gen Z prefer AI tools over Google—reshaping consumer journeys – Citation Power: Understanding why earned media drives 90%+ of AI visibility and which sources matter most – Strategic Benchmarking: Identifying your brand’s AI visibility against competitors in high-value consumer queries – Defend & Optimize: Implementing data-driven strategies to improve sentiment and prominence in AI recommendations 15:30 - 16:00 The Design of Data: How Visualization Shapes Reputation, Reliability, and Results Zori Dimitrova, Head of Media Monitoring, Media Intelligence Desk, A Data Pro Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel Successful businesses are driven by data, and how we present and visualize that data influences the clarity, impact, and effectiveness of the insights we deliver. A well-designed visualization doesn’t just display numbers—it tells a story, influences decision-making, and ultimately shapes reputation and trust. This session explores how strategic design choices impact reliability, how visualization techniques can reset misinterpretations, and how a data-driven narrative can drive tangible results. Key Takeaways include: – How poor visualization can distort insights; – The role of design thinking in effective data analytics and measurement; – Practical techniques for making data more engaging, accessible, and actionable; – How visualization strategies can enhance reliability and trust in communications. 16:00 - 16:30 TBA – 16:00-16:30 Panel - TBA 25 MIN + 5 MIN Q&A Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel 16:00 - 16:15 CLOSING REMARKS: 2026 AMEC GLOBAL SUMMIT DESTINATION ANNOUNCED 30 MINUTES Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel 16:15 - 16:45 NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK 30 MINUTES Location: EXHIBITOR ATRIUM – Vienna Marriot Hotel 16:30 - 17:00 TBA – 16:30-17:00 25 MIN + 5 MIN Q&A Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel Please note: all session dates and timings in the programme may change subject to delegate travel and availability.
12:00 - 15:00 AMEC International Board of Directors (Closed Session – invitation only) Location: COBURG 4-6 – Vienna Marriot Hotel
15:30 - 17:00 LexisNexis Sponsored Speed Networking Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriott Hotel The 2025 Global Summit officially opens with our exciting speed networking session where you will have the opportunity to meet and connect with fellow attendees in a fun and engaging way. During the session, each person will have a window to engage in conversation with someone they have not yet met, allowing you to learn about their background and what they do while also sharing your own experiences. Be sure to bring plenty of business cards and take advantage of this unique opportunity to build valuable connections and make the most out of the conference. Thank you to our generous sponsor LexisNexis.
17:30 - 19:00 Summit Welcome Networking Reception – Sponsored by Mediatrack Location: EXHIBITOR ATRIUM – Vienna Marriot Hotel The 2025 AMEC Global Summit on Measurement and Evaluation welcome drinks reception is the perfect way to start your first day Summit experience, meet friends, make new introductions and talk to sponsors/exhibitors. The welcome drinks reception is generously sponsored by Mediatrack.
19:00 - 23:00 Delegate Dine Around Self-organised Delegate Dinner, there are four different restaurants and bars within the Vienna Marriott, or you can find a list of restaurants and bars to reserve here. Location: Dine Around – Vienna Marriot Hotel
08:00 - 17:00 SUMMIT REGISTRATION DELEGATE CHECK-IN Location: EXHIBITOR ATRIUM – Vienna Marriot Hotel
09:00 - 09:15 AMEC Summit Welcome Day One Johna Burke, CEO, Global Managing Director, AMEC; Thomas Netousek, CEO and Headline Sponsor, eMedia Monitor GmbH Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel
09:15 - 10:00 CCO Unfiltered Travis Parman - Former CCO, PMI 30 MINUTE + 15 MIN Q&A Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel
10:00 - 10:30 Audience Compass: Navigating Cross-Channel Influence Stephanie Cohen Glass, Senior Director Communications Strategy & Insights, Microsoft Vincent Jacobi, Vice President Insight & Analytics, WE Communications Keynote, Location: FESTAAL B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel Our industry often speaks idealistically about being audience-centric, but for some that can be too abstract to implement. Our Microsoft Comms Strategy & Insights and WE I&A team did not accept that reality and instead built two productized solutions. Those solutions provide an audience lens that enable our key stakeholders and partners generate greater impact in the fragmented media environment which includes expanding pitch lists with creators and influencers on different platforms and conducting exclusive executive interviews with influencers who historically have not access to senior execs. Overall, it maximized our efforts with the right voices and channels and provided insights into what worked and where we can still learn. • Meeting the audience where they are is not enough. You must craft the content in a voice and tone that represents their needs. • Don’t fall into the trap of believing that larger audiences are better. Smaller, concentrated audiences can be very engaged and may net greater impact if you meet them on the channels they trust and consume. • There is not a magic button you can press; instead, you must blend qualitative expertise with the data findings. Balancing the art of communication with the science of audience data delivers the best outcomes. • Establishing a shared language around the audience is hypercritical for universal understanding, setting expectations and behavior change.
10:00 - 10:30 Measuring Stakeholder Perceptions: Turning Insights into Action for Increased Trust in a Polarized World Shahar Silbershatz, Co-founder and CEO, Caliber Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel In today’s interconnected yet polarized world, businesses that want to succeed must understand their stakeholders’ perceptions all the time, and act accordingly — and that means generating actionable insights from real-time perception measurement. This presentation will focus on how to effectively measure brand, reputation and trustworthiness, and how to use those insights to foster stronger relationships with stakeholders that contribute to business success. We will discuss practical tools to use perception data for risk mitigation and activity optimization, aligning with organizational goals to enhance trust and improve stakeholder loyalty. Key Takeaways include: – Tools and metrics by which to measure stakeholder perceptions in an actionable way – The key factors that contribute to brand reputation, best practices for measuring those factors, and effective approaches to analyzing this data to inform future initiatives – How to apply those tools to activate trust – How to ensure the process of measurement and action becomes an ongoing part of the business strategy
11:00 - 11:15 POV: You’re a journalist in 2025 Amrita Sidhu, Managing Director, Medianet and Medianet Insights Keynote Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel The inbox never sleeps. The deadlines don’t pause. The 3AM fact-check is just part of the job. You’re burnt out. Underpaid. You’re watching your industry transform in real time. “Disrupted. Dismissed. Distrusted.”, they say. And yet — you keep going, because the stories still matter. As trust is eroded and misinformation sprouts at every corner, you are both the problem and the solution. Step inside the mind of a journalist in 2025 as Medianet’s Managing Director Amrita Sidhu shares a revealing snapshot of the Australian media’s state of play, based on insights from close to 1,000 journalists that were part of the latest Medianet Media Landscape Reports. Why this matters: The AI anxiety in every newsroom With nearly 9 in 10 journalists concerned about generative AI, how is it reshaping journalism and redefining what “truth” looks like in a world of synthetic content? The pressures driving newsroom discontent Shrinking teams. Flat wages. Burnout on the rise. Discover how financial and structural instability is transforming the job of a journalist — and what it means for your organisation’s reputation and its communication efforts. The trust tipping point — and the opportunity for communications professionals. With public trust in journalism hanging in the balance, and social media being a double-edge sword, how can communications professionals step up and build much needed trust and credibility with journalists? The grounding role of effective measurement How does reliability in measurement play an essential part in understanding communication impact and results in the context of generalised mistrust and a media industry in a constant state of flux.
11:00 - 11:45 CEO Panel: Leading Through the Chaos — AI, Geopolitics, and the Human Factor Panel: Bruce Davidson, CEO, Mediality; Steffen Egelund, CEO, Mediatrack Pte; Magdalena Horanska, CEO NEWTON Media & Secretary General FIBEP; illia Krustev, CEO, A Data Pro; Tim Marklein, CEO, Big Valley Marketing Moderator: Maja Pawinska Sims, Global Head of Features & EMEA News, PRovoke Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel In this candid conversation, top CEOs confront the defining challenges of 2025—from the rapid rise of AI and shifting geopolitical landscapes to copyright dilemmas, tech disruption, and the mental health of the modern workforce. This panel goes beyond trends to explore how today’s leaders are balancing innovation, ethics, and empathy while shaping resilient organizations for an uncertain future.
11:15 - 11:30 The Future of PR: What 1,000+ PR pros reveal about AI, measurement and what’s next Natan Edelsburg, Chief Partnerships Officer, Muck Rack Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel How are today’s leading PR teams adopting AI and proving their impact? In this micro-session, Natan Edelsburg, Chief Partnerships Officer at Muck Rack, shares exclusive insights from a survey of over 1,000 PR professionals. Get a data-driven look at how AI is being used in real-world communications workflows—plus the latest trends in measurement and reporting. From automation to attribution, learn how teams are evolving their strategies to stay ahead in an industry that’s changing fast.
11:30 - 11:45 2025 State of Social Media Samantha Monk, Senior Global Account Executive, Meltwater Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel A presentation of the most recent findings of Meltwater’s annual State of Social report. We explore the trends, challenges, and priorities defining the future of social media. Based on insights from over 1,100 survey responses, this session provides a comprehensive overview of the social media landscape and actionable takeaways to guide strategy in 2025. -Social is seen as important, but team size isn’t growing. -36% plan to increase social budgets vs. 39% planning to maintain investment as-is. -Instagram is now the most used channel. -Brands are prioritizing brand awareness over web-traffic on organic social. -Social listening is becoming increasingly vital for brands, but bandwidth and cost are barriers to having a robust solution in place”
11:45 - 12:05 Tackling the #PRethics of Organizational Gaslighting Mary Beth West, Senior Strategist - Fletcher Marketing Communications & Founder of The #PRethics Community Keynote, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel In popular culture, “gaslighting” – which was Merriam-Webster’s 2022 “word of the year” – is a widely used term to describe psychological head games, most often seen in either toxic family or intimate relationships. People who “gaslight” others generally use a range of unethical communication techniques to deflect responsibility for their own bad behaviors. But what happens when the same disinformation-driven gaslighting techniques are industrialized… adopted by organizations, brands, and their PR teams, to deflect criticism, counterattack those who dare question leadership, and confuse valid issues by manipulating media? New and emerging research is delving into the problem of organizational gaslighting as an unethical PR practice – with metrics that the industry will want to watch, to take stock of whether one’s PR program is sliding down the slippery slope into unethical, trust-destructive territory. Attendees will gain qualitative and quantitative insights gathered from senior PR agency leaders in recent months about: Ways in which organizational gaslighting manifests in the PR service context Whether organizational gaslighting is perceived to be on the rise, according to agency leaders Whether agency leaders perceive clients gaslight them / their teams The likelihood of PR teams doubting their own judgment or questioning their own credibility when under pressure from clients How self-censorship in the PR workplace correlates with gaslighting behaviors How this research is setting the stage for consumer-level inquiries in the next year
11:45 - 12:00 Insight of ICCO’s World PR Report – lessons for the broader comms industry Andras Sztaniszlav, Interim CEO, ICCO Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel
12:00 - 12:30 Coding with Large Language Models: Infrastructure and Evaluation Across Models Mr. Stavros Vologiannidis, Founder, Strategy - DataScouting Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel As PR and communication professionals navigate an increasingly complex media landscape, Large Language Models (LLMs) offer a game-changing opportunity to automate tasks traditionally reliant on human effort. This session presents a comparative evaluation of LLM performance on multiple coding tasks and explores how DataScouting’s advanced software infrastructure empowers media and PR teams. By leveraging AI-driven automation, professionals can streamline media monitoring, enhance data enrichment, and generate more insightful reports across online, social, broadcast, and print media—enabling faster, more accurate, and strategic decision-making. Stavros Vologiannidis is one of the founders of DataScouting. He has a PhD in Control Theory and his research interests include control, machine learning and systems theory. DataScouting is a software development company committed to providing robust and scalable software solutions to companies and organizations for PR Dashboards, Broadcast, Online and Print media monitoring by using technologies such as text, image and video analytics, speech recognition, LLMs and machine learning.
12:05 - 12:30 How Synthetic data is revolutionising communications Mary Elizabeth Germaine, Chief Data and Strategy Officer - Ketchum, Penelope Mantzaris, SVP, Human Intelligence DXI EMEA, Edelman DXI, Moderator, Kyle Mason, Head of External Monitoring, Shell Panel, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel This panel will discuss how AI and synthetic audiences are increasingly being used for insight mining, content development, to adapt communications in-flight, and to evaluate content performance. Key take aways: How agencies are creating custom AI models that can replicate and predict the responses of key audience segments. How synthetic audiences are revolutionising strategy and planning processes How the world’s leading PR agencies use synthetic data to predict communications impact How synthetic audiences are used to aid in crisis management and rapid response Closing the gap in linking outputs to outcomes and business impact with synthetic audiences
12:30 - 13:00 Managing Risk and Reputation in the Digital Age Giuseppe Polimeno, Executive Vice President, Global Data Innovation, Ketchum Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel In today’s world, reputation is a delicate balance. A negative customer experience shared online or a viral video exposing unethical practices can tarnish a brand overnight. Similarly, legislative changes can appear suddenly and catch businesses off guard. Most social listening & brand tracking activities are too noisy and reactive to keep pace, requiring new innovative approaches that provide the “data that matters” for a world where even real time isn’t always fast enough. In this thought-provoking session, Ketchum will present a clear, actionable framework for modern risk monitoring, illustrated with insights and examples from the field.
12:30 - 13:00 From Data to Impact: Using theories of change and insights to shape campaign strategy and measurement David Cantor, Deputy Director, Measurement and Insights, Gates Foundation Keynote, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel Great campaigns don’t just tell a story—they’re built on data. This session will explore how to use measurement and theories of change to align complex communications objectives. Key Takeaways: A theory of change is critical for both strategy and measurement. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to turn research into impact, ensuring their campaigns resonate and drive meaningful organizational outcomes. “
13:00 - 14:00 LUNCHEON ROUNTABLES Location: COBURG 5-6 – Vienna Marriot Hotel Table 1: Not-for-Profit Hot Topics Host: Camille Raymond, Head of the Communications Impact, Standards & Capacity Building Division (CISC) at the OECD – OCDE Table 2: One Voice, One Value: Measuring the Impact of Unified IR and PR strategies As Communications becomes Increasingly tied to business performance, how can we better align and measure the outputs of financial and PR Communications? This roundtable explores the intersection of IR and PR, focusing on how integrated, messaging, measurement, and strategy can drive real company value. Join peers to share best practices and discuss how to demonstrate impact to the C-suite and investors. Table 3: Coming Soon Table 4: Coming Soon Table 5: Coming Soon Table 6: Coming Soon
14:00 - 14:30 Paths to Purchase: How communications drive sales and revenue Larry DeGaris, Executive Director, Medill Spiegel Research Center, Northwestern University Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel Linking communications to hard business outcomes is challenging but necessary to gain influence in budget decisions. This presentation proposes a framework for measuring how communications worth through brands, consumer behaviors, and other marketing communications to drive sales. Communications measurement professionals need to do a better job of linking communications to hard business outcomes (i.e., sales). The best results come from a combination of modeling and field experiments. Experimental design for communications can be challenging, but is facilitated by new technologies and worth the effort. The direct effect of communications on sales is weak or non-existent. Communications’ effects on sales are largely indirect, moderated or mediated by brand, consumer behaviors, and/or other marketing communications.
14:00 - 14:30 Aligning Employee Performance Assessments with Communication Metrics: An Organizational Perspective Lisa Tam, Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology SAREC Keynote Presentation, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel This study explores the integration of organizational alignment into HRM by examining the role of employee-organization fit within communication measurement and evaluation (M&E). Through interviews with 26 communication professionals in Australia, it reveals that objective metrics alone cannot fully capture the performance of communication professionals. Subjective measures, such as stakeholder relationships and cultural contributions, are equally vital. The study highlights the importance of assessing organizational alignment as a key input in M&E, offering a fresh interdisciplinary perspective on combining HRM practices with communication frameworks.
14:30 - 15:00 AI and reputation: What you need to know about earned and owned media, and its impact on what Large Language Models (LLMs) are saying about your brand Darryl Sparey, Co-Founder, Hard Numbers Keynote, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel What content shapes what Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT says about the world’s largest brands? Hard Numbers has done the hard yards and analysed where ChatGPT sources the content it disseminates about the world’s 100 largest brands. If you want to know how earned, owned and shared media play a role in influencing the content AI models are sharing about your brand, business, organisation or client, this is the presentation for you. Darryl Sparey, Co-founder of Hard Numbers will present the findings from the latest in their Coverage to Capital research series, this time about AI and Reputation. Key Takeaways will include: How much of what ChatGPT and Large Language models says about the world’s largest companies is sourced from earned media What role do company websites, blogs and owned media play in shaping the views expressed by ChatGPT What impact does PR and communications work have on the content within large language models, and what are the channels that have most impact
15:00 - 15:30 AI’s Media Reset: Broadcast Back in Focus Thomas Netousek, CEO, eMedia Monitor Keynote, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel In this presentation, we’ll explore how AI has reset the media landscape by shifting the focus back onto broadcast as the most reliable source. AI enables structured, actionable insights from a landscape that has evolved from traditional media to fragmented digital and social platforms with varying credibility. At the same time, AI has revolutionized broadcast monitoring, making content more accessible, structured, and manageable. Key Takeaways: Discover how AI has reset the media landscape, reinforcing broadcast as the most reliable source Explore how AI-driven media monitoring has evolved from simple keyword detection to comprehensive story tracking Gain insights from an industry pioneer with 30 years of experience in AI”
15:00 - 15:30 Update your CommsOS-From a Linear to a Cyclical Operating System Iskren Lilov, Head of Marketing and Comms of Ruepoint and AMEC Comms Taskforce Lead Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel Traditional comms run like an old‐school software install – download once, hit 100 %, freeze until the next big release. Tomorrow’s high-performing teams run a living CommsOS: a perpetual update cycle where data patches strategy, strategy powers action, and action instantly generates the next data set. Iskren Lilov (Head of Marketing & Comms at Ruepoint and AMEC Comms Taskforce Lead) will guide you through upgrading from the linear “plan-push-pray” workflow to a six-phase, always-on loop. Building on research and an extensive development cycle, Iskren will show why the time is now to roll circularity out at scale across organisations of all sizes. You will see how the right blend of human expertise and smart tech (quality media data, AI-driven insight, repeatable processes) keeps the loop turning – and why a flawed toolbox can crash the whole system. Expect clear prerequisites, practical examples, and an insightful look at the tools that make continuous improvement frictionless. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 ✔️ A bug-by-bug teardown of the linear comms “operating system” and why it stalls ✔️ The six interconnected phases of CommsOS – and how each lap compounds ROI ✔️ A checklist of resources, processes and software needed to install the loop ✔️ Real-world metrics linking inputs, outputs and outcomes for C-suite proof ✔️ Guidance on merging analyst insight with AI to keep updates automatic yet human-led Iskren’s evidence-based approach will leave you with a ready-to-deploy roadmap for a sustainable, data-driven PR ecosystem – no reboot required.
15:30 - 16:00 NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK All Delegates, Location: EXHIBITOR ATRIUM – Vienna Marriot Hotel
16:00 - 16:30 Developing an Integrated Evaluation Framework for Internal Communication Kevin Ruck, Co-Founder PR Academy Keynote, Location: Festaal B-D This session will look at developing an Integrated Evaluation Framework for Internal Communication using the current IEF as a model including: – Valuing internal communication within the communication mix – Common internal communication outputs, outcomes and impacts – Using a channels, topics, listening and leadership model for activities – Using the ICQ10 for formative research
16:30 - 17:15 4.0 Barcelona Principles Update PANEL - TBA Panel, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel This session will unveil the fourth iteration of the Barcelona Principles – our industry’s global articulation of what best practice in communication measurement and evaluation should incorporate. Since their inception in 2010, the Principles have offered a compass for comms practitioners whether in house or in agencies, in house teams, vendors, researchers and students alike to guide the evolving practice of PR and comms in how to measure and evaluate its work in a more meaningful, transparent, and outcomes-driven manner.
17:15 - 17:30 Closing Remarks – Housekeeping For Gala Dinner Location, Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel
18:30 - 19:30 MI Brand Distillery Sponsored Cocktail Summit Reception Location: Palais Coburg Residenz Coburgbastei 4, 1010 Vienna (2 min walk from the Summit Venue, Vienna Marriot Hotel) Delegates are cordially invited to the pre-gala dinner drinks reception, generously sponsored by MI Brand Distillery. The theme for the evening is A Rising Tide Lifts All Ships—Your Invite to the Captain’s Table. This unique gala—celebrating the idea that a rising tide lifts all ships—will be the ultimate Captain’s Table gathering. Held in the atmospheric Casemates of Vienna’s historic Palais Coburg Residenz, the evening invites delegates to unwind over fine food, flowing drinks, and a shared sense of purpose. Suggested Dress Code: Wear your favorite cocktail attire—or if you’re feeling like you’re cruising through choppy waters, bring your best cruise-inspired look to celebrate the night in style. Think bold touches, elegant details, and a bit of fun—after all, you’re at the Captain’s Table.
19:30 - 23:30 Summit Gala Dinner – A Rising Tide Lifts All Ships—Your Invite to the Captain’s Table Location: Palais Coburg Residenz Coburgbastei 4, 1010 Vienna (2 min walk from the Summit Venue, Vienna Marriot Hotel) The Summit gala theme in 2025 is celebrating the idea that a rising tide lifts all ships—will be the ultimate Captain’s Table gathering. Held in the atmospheric Casemates of Vienna’s historic Palais Coburg Residenz, the evening invites delegates to unwind over fine food, and flowing drinks. Dress Code 🎩: Wear your favorite cocktail attire—or bring your best cruise-inspired look to celebrate the night in style. Think bold touches, elegant details, and a bit of fun—after all, you’re at the Captain’s Table. Included with all in-person passes.
09:00 - 09:15 AMEC Summit Welcome Day Two Johna Burke, CEO, Global Managing Director, AMEC; Thomas Netousek, CEO and Headline Sponsor, eMedia Monitor GmbH Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel
09:15 - 10:15 Reset Analysis and Public Communication to Change the World Jim Macnamara, Distinguished Professor, School of Communication at the University of Technology, Sydney Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel Input, Outputs, and Outcomes for Public Policy Distinguished Professor Jim Macnamara returns to the AMEC Global Summit stage again to give a preview of his latest book – his 20th – that identifies a major opportunity to expand the work of public communication professionals and content analysts that can change the world. Jim will report 18 months of research that will be published in an upcoming book, Public Communication and Public Policy. Jim notes that public policy is developed by governments and public institutions at all levels – local, state, national, international. In democracies, engagement and consultation with stakeholders and citizens to reflect the voice and will of the people is a fundamental human right.[1] However, Jim’s research across three continents shows that public communication predominantly occurs after public policies have been decided, employed one-way to announce and promote policy acceptance and compliance. He outlines steps for a reset in which public sector communication includes increased input to public policy and increased listening by governments and public institutions through analysis not only of media content, but of expressions of the ‘voice of the people’ such as in public consultation submissions, transcripts of public meetings, citizens assembles, and so on. [1] Article 21 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights states: “The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government.
10:15 - 10:45 The new communication KPIs enabled by the hybridization of data and generative AI Caroline Fallit, Managing Director, JIN Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel Today, communication is driven by channels rather than objectives. Data is siloed in online dashboards, agency Excel files, or image barometers. No one has a comprehensive view or manages to demonstrate how communication levers contribute to the company’s objectives. How can data hybridization and the advent of AI help overcome this challenge? The key points of the Impact Factor approach : 1. The role of the impact framework in aligning communication objectives, the action plan, and indicators 2. The importance of distinguishing and articulating result indicators (KRIs) and performance indicators (KPIs) 3. The strengths of data hybridization (search, social, media, analytics) for a consolidated view of performance 4. The contribution of generative AI in introducing highly specific qualitative elements related to the organization into performance measurement 5. The contribution of generative AI in providing the necessary insights for decision-making, starting from the reporting phase
10:15 - 10:45 B2B Marketing Trends from LinkedIn and what they mean for reputation, content, and impact Nicole Moreo, Head of Customer Insights for North America, LinkedIn Keynote: Location, Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel This session will examine LinkedIn’s latest research and showcase the latest trends shaping B2B Marketing, the LinkedIn platform, and what these trends mean for brand positioning, employer branding, executive visibility, and reputation. You’ll walk away with: Audience insights: LinkedIn’s changing demographics and audience behavior. Video and creators: How pros are showing up in meaningful ways, and how you and your org can get in on the action. Find your voice: The future of thought leadership on LinkedIn and how you and your organization’s leadership can stand out in a crowded feed. By the numbers: Smart approaches to interpreting LinkedIn’s audience data for better content decisions. Next steps: Real Lessons you can apply today to shape your strategy
10:45 - 11:30 NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK All Delegates: Location, EXHIBITOR ATRIUM – Vienna Marriot Hotel
11:30 - 12:00 Protecting People, Information, and Reputation in an Evolving Digital, Political, and Regulatory Environment Lisa Kaplan, Founder & CEO, Alethea Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel The C-suite and communications teams face unprecedented challenges in protecting their organizations from online risks like disinformation, false narratives, and general online activity that can lead to real-world offline action like boycotts or protests. Communications teams are on the front lines of dealing with the evolving tactics of bad actors and the growing list of targets including customer bases, supply chains, compliance efforts, and brand and market reputation. In a world overwhelmed with data, insight into these high-engagement and high-impact topical areas, and what’s being said about your company, arms communications teams with data that brings clarity, greater certainty, and a predictive value to strategic risk management decisions.
11:30 - 12:00 Global Data Quality Initiative Rob Key, Founder and CEO, Converseon Keynote, Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel High data quality is the foundation of all insights and communication research. In the world of AI, it’s not just “garbage-in, garbage-out,” it’s also “bias in-bias out.” Unstructured media, social and voice of customer data is notoriously noisy and volatile requiring organizations to take proactive steps to address. For the last several months, AMEC has led an international workstream to establish Key Principles and recommended approaches designed to tackle unstructured data quality issues. This effort iis in partnership with the Global Data Quality Initiative, a consortium of leading market research industry organizations focused on addressing the ongoing and emerging risks to data quality in the market and social research, consumer insights, and analytics industry. This session will review current challenges, new approaches and provide a critical overview of these key principles to help ensure your data is “research and AI ready”.
12:00 - 12:30 Fairy tales and horror stories: applying genAI-based solutions to answer real client research questions Maya Koleva, Director of Research and Insight, Commetric Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel The session explores the opportunities and pitfalls of using generative AI in research, measurement and evaluation. This session will contrast ideal scenarios (“”fairy tales””) with real-world challenges and missteps (“”horror stories””) when integrating GenAI into research processes. Attendees will gain insights into how GenAI can augment AMEC-aligned frameworks, ensure rigorous methodologies, and deliver actionable insights while safeguarding accuracy, transparency, and ethics. – Understand how to use AI-generated insights to answer client-specific research questions while preserving rigor, accountability, and transparency. – Explore real-world pitfalls, including bias, misinformation, and over-reliance on AI-generated outputs, and discover strategies to ensure research remains credible, ethical, and aligned with AMEC standards. – Discover how human expertise combined with GenAI can elevate the quality of evaluation by validating outputs, contextualizing findings, and ensuring alignment with client objectives and the IEF stages. – Learn best practices for using GenAI ethically, ensuring compliance with data privacy laws and copyright protection, and avoiding the dangers of “”black box”” AI in client reporting.
12:00 - 12:30 AI-Powered Narrative Intelligence for Government PR and Disinformation Mitigation Nesin Veli, CEO, Identrics Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel Government PR requires a deep understanding of the public discourse, the key players shaping narratives, and the networks through which information flows. In this session, Nesin Veli, CEO of Identrics, will explore how AI-powered media intelligence evolves into strategic intelligence, enabling institutions to navigate complex information ecosystems. He will discuss how AI technologies help public institutions map information discourse, identify key influencers, track narrative propagation, and analyse engagement trends. From real-time data collection and multilingual network mapping to automated source tracking and influence analysis, this session will highlight how AI-driven insights support governments in strategic positioning, reputation management, and effective communication at both national and international levels. – Learn how AI technologies help governments detect, track and analyse emerging narratives and disinformation campaigns. – Explore how new technologies could help identify key players, content creators, and amplification patterns within coordinated influence operations. – Discover how public institutions can integrate AI-driven insights to optimise messaging, anticipate crises, and maintain information credibility. – Gain insights into the importance of public-private partnerships in leveraging technology for strategic decision-making and combating information disorder.
12:30 - 13:00 The Disinformation Challenge: Safeguarding Brand Authenticity in Digital Crises Dan Brahmy, CEO and Co-Founder, Cyabra Keynote, Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel As digital disinformation grows more sophisticated, crisis communicators must not only react swiftly but also ensure that their responses are grounded in truth and trust. This session explores the ABCs of disinformation—Actors, Behaviors, and Content—providing actionable strategies to detect, monitor, and mitigate emerging threats before they escalate. Through real-world case studies and cutting-edge social intelligence, attendees will learn how to protect their brand narratives and restore public confidence in times of crisis. Key Takeaways will include: -Understanding the ABCs of Disinformation: Learn how Actors, Behaviors, and Content shape digital deception and influence public discourse. -Detect & Neutralize Emerging Threats: Discover how AI-driven social intelligence tools can identify and preempt disinformation campaigns before they go viral. -Authenticity as a Crisis Management Strategy: Explore methods for distinguishing genuine narratives from manipulated ones and building resilience against misinformation. -Proactive Reputation Defense: Gain insights into real-time monitoring and mitigation strategies that help protect brands and executives from digital threats. -Future-Proofing Communication Strategies: Learn best practices to adapt PR and crisis response playbooks for the evolving landscape of AI-generated content and synthetic media.
12:30 - 13:00 Beyond Metrics: How Communications intelligence is driving business impact at PwC Brittnee Long, Director - Digital Communications and Corporate Affairs, PwC Keynote: Location, Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel In an era where information overload is the norm, the challenge isn’t collecting data – it’s making sense of it. This presentation explores how PwC has evolved it’s measurement approach – linking communications to business outcomes, embracing a user-centric framework, and leveraging AI for faster, smarter insights. By cutting through the noise, we’re not just tracking conversations, we are shaping decisions, driving impact and redefining the role of communications in the enterprise. 1. Communications must evolve from passive reporting to delivering strategic insights that inform decision making. 2. A well structured measurement framework should connect communication efforts to business outcomes, not just vanity metrics. 3. Different stakeholders consume information differently – tailoring insights to their needs increases engagement and impact. 4. Leveraging AI and digital assistants can enhance speed to insight, ensuring decision-makers get the right information at the right time. 5. The value of communications extends beyond PR teams – data-driven insights influence leadership, strategy and business growth.
13:00 - 14:00 LUNCHEON ROUNTABLES Location: COBURG 5-6 – Vienna Marriot Hotel Table 1: Coming Soon Table 2: One Voice, One Value: Measuring the Impact of Unified IR and PR strategies As Communications becomes Increasingly tied to business performance, how can we better align and measure the outputs of financial and PR Communications? This roundtable explores the intersection of IR and PR, focusing on how integrated, messaging, measurement, and strategy can drive real company value. Join peers to share best practices and discuss how to demonstrate impact to the C-suite and investors. Table 3: Coming Soon Table 4: Coming Soon Table 5: Coming Soon Table 6: Coming Soon
14:00 - 14:45 2025: Marketing Without Cookies, Now What? Panel: Location, Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel
14:00 - 14:45 Generations In The Workplace Dimitar Mitrev, CEO - MI Brand Distillery; Errick Towns, Director, International Affairs - Page; Maggie West, Student at University of Tennessee Panel: Location, Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel
14:45 - 15:00 AMEC Glossary Project Aseem Sood, CEO, Impact Research and Measurement Pvt Keynote: Location, Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel
15:00 - 15:30 Lessons from the epic saga of Nemesis Reborn Hayley Peters, Strategy and Planning Director, Smoking Gun Keynote: Location, Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel Solving the reputation conundrum of closing and relaunching the world class rollercoaster, Nemesis. A strategic storytelling piece that spans 18 months… 1. The power of strategic storytelling 2. Balancing the needs of 4 different audience levels 3. The bow tie strategy 4. How we utilized measurement to evolve the campaign overtime
15:00 - 15:30 Broadcast redefined: how organisations are using audio visual communications to reach and engage with audiences effectively Matt Oakley, SVP, Analytics and AI, Hotwire Claire Pimm, Director, National Resilience Communications, UK GCS Moderator, Steph Bridgeman, Founder & Lead Consultant, Experienced Media Analysts Panel: Location, Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel Perspectives from Claire Pimm at UK Government and Matt Oakley from Hotwire on how ‘broadcast’ is being reset and redefined. Key Take Aways will include: Hear how the spoken word and visual storytelling can cut through to audiences who are increasingly shunning other forms of news consumption. “”How TV and radio channels are taking a ‘new media’ approach to optimising their own content How agencies can support organisations to identify the most appropriate audio visual opportunities Measuring the impact of broadcast campaigns – from amplification to engagement
15:30 - 16:00 Measurement Will Never Be The Same Jonny Bentwood, Global President, Data & Analytics, GOLIN Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel – Search Revolution: How 67% of Gen Z prefer AI tools over Google—reshaping consumer journeys – Citation Power: Understanding why earned media drives 90%+ of AI visibility and which sources matter most – Strategic Benchmarking: Identifying your brand’s AI visibility against competitors in high-value consumer queries – Defend & Optimize: Implementing data-driven strategies to improve sentiment and prominence in AI recommendations
15:30 - 16:00 The Design of Data: How Visualization Shapes Reputation, Reliability, and Results Zori Dimitrova, Head of Media Monitoring, Media Intelligence Desk, A Data Pro Location: Festaal A – Vienna Marriot Hotel Successful businesses are driven by data, and how we present and visualize that data influences the clarity, impact, and effectiveness of the insights we deliver. A well-designed visualization doesn’t just display numbers—it tells a story, influences decision-making, and ultimately shapes reputation and trust. This session explores how strategic design choices impact reliability, how visualization techniques can reset misinterpretations, and how a data-driven narrative can drive tangible results. Key Takeaways include: – How poor visualization can distort insights; – The role of design thinking in effective data analytics and measurement; – Practical techniques for making data more engaging, accessible, and actionable; – How visualization strategies can enhance reliability and trust in communications.
16:00 - 16:30 TBA – 16:00-16:30 Panel - TBA 25 MIN + 5 MIN Q&A Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel
16:00 - 16:15 CLOSING REMARKS: 2026 AMEC GLOBAL SUMMIT DESTINATION ANNOUNCED 30 MINUTES Location: Festaal B-D – Vienna Marriot Hotel