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The Weekly Update EP:04 Jan Moganwa debuts to talk MK Party, DA Burns the Flag and More!

The Weekly Update EP:04 Jan Moganwa debuts to talk MK Party, DA Burns the Flag and More!

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    Piehl to power new PR future for FleishmanHillard SA

    The news broke earlier today that Sharon Piehl has been appointed as general manager for FleishmanHillard South Africa's Johannesburg office effective 1 May 2016. The news comes as current general manager Kevin Welman has decided to move on for personal reasons. I caught up with both for exclusive insights.
    Piehl and Welman.
    Piehl and Welman.

    Welman has been with FleishmanHillard for 20 years and GM for the past 9. In that time he’s won numerous awards and new business, but lists his career peaks on a much more personal scale: ranging from seeing people get degrees while working there to buying their first car or moving into a first house.

    Powerful personal highlights

    He explains: “I loved to see staff members start families, and so proudly introduce us to their partners or even their kids as if we were their second family. It was a hugely gratifying experience.”

    He has no set plans at the moment, but is looking forward to some time off to spend with his family and felt it was time to move aside to open up for new passion, new talent and new energy.

    Piehl definitely has that by the bucket-load. With over 20 years’ experience in the PR and communications industry, she’s known for her strategic thinking and leadership abilities, having quadrupled the size of the office’s brand marketing team since she joined in 2011.

    She’s looking forward to leading the talented people of FleishmanHillard into the future of the communications space and feels fortunately to have never experienced a ‘glass ceiling’ in the industry, having worked with talented and senior female communications specialists in the corporate and consulting environment who are all well respected.

    That said, she adds: “I believe the role and function of the communication specialist has and will continue to fundamentally evolve. And so change will be in how we build for this next chapter.”

    Exciting times, wishing them both every success! Click here for a reminder of Welman's recent Behind the Selfie interview.

    About Leigh Andrews

    Leigh Andrews AKA the #MilkshakeQueen, is former Editor-in-Chief: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com, with a passion for issues of diversity, inclusion and equality, and of course, gourmet food and drinks! She can be reached on Twitter at @Leigh_Andrews.
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