Nitin Mantri, Group CEO of Avian WE, an integrated communications firm in India, was inducted into the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) Hall of Fame for his extensive PR insights, accomplishments, contributions to the advancement of PR, and consistent leadership. Nitin was given the honour, along with international communications expert, civic activist, and cofounder of the Ukraine Crisis Media Center, Nataliya Popovych, at the ICCO Global Awards in London today.
Nitin Mantri, Group CEO of Avian WE
The ICCO Hall of Fame was established in 2003 to recognise people who have made exceptional progress in the internationalisation of the public relations industry, and who have combined cultural sensitivity with commercial acumen to create agencies that share global reach with local relevance.
Nitin Mantri, who was also the first ICCO President from Asia, said, “I am deeply humbled and honored to have joined this venerable group of achievers. I would like to thank ICCO for their support and generosity from the very beginning. This recognition gives me new impetus to promote purposeful, ethical, and inclusive communications around the world and foster hope, compassion and understanding in an increasingly polarised and complex world.”
Grzegorz Schepanski, ICCO President and CEO, Hill + Knowlton Poland, said, “The ICCO Hall of Fame is reserved for the most outstanding ambassadors of our profession, those who lead, who inspire and who make an impact. Our two new inductees for 2022 do all of those things and more. I thank Nitin Mantri for his tenure as ICCO President, his work on countless new projects and initiatives drives our organisation and industry forward. And I thank Nataliya for her unbelievable work bringing communicators together in the efforts to save lives in the war in Ukraine. Both of these professionals deserve to be recognised alongside the best of our industry.”
Nitin Mantri is one of the most prolific leaders in the world of communications. A powerful storyteller, he has partnered with the world’s most dynamic brands to tell human-centric stories and navigate transformation. Under his direction, Avian WE dedicatedly pursues its purpose: to use the gift of communication to move people to positive action – for clients and for the world.
Melissa Waggener Zorkin, Global CEO and Founder, WE Communications, “Avian WE is an integral part of WE Communications and Nitin, as its leader, has always believed in the power of communications to bring about positive community impact, equity and inclusion, and environmental sustainability. We are incredibly proud of his achievements and this well-deserved recognition.”
It’s not just Avian WE that Nitin has steered to a higher purpose. As the past president of two umbrella organisations for communications agencies – Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) and ICCO, Nitin has devoted his professional life to ensure public relations is rightly valued and has relentlessly worked to change perceptions about the industry and ensure that it plays a transformational role on the world stage.
Mentoring young people in communications is one of Nitin’s top priorities. As a mentor on the Global PR Youth Board (GPRYB), Nitin fosters collaboration and creativity among young public relations professionals across the globe. Nitin also teaches and charts course syllabus at prominent mass communication colleges in India to increase awareness about the profession at the grass-root level. He is on advisory board of The School of Communications and Reputation (SCoRe), an institute dedicated to the development of education and research in reputation management in India.
He is a regular contributor to prominent publications like ET Brand Equity, First Post, Businessworld and The Hindu, where he shares his perspective on leadership, ESG, ethics and purpose.
He is currently a member of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA)’s Global Advisory Board and Co-Chair of PRCA Asia Pacific and PRCA Ethics Council.
About ICCO
The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) is the voice of public relations consultancies around the world. The ICCO membership comprises 41 associations representing 81 countries across the globe: from Africa, Asia, the Americas, Australasia, Europe, and, the Middle East. Collectively, these associations represent over 3,000 PR firms. ICCO’s annual awards program is globally recognized by PR trade associations representing 70 countries worldwide. Entries into the awards are judged by an elite panel of top international PR practitioners who will consider the excellence and effectiveness of PR work from across the world.
About Avian WE
Avian WE is a leading integrated communications agency in India and an integral part of WE Communications. The organisation has worked tirelessly to put the best minds in the communications industry in the best positions to help clients – connecting people and operations across India and ensuring that its work drives real business results and positive change. While public relations is our mainstay, Avian WE’s capabilities also include – Influence & Story Telling; Content, Social & Creative Strategies (through in-house brand – EXPD); Public Policy and Advocacy (Chase India); Purpose & Social Impact; Measurement & Analytics and Crisis Communication.
