IPRN celebrates 30 years with Convention in Porto and the headquarters move to Brussels

The International Public Relations Network (IPRN) celebrated its 30th anniversary with a convention held in Porto, Portugal. Around 50 members from 30 agencies, across four continents gathered to present case studies, share best practice, and discuss the future of the sector in light of changes in international politics and the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence.

Significantly, IPRN has now relocated its headquarters from Madrid to Brussels, in a move aimed at bringing the network closer to European institutions. The move positions the network closer to the heart of European decision-making and supports its ambition to be more actively involved in European Union affairs. As part of this transition, IPRN has also been listed in the EU Transparency Register.

Rodrigo Viana de Freitas, IPRN Executive President commented: “This step is fundamental to preparing the organisation for the years ahead.” He adds: “The goal is to equip IPRN with management capacity to continue expanding into new geographies and to support members in generating international business with brands and institutions across all sectors.”

Sarah Woodhouse, director and co-owner of strategic communications agency, AMBITIOUS, commented, “As PR Professionals, we need to stay on top of dynamic global and domestic events and sentiment to provide consultancy and work with the C-suite. The IPRN Convention in Porto highlighted the importance of agile planning – using phased strategies that evolve as external conditions change.”

Rhodri Harries, managing director tech and health at Cavendish says, “It was fantastic to connect with peers across markets and sectors. The conversations around AI and data-driven trust were especially valuable, and we’re excited to bring fresh thinking into our work at Cavendish.”

Harvey Choat, managing director at Nexus, explains, “Having strong international partners is one of the most powerful assets in our industry. IPRN continues to connect us to trusted local expertise across the world.”
 

Mayor of Porto welcomes the group
The annual meeting programme included a morning at Porto Business School, an event partner, with two international keynote sessions: “Donald Trump’s Foreign Policy: Impacts on International Relations,” by Jorge Rodrigues, coordinator of PBS’s Geopolitics Observatory, and “Artificial Intelligence and the New World,” by Ricardo Ribeiro, Director of Digital Transformation at Banco Montepio and professor in postgraduate and MBA programs at various universities.

The group was also welcomed by the Mayor of Porto, another event partner, with a formal reception at Casa do Roseiral. On the occasion, Rui Moreira emphasised Porto’s cultural and international dimension, explaining the city’s transformation process over the past 12 years. The event concluded with the annual awards ceremony, which this year honored a breast cancer awareness campaign from Puerto Rico as the best of the year.

About IPRN
The International Public Relations Network is a global network of independent public relations and communications agencies, with around 50 members in over 100 major cities and more than 30 countries across five continents. It represents all sectors of the industry and has a combined turnover of approximately USD 150 million, with over 1,000 staff and 4,000 clients across its member agencies.