SINGAPORE — Global Women in PR (GWPR) has launched its Singapore chapter, following research that highlights the career development challenges facing women in the profession.

The establishment of the membership group's 11th global chapter aims to support and elevate the professional development of women in PR. It comes after a June survey that identified the top three barriers for women in PR, with respect to advancing their careers:
1. Lack of industry standards and benchmarks to set the tone for the profession
2. Unclear or limited career growth pathways (within the company) for advancement opportunities
3. Lack of time and mind space due to personal commitments such as family.

40% of the 110 respondents said that they were looking for more out of their careers. When asked about the support needed to help them take more control of their career development, the top three areas cited were:
1. Networking and mentorship opportunities - to expand career possibilities and receive tips and guidance to navigate their career journey
2. Growing leadership presence - to equip oneself with valuable skills and be well-placed to compete or be on par with counterparts
3. Keeping updated with industry updates and best practices - to boost knowledge and work outcomes.

GWPR Singapore will partner with industry experts to develop 'communications career pathways' which aim to drive a refined tone, structure and career progression for employees and employers. In addition, GWPR Singapore will identify future functional and leadership skills needed to thrive in the industry.

The launch also follows PRovoke Media research revealing that a quarter of all men in the Singaporean PR industry report earning $125,000 or more, compared to just 13% of women.

GWPR Singapore is spearheaded by nine founder members: Amanda Goh (Chasm United), Rachel Ho (Johnson & Johnson), Vanessa Ho Nikolovski (Weber Shandwick), Amanda Koh (Vodafone), Bridgit O’Donovan, Emily Poon (Ogilvy), Yasmin Ramle (GIC), Praveen Randhawa, and Julia Wei (AKA Asia).

The Founder Member Board will also be mentored by three industry advisors: Verdayne Nunis from Microsoft Asia; Georgette Tan from United Women Singapore; and Kim Underhill, from Daughters Of Tomorrow and the She Brilliance movement.

“To advance our mission, GWPR Singapore will invite its members to reshape the future of our communications industry, co-create clear pathways for growth and curate opportunities for best practice sharing and mentoring," said Goh. "We will partner closely with our global counterparts to ensure a scaled network to collectively grow our knowledge base and community."

Global Women in PR was launched at the end of 2015 as a not-for-profit organisation and has grown to include membership groups in the Middle East, Germany, Romania, Italy, France, Russia, Mexico, India, Ghana and the UK, with other groups developing across Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific.