In our rebooted Headliners series of conversations, we get under the skin of PR and communications leaders around the world who have made PRovoke Media headlines recently, uncovering the risks they have taken in their career, the people, brands and work they admire, their advice for industry newbies, and their guilty pleasures.

In this week's Q&A, we speak to Girish Balachandran whose creative consultancy, ON PURPOSE, was just appointed by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) to lead its digital outreach efforts.

The engagement, awarded after a multi-agency pitch, aims to strategically bolster ASSOCHAM’s online visibility, deepen engagement with key stakeholders, and expand its digital community.

What’s the biggest career risk you’ve ever taken? How did it work out?

I’ve changed countries to live and work in thrice in my career. The first time was when I worked in hospitality and moved from India to Kuwait.

Second, when I moved to the UK to pursue an MBA and stayed for almost a decade, switching careers to PR and working with global agencies like Ketchum and Waggener Edstrom Worldwide (now We).

Finally, when I moved back to India without a job in hand and switched from being an employee to an employer with ON PURPOSE, with the seed of an idea that communications had to stand for something good.

Last year, Provoke Media identified us as one of the top 15 fastest growing firms globally, our team voted us as the Best Place to Work across APAC in the Mid-Size category, and we brought the coveted ‘Global Diversity Champion’ trophy by ICCO to India – so not bad, I’d say. Every risk has offered new opportunity.

What’s the biggest creative risk you’ve ever taken?

The idea of ON PURPOSE – that we could build a firm that would use the power of communications to drive social change in India. By choosing to work in selected areas of climate action, public health, education and gender – we make choices on purpose vs. profit every day.

Yet, we’ve grown 68% year-on-year for the last eightyears, despite being fired by Donald Trump (USAID was a big client for us, till they were shut down earlier this year in January).

Today, as we stand at the cross-roads of choosing to stick to our reason to exist or diversify and accept other work that may not be aligned completed with our mission, the trade-off has never been starker. 

What do you think are the most important character traits for a great PR person?

To listen, to speak up, know when to shut up and when to offer tea (thanks to Sreya Rakshit for this quote).

To get the balance right between responding with empathy and urgency, to become champions of their craft so we command better respect and credibility and make our profession more sought after for all the right reasons.

To be able to craft narratives, influence perceptions and change habits and behaviors for the better.

Which company or organization do you most admire in terms of PR, branding or reputation management?

Godrej, because I see a communications leader in Sujit Patil and the team he’s built as terrific ambassadors for our profession.

Zomato, because it’s rare to see a brand in India take a stand. Don’t stop.

Which individual, in any field, do you think exemplifies outstanding leadership or communication skills?

Shashi Tharoor makes ‘Brand India’ synonymous with intellectual sophistication, cultural confidence and ethical modernity – transcending politics to position India as a thought – leader civilization, not just an economy. He doesn’t just speak for India – he reimagines how the world sees it.

As an example, his viral Oxford Union speech on colonial reparations reframed India’s history not as victimhood, but as a testament to resilience and unsung contributions to the West. He disarms critics by using Western logic, vocabulary and institutions (like the UN or Cambridge debates) to elevate Indian perspectives, making ‘Brand India’ feel intellectually formidable rather than defensive.

What’s the best campaign you’ve seen recently?

On March 21, 2024, UNDP disrupted global television airwaves with a special weather forecast to mobilise urgent climate action. It was a campaign launched in partnership with the World Meteorological Organization and The Weather Channel. In addition, the campaign was supported by many additional partners including UNICEF, global celebrities, UNDP Goodwill Ambassadors, ICCO, Activista and many more.

The campaign aimed to boost awareness of the impacts of climate change and wanted to clearly illustrate the cost of inaction to the next generations. The fact that this campaign was coordinated globally across 92 countries with a positive sentiment of 93% is testimony to the fact that an emotive story can break through climate fatigue and get people to care.

Of course, I’m biased, but at ON PURPOSE, it was a privilege for us to serve as India implementation partners to this massive effort, through the UNDP partnership with ICCO. 

Is there an industry trend or discussion you think is over-rated or exaggerated or just plain stupid?

To Cannes or not to. Every year we hear voices shouting the grapes are sour instead of playing the game the way it’s set up. First up, we don’t win if we don’t enter. We don’t enter enough. Yes, pricing is prohibitive, especially for more representation from India and Cannes must address this, but we can’t keep opining from the sidelines without getting on the court.

Second, it’s a culture thing. Either we’re building a culture of wanting to deliver award-winning work for our clients (of course, it has to be business and outcome focused), or we’re not. It can’t be just the marketing team’s job to put a winning entry together. It has to start with aligning with the client, discussing trends from winners and planning to make an award-winning submission.  

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone entering the PR industry today?

It gets better with time. But you must do the time. That is how we build muscle that later gives us the power of choice – to choose how we want to engage with this profession, as a master of craft in a way that is personal, enjoyable and pays us for the value we deliver.

As someone who didn’t start in PR, I’m delighted with the space it’s given me to find what drives me, internally and to build something of meaning that aligns with my own aspirations.

What’s your guilty pleasure when you need to unwind from the high pressure of PR?

Ludo. I play Ludo online, while in cabs, airport lounges and boring meetings. Time with my wife Pinky and our four-legged dog child, Maya at home, with no one else around. Sipping tea endlessly, staring at the tree outside.

Talking to my parents, on the way in to work, on most days. Building a community around beer at 4S (let me know when you are in Delhi next).