LONDON — Global networking organisation Women in Marketing has named the winner of its first PR Communicator of the Year award: Blurred founder and CEO Nik Govier.

Awards also went to Sarah Waddington, managing director of Astute.Work in the UK, who was highly commended, while Amy Brill, head of PR at M&C Saatchi UAE, was commended.

It is the first time the organisation has featured a PR category in the 10 years of its annual global awards, in recognition of the critically important role of communications highlighted by the pandemic.

Ade Onilude, founder and CEO of Women in Marketing (WiM), told PRovoke Media: “The importance of leadership and the impact of communication was amplified by the work of Nik, Sarah and Amy. We salute them! As we move into the next phase of the global pandemic the important role of communicators to inform and connect us will continue and we look forward to discovering more stars in this year’s awards.”

Of Govier (pictured, left), the awards judges said: “Nik is undoubtedly one of the most admired professionals in the PR industry. From the moment she started Unity she was clearly one to watch, and she has raised her game further since setting up Blurred. Her fierce ambition for the communications industry to be seen as true business counsel as well as a creative powerhouse sets her work apart from the rest and has led to a stellar start for her new venture.

“Nik is passionate about improving DE&I within PR, and articulated the importance of purpose in business and PR terms years before it became mainstream, conceiving outstanding creative campaigns that really make a difference in society.”

Waddington (pictured, right) was also praised by the judging panel: “Sarah is an absolute force of nature – and a selfless force for good – in the communications industry. Her ethos has always been to serve, and to educate; she puts every ounce of her non-stop, enormous, infectious energy into demonstrating the value of public relations in all spheres, from the work of NHS communicators, to supporting businesses in the hard-hit North of England through the Covid-19 crisis, to advocating for diversity, equality and equity.”

And Brill’s work in UAE was also noted: “Amy has risen gracefully to the substantial challenge of being a young, Western woman agency leader in the Middle East. With her passion for social change in the region, she has led powerful, moving and impactful campaigns, as well as advocating for female talent. Amy is a game-changer in communications in the region and should be proud of the success she has achieved so far.”

The 2020 judging panel included jurors from Europe, Asia, North and South America, and the Middle East, including PRovoke Media’s EMEA editor Maja Pawinska Sims, who helped to develop the new PR award alongside Gabriela Lungu, founder of the Wings Creative Leadership Lab.

The full list of winners of the 2020 Global WiM Awards can be found here.