UK
CIPR Honours Academic Excellence and International Leadership with 2026 President’s and Sir Stephen Tallents’ Medals: The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) has announced Rupert Younger and Samantha Seewoosurrun as recipients of its prestigious 2026 President’s Medal and Sir Stephen Tallents’ Medal, respectively.
The two awards are among the CIPR’s highest honours and recognise exceptional achievement in public relations practice, together with significant contributions to the wider development of the profession.
Rupert Younger Receives 2026 President’s Medal
The 2026 President’s Medal has been awarded to Rupert Younger, Director of the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation and Senior Research Fellow and Tutor in Management at Worcester College, University of Oxford.
Younger has played a significant role in bringing the study of public relations and corporate reputation into the academic environment through the establishment of the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation.
His work spans research, strategic insight and executive education, including Oxford’s internationally recognised Corporate Affairs Academy.
In presenting the award, CIPR President Farzana Baduel Chart.PR, Hon FCIPR highlighted the quality of Younger’s academic work and the importance of intellectual rigour in strengthening the public relations profession.
Younger said receiving the medal was a tremendous honour and emphasised the continuing strategic role of public relations in creating meaningful alignment between organisations and their stakeholders.
His work at Oxford builds on his professional experience, including his involvement in the founding of FGS Global, while his research examines how social evaluations influence—and are influenced by—leaders and organisations.
Samantha Seewoosurrun Honoured for International Contribution
The 2026 Sir Stephen Tallents’ Medal has been awarded to Samantha Seewoosurrun Chart.PR, FCIPR, Founder and Managing Director of PR and publishing agency Perpetual Motion.
A Chartered Practitioner and CIPR Fellow, Seewoosurrun has made a sustained contribution to the Institute and to the development of its international presence.
She founded the CIPR International Network in Mauritius in 2019 and subsequently served as Chair of the Institute’s International Group from 2021 to 2024.
Her involvement has extended across several areas of CIPR activity. She has served on the Institute’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, judged the CIPR Excellence Awards and currently sits on the Audit & Risk Committee. She also co-chairs the Council Working Group on Making the Case for Public Relations.
Her contribution has previously been recognised through the CIPR Volunteer Recognition Awards for Outstanding Long Service in 2024 and 2026.
The Sir Stephen Tallents’ Medal recognises her long-standing commitment to the CIPR and her work strengthening its presence and professional community in Mauritius.
Celebrating Two Different Paths in Public Relations
CIPR President Farzana Baduel said the two medals recognise different but equally important contributions to the profession.
Younger’s recognition reflects the growing importance of academic research, evidence and intellectual rigour to modern public relations, while Seewoosurrun’s award recognises professional service, international engagement and institution-building.
The awards highlight the increasingly global and multidisciplinary nature of the public relations profession, where academic research, strategic communications, professional standards and international networks all contribute to its development.
International PR Community
Accepting her award, Seewoosurrun described the CIPR’s global community as one of the organisation’s greatest strengths and dedicated the medal to professionals involved with CIPR International.
She also highlighted the importance of professional development at a time when the communications industry is undergoing rapid transformation, particularly as technology continues to reshape how organisations communicate with their stakeholders.
The 2026 honours therefore recognise not only individual achievement but also the broader evolution of public relations as a strategic profession with an increasingly international footprint.
