How to Get Leaders Listening to (And Investing In) Internal Comms

Internal comms have never mattered more. And yet, it’s still one of the hardest functions to defend when budgets tighten.

You’re the bridge between leadership and employees, the calm in every crisis, the voice that keeps people connected. But too often, your impact is felt but not seen – especially by the people holding the purse strings.

This session is for internal communication professionals who are tired of being the “unsung heroes” and want to prove, with confidence, the real business value of what they do.

What you’ll learn:

• How to frame comms results in the language executives understand: cost, productivity, and impact
• Practical ways to use data (without drowning in it) to show your influence
• How to turn your work into a story leadership can see, measure, and support
• Real examples from comms leaders who’ve earned a seat at the strategic table

After the session, we’ll share a set of practical follow-ups to help you put the ideas into action:

• A guide on getting buy-in from your CEO, written with insights from CEOs themselves
• A companion guide on winning over your CFO, co-written with finance leaders
• A new report on how internal comms can secure more budget and prove its value across the business.

Real perspectives. Real examples. Tools you can use straight away.

Speakers

Andrew Avanessian, CEO, Haiilo

Ann-Marie Blake, Co-Founder, True Comms

After a career in senior in-house roles in major global organisations, Ann-Marie Blake co-founded True Communications in Feb 2023, an agency set up to help companies deliver change with their people rather than to them.

Her impact on the communications world has been recognised with Fellowships of both the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and Centre for Strategic Communications Excellence  

Ann-Marie is a Chartered PR Practitioner. She is a former IABC International Executive Board Member and currently chairs the IABC Heads of Communication Shared Interest Group. She is a winner of the 2025 Independent Impact 50 awards which celebrate the UK’s most influential independent practitioners in PR.