ICCO Announces the 2025 NextGen Board and World Cup Competition to Drive Profession-wide Talent and Innovation

London, 10 April 2025 — The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) has reaffirmed its commitment to championing the next generation of PR professionals with the announcement of its 2025 NextGen Board and organising PR NextGen World Cup again. This is part of ICCO’s broader mission to empower emerging talent and future-proof the global communications industry through actionable platforms and global engagement.

ICCO’s dedication to developing young professionals is already taking shape through key initiatives. The NextGen Group has quickly evolved into a dynamic global forum for young PR leaders — sparking fresh ideas, peer collaboration, and cross-border innovation. Meanwhile, the NextGen World Cup 2025, set to take place next week, brings together young professionals from across continents to compete in a high-energy pitch competition that celebrates creativity, strategic thinking, and teamwork on a truly global scale.

The newly appointed NextGen Board 2025 will lead these initiatives and more, bringing sharp perspectives and strong leadership to ICCO’s talent agenda. Co-chaired by Karishma Hingorani (Middle East Public Relations Association - MEPRA) and Aditya Vasan Singla (Public Relations Consultants Association of India - PRCAI), the board includes:

• Srishti Sharma (PRCAI - India)
  
  
• Rumyana Tancheva (Bulgarian Association of PR Agencies - BAPRA)
  
  
• Zahra Zakriya (MEPRA - UAE)
  
  

“Winning the MENA Qualifiers last year was a truly remarkable experience. It provided us with the invaluable opportunity to broaden our capabilities, connect with top industry leaders from across the globe, and challenge conventional thinking. I'm thrilled to be able to share these insights and experiences with the next generation of PR professionals through a series of exciting initiatives we have planned for the year ahead.

As ICCO continues to elevate industry standards, address pressing ethical challenges, unify PR consultancy practices, and foster knowledge-sharing, we remain inspired by the achievements of previous cohorts of NextGen members. We are committed to building on their legacy and working together to further advance the PR profession,” said Karishma Hingorani, Co-Chair, ICCO NextGen Board.

Aditya Vasan Singla, Co-Chair, added: “I feel privileged to be offered this opportunity to collaborate with some of the brightest minds across the globe to aid the development of the NextGen talent and best practices for the global public relations industry. I believe it is crucial for us to collaborate and co-create solutions that push our industry forward, ensuring we are future ready and resilient.”

The NextGen Board 2025 builds on ICCO’s ongoing legacy of research, knowledge-sharing, and professional development. Through its diverse representation and global vision, the board will help shape how the industry attracts, develops, and retains talent.

ICCO’s commitment to the next generation of PR professionals comes in the form of concrete actionables planned for the coming year. We also invited the NextGen Board to come up with new initiatives and activities that will help the industry professionals. Ofcourse, we have the nextGen World Cup, which is now in its fifth year and will see teams from three continents participating. The World Cup is a great opportunity for young professionals and national association members to engage local young talent at a global level, said Andras Sztaniszlav, CEO, ICCO.