Nitin Mantri and Nataliya Popovych Inducted into ICCO Hall of Fame

The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) inducted two new inspirational PR figures, AvianWE CEO, Nitin Mantri and One philosophy and WeAreUkraine Founder and President, Nataliya Popovych, into the ICCO Hall of Fame.

Established in 2003, the ICCO Hall of Fame recognises those who have made exceptional progress in the internationalisation of the public relations industry, and who have combined cultural sensitivity with commercial acumen to create agencies that share global reach with local relevance.

The 2021 Class joins industry greats like Harold Burson, Richard Edelman, and Margery Kraus.

Nitin Mantri said:

“I am deeply humbled and honored to have joined this venerable group of achievers in public relations. I’m grateful to the ICCO and will use this recognition to deepen my efforts to promote purposeful, ethical and inclusive communications that will inspire bedrock change around the world.”

Nataliya Popovych said:

“I am honored – and really appreciate the recognition. I feel that this recognition goes to all my colleagues in Ukraine and everywhere who contribute their time and effort to the cause of Ukraine’s victory and freedom in the world. It is symbolic that the award ceremony which I am unable to attend due to projects for Ukraine, is taking place on December 1st, the same date, when Ukrainians back in 1991 voted in the Referendum for the Independence of Ukraine, choosing freedom and better future to be the new north stars for our society. It also takes place on the same date, when in 2003 I started my entrepreneur journey and One Philosophy’s story began. While Russia decided to live in the past and is trying to exterminate Ukrainians in the 21st century, all public relations consultants around the world can also make a choice today - to stand up for freedom and better a future. I call upon all my colleagues to stay in solidarity with Ukraine and help freedom and justice win.”

Grzegorz Szczepanski, ICCO President said:

“The ICCO Hall of Fame is reserved for the most outstanding ambassadors of our profession, those who lead, who inspire and who make an impact. Our two new inductees for 2022 do all of those things and more. I thank Nitin Mantri for his tenure as ICCO President, his work on countless new projects and initiatives drives our organisation and industry forward. And I thank Nataliya for her unbelievable work bringing communicators together in the efforts to save lives in the war in Ukraine. Both of these professionals deserve to be recognised alongside the best of our industry”

More about Nitin

It's not just Avian WE that Nitin has steered to a higher purpose. As the past president of two umbrella organisations for communications agencies - Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) and ICCO, Nitin has devoted his professional life to ensure public relations is rightly valued and has relentlessly worked to change perceptions about the industry and ensure that it plays a transformational role on the world stage.

Mentoring young people in communications is one of Nitin’s top priorities. As a mentor on the Global PR Youth Board (GPRYB), Nitin fosters collaboration and creativity among young public relations professionals across the globe. Nitin also teaches and charts course syllabus at prominent mass communication colleges in India to increase awareness about the profession at the grass-root level. He is on advisory board of The School of Communications and Reputation (SCoRe), an institute dedicated to the development of education and research in reputation management in India.

He is a regular contributor to prominent publications like ET Brand Equity, First Post, Businessworld and The Hindu, where he shares his perspective on leadership, ESG, ethics and purpose.

He is currently a member of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA)’s Global Advisory Board and Co-Chair of PRCA Asia Pacific and PRCA Ethics Council.

More about Nataliya

An entrepreneur, international communications expert and civic activist, Nataliya Popovych is a Founder of One Philosophy – a multi-disciplinary consulting group built around a shared sense of purpose – to create the reality we want to live in. With over 20 years’ experience working in Ukraine, the USA and Russia, Nataliya leads the 60-consultant team of 4 agencies serving the interests of Fortune 500 corporate clients as well as public sector organizations in the emerging markets and builds the group’s global footprint. One Philosophy's team consistently enhances the resilience and futureproofs brands, reputations, teams and society helping clients make the most of their moment in history.

As civic activist, Natalia has been at the forefront of Ukraine’s efforts to counter the Russian hybrid warfare since 2014. She is a co-founder of Ukraine Crisis Media Center, one of the leading NGOs in Ukraine countering Russia’s disinformation. In 2014 Natalia managed the 24/7 MH17 tragedy international communications response hub. In 2014-2017, she served in the capacity of an advisor on information policy to the Chief of the President’s Administration of Ukraine and led the reform major public sector communications in Ukraine’s key branches of power. In 2022, Nataliya and One Philosophy colleagues co-founded The Resilient Ukraine civil society organization, home to WeAreUkraine.info, a repository of truth about Russia-Ukrainian war and a global engagement and strategic communications platform for promoting the Ukrainian resilience.

Nataliya is the co-founder of the Ukrainian Association of Public Relations, an honorary member of the Senate of the Ukrainian Catholic University and serves as a board member of the Ukrainian Institute. Most recently, Natalia has become a co-chair of the Ukraine Communications Support Network, an international taskforce organised by PRCA and ICCO. She also serves on the steering committee of Business for Ukraine, a coalition of Ukrainian and international civil society groups united by a common purpose: to block access to the economic and financial resources enabling Russian aggression.

Nataliya is a public lecturer, an expert on organisational and societal resilience building and countering of disinformation, a columnist featured and quoted by the Fortune, FT Washington Post, the Guardian, Radio Free Liberty, the Voice of America, Ukrayinska Pravda, NV and PRovoke Media, among others.