New president for PRISA

Mixael de Kock, newly elected national president of PRISA

"I am both delighted and surprised," says De Kock who heads up The Maverick Group, an alliance of communication-related companies.

"I am known to call a spade a spade and never thought that the members, particularly in a world where, nowadays, leaders are expected to speak in euphemisms, would have chosen me to lead the Institute during its 50th anniversary!"

Victor Sibeko, who heads up corporate development for the Transnet Pension Fund Administrators, says: "I am equally thrilled by my election to serve PRISA in this high office and look forward to the challenges that await us. Our term of office comes at a time when the profession finds itself presented with a range of opportunities set against a background of dynamic changes in business and industry."

Victor Sibeko, newly elected president elect of PRISA

De Kock says that he and Sibeko should be regarded as The Presidency of the organisation. "We will be working hand-in-glove as one team and, during our term together, Victor and I will be sharing responsibility in all matters."

"Our first priority is to ensure that the projects launched during the past president's tenure continue unimpeded," says De Kock. "There is still a great deal to be done to deliver real transformation within the organisation and, where feasible, these processes will be fast-tracked."

According to De Kock, nurturing new entrants to the profession is another priority while, at the same time, existing members will be inspired to achieve higher levels of professional registration."

Sibeko adds: "As The Presidency we look forward to the support of PRISA's members and its Consultancy Chapter as well as those academics active in the field of public relations and communication. We need to reclaim PRISA's position at the forefront of the profession and also to re-establish its influence in the public and private sectors."

Immediate past president Merle O'Brien says that she has great faith in both De Kock and Sibeko: "I know they have the ability to take PRISA to new heights and I give them my full support."