Piehl to power new PR future for FleishmanHillard SA

Piehl and Welman.

Welman has been with FleishmanHillard for 20 years and GM for the past 9. In that time he’s won numerous awards and new business, but lists his career peaks on a much more personal scale: ranging from seeing people get degrees while working there to buying their first car or moving into a first house.

Powerful personal highlights

He explains: “I loved to see staff members start families, and so proudly introduce us to their partners or even their kids as if we were their second family. It was a hugely gratifying experience.”

He has no set plans at the moment, but is looking forward to some time off to spend with his family and felt it was time to move aside to open up for new passion, new talent and new energy.

Piehl definitely has that by the bucket-load. With over 20 years’ experience in the PR and communications industry, she’s known for her strategic thinking and leadership abilities, having quadrupled the size of the office’s brand marketing team since she joined in 2011.

She’s looking forward to leading the talented people of FleishmanHillard into the future of the communications space and feels fortunately to have never experienced a ‘glass ceiling’ in the industry, having worked with talented and senior female communications specialists in the corporate and consulting environment who are all well respected.

That said, she adds: “I believe the role and function of the communication specialist has and will continue to fundamentally evolve. And so change will be in how we build for this next chapter.”

Exciting times, wishing them both every success! Click here for a reminder of Welman's recent Behind the Selfie interview.