Member-at-Large profile: Rauf Hameed

While most IABC members in our Asia Pacific region belong to a local chapter, we also have a strong community of Members-at-Large.

One such member is Rauf Hameed, communication consultant based in Lahore, Pakistan, who is also a board member and director of communications with IABC Asia Pacific.

Rauf is a passionate communications and advocacy professional with over 25 years of experience. He is a trusted adviser with extensive experience in stakeholder engagement and managing issues of industry and public interest to achieve strategic business goals. Rauf has represented the voice of organisations such as WWF, Tetra Pak, Coca-Cola Icecek and CCL Pharmaceuticals in his country and abroad.

We asked Rauf about being an IABC APAC Member-at-Large:

How long have you been an IABC member, and why IABC?

I have been a member for more than 10 years. I had been thinking of pursuing additional education while working and my boss suggested that instead of an MBA I should join some professional association for competence development. I came across IABC through their online marketing tools and when I read about the association, I was really inspired by the fact that it focuses on the value of business communication.

Since then I have been a Member-at-Large. I loved the way IABC membership helped me in connecting with like-minded professionals, so I would highly recommend to communications practitioners around the world that they join IABC. Whether you’re a corporate communicator, independent consultant, academic or student, IABC has the resources, connections and learning opportunities you need to move your career forward.

What’s the biggest challenge in your role?

One of the main challenges has been to get the C-suite to understand the strategic value of communications and proving that communication practitioners are not ordinary tacticians but strategic communication professionals, who manage organisational reputation and create stakeholder engagement strategies. They bring organisations to life with a brand voice that aligns their verbal, visual and digital messages and activities with their missions and visions.

What’s it like being a Member-at-Large?

For me it has been extremely valuable – especially for learning opportunities through webinars and knowledge-sharing as well as global virtual resources like The Hub – this is a private online community for members, which connects you with your peers around the world, so you can get help with pressing problems, pose a question for discussion or access resources from fellow communication professionals.

How important is it that IABC APAC connects you to other Members-at-Large?

As communications professionals we face common challenges and I have always been inspired by shared learning. Getting connected to other members has been a great feature that IABC members are privileged to have. IABC not only serves professionals in the field of business communication, but also brings together some collective disciplines. I also enjoy the members-only benefits: educational offerings, certification, awards program, resource library, online magazine and annual World Conference.