On Wednesday 1 October, Eterna Partners welcomed a group of senior communications leaders to Home House in London, for an evening of drinks and a discussion on ‘Corporate Reputation in Times of Geopolitical Upheaval and Market Volatility.’
In recent years, the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, renewed trade tensions, and energy insecurity have turned geopolitics into an everyday business reality. Companies are expected to move quickly, speak credibly, and protect their licence to operate.
Guests heard from three speakers, each offering a different perspective on how organisations are adapting their communications strategies in this new landscape:
- Metlen – Sophie Fitton discussed the challenge of maintaining trust with regulators and investors during an IPO in volatile markets.
- DTEK – Patrick Meyer spoke about keeping employees safe and informed while operating in a war zone, and the role of communications in countering disinformation and advocating with EU and US policymakers.
- Marex – Nicola Ratchford shared how commodity firms navigate public narratives around volatility and inflation, explaining performance without being perceived as “profiting from crisis.”
Themes that stood out included:
- When to speak up and when to stay silent on polarising issues.
- Evidence over assertion as the gold standard for reputation management.
Closing reflections
The evening ended with each panellist offering one lesson on protecting reputation in volatile times. Their answers differed, but all came back to the same essentials: credibility, resilience, and clarity of purpose.
We were delighted to bring together such a thoughtful group for an open conversation and to continue bringing together a network that thrives on candid insight and shared experience.
