Wednesday 10th July, 11.00 - 12.00 EDT
The Global First Ladies Academy (GFLA) brings together the work of the Global First Ladies Alliance to support First Ladies and their offices, the power of First Ladies’ regional networks, and Columbia University’s one hundred years of advancing public health and development, to support First Ladies work and dedication to the future of their countries.
Experts from GFLA will lead a discussion on leveraging the power of the Office of First Lady to influence public policy and social change. This session will feature a presentation of the report "The Impact of First Ladies and Gentlemen on the Soft Power Index of Nations” by the Summit of the First Lady and Gentlemen, and Konrad Jagodzinski, Place Branding Director at Brand Finance.
Konrad leads Brand Finance’s place branding and soft power practice. He liaises with clients, directs consulting projects, and is responsible for the creation and promotion of the annual Global Soft Power Index, Nation Brands, and City Index studies.
Konrad has extensive experience in advising clients in the fields of place branding and public diplomacy. Before joining Brand Finance, he worked at the Polish Embassy in London where he developed and delivered successful marketing communications campaigns as well as media relations programmes of official engagements by the president, prime minister, government ministers, and the ambassador.
In his role at Brand Finance, Konrad has advised a variety of place branding organisations, including the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland Campaign, New Zealand Story, and Cape Town Tourism.
Before moving on to grow the place branding practice, Konrad was the Communications Director of Brand Finance and Managing Director of Brand Finance’s PR agency – Brand Dialogue for 5 years. He has a proven track record in executing integrated communications strategies, having been responsible for publishing nearly 100 industry and country reports on the world’s most valuable brands on an annual basis.
Konrad has qualified with the Professional PR Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). He studied European Studies MA at King’s College London and the Humboldt University in Berlin, and International Relations with Political Science BA at the University of Birmingham.