Stephen Waddington

Stephen Waddington is the founder and managing partner of Wadds Inc., a professional advisory firm that helps agencies and communications teams with planning, strategic decision-making, and execution. He is also the co-founder of Socially Mobile, a not-for-profit PR training school helping those lower socio-economic backgrounds and under-represented groups to increase their earning potential.

A PhD research student at Leeds Business School studying public relations and management, he is a former President of the CIPR and has written and edited more than ten books about public relations practice, including Exploring PR and Management Communication, published by Pearson in January 2021.

Stephen was previously managing director at Metia Group (2019-2020), an international digital marketing agency. He was Chief Engagement Officer at Ketchum (2012-2018), an Omnicom-owned agency responsible for integrating digital and social capabilities in client engagements across the agency’s international network.

Stephen originally trained as an engineer and a journalist before pursuing a public relations career. He co-founded, managed and sold two award-winning public relations agencies, Rainier PR in 1998 and Speed in 2009. He is a Chartered PR Practitioner, a CIPR Fellow (Hon) and PRCA Fellow.