Switzerland Is the Place to Be in April: Why the Davos Communications Summit Belongs on Every Communicator’s Calendar

8 hours ago
3 min read

by Jared Meade MPS, APR

This April, you’ll find me in Davos, Switzerland, a stunning alpine town high in the eastern Swiss Alps, surrounded by dramatic, snow‑capped peaks and pristine valleys. It’s long been a favourite for world-class winter sports, a summer escape for hiking, mountain biking and unplugging in nature and the globally recognised home of the World Economic Forum (WEF) each January. That’s when political leaders, CEOs, economists and cultural figures converge to tackle some of the world’s most urgent issues, from climate change and economic policy to the future of technology and innovation.

But my reason for visiting is another prestigious international event in Davos, which you should know about.

Each April, the town takes on a very different energy when it hosts the Davos Communications Summit & Awards, a gathering that deserves a spot on every communicator’s calendar. Organized by the World Communications Forum Association (WCFA), this is not just another conference. It’s a global meeting place for people who believe that communication can change business, policy and culture.

It also doesn’t hurt that attending means a scenic two-hour train ride from Zurich through some of the most beautiful and peaceful countryside I’ve ever seen.

The Summit brings together senior PR professionals, brand strategists, agency leaders, corporate communicators, policymakers and innovators from around the world. Over two days, participants explore how strategic communication is reshaping the way organizations lead, respond to crises, build trust and create meaningful impact globally.

When I attended the Summit for the first time last year, it was the first conference I attended that felt truly international. The conversations felt more candid, meaningful, forward looking and refreshingly practical. The speakers weren’t afraid to disagree vehemently, albeit respectfully. It wasn’t just another event on the conference circuit; it truly felt like a global discussion about where our profession is headed, what it needs to become and what we, as practitioners, could do to make it happen.

This year, I’m excited to be returning to Davos, but this time I’ll be on stage as a speaker. I’ll be part of a panel on ethics in communication, a topic that sits at the centre of my work at Rayne Strategies Group and my values as a practitioner.

I’ll be joined by:

Ilka Gobius, CEO, Pinpoint PR Pte. Ltd. (Singapore)
Vladimir Bystrov, managing partner at Bison & Rose and chairman of the Ethical and Arbitration Board of APRA (Czech PR Association)
Rodrigue Soffo, CEO, RS Intelligence & Lobbying (Cameroon, Canada, South Africa)
Pamala Proverbs, managing director, PRMR Inc. (Barbados)

The panel will be moderated by Mary Beth West, senior PR strategist (USA).

Together, we’ll be digging into how we can advance ethical, inclusive, and responsible communication by addressing bias, strengthening internal integrity, respecting cultural norms and safeguarding informed consent and data privacy.

The full program will include an in-depth analysis of the top reputational challenges of 2025 and the brands that successfully navigated them; a discussion of AI vs. human communicators; strategies for measuring trust; a multi-generational conversation on leadership in 2026 and several keynote speakers.

Attendees also have the opportunity to attend the Davos Communication Awards, honouring some of the most impactful campaigns, teams and communication leaders in our field. I had the honour of being named the 2025 Outstanding Freelancer of the Year during last year’s ceremony.

If you’re a communications, PR, or brand leader who’s thinking deeply about trust, reputation and responsibility, Davos in April is where you’ll want to be. The conversations go beyond theory into the real dilemmas we face every day: How do we communicate transparently in a polarized environment? How do we protect stakeholders’ data while still telling meaningful stories? How do we make sure our campaigns are not just effective, but ethical?

I’m looking forward to sharing perspectives from peers from around the world and continuing an honest conversation about what ethical communication looks like in practice, not just in policies and slide decks. And I’d love to see more voices at the table sharing their real-world experiences.

If you’re ready to step out of the day to day and immerse yourself in a global dialogue about the future of our profession, all against the backdrop of the Swiss Alps, the Davos Communications Summit & Awards is worth the trip.

Hopefully, I’ll see you there.

About Jared Meade

Jared Meade, MPS, APR, is a global PR consultant, international speaker, educator and founder of Rayne Strategy Group. He is also the co-founder of the #PRethics Community. His work has earned international recognition, including the 2025 Davos Communications Award for Outstanding Freelancer of the Year, a 2025 Touchstone Award from the Toledo Press Club, the 2024 ICCO Global Award for Improving Society and Reputation of PR and multiple Gold Hermes Creative Awards. He holds a Bachelor of Science in public relations from Eastern Michigan University and a master’s in strategic public relations from George Washington University.