Rochelle Ford is CEO at the Page Society, a global membership body for senior communications professionals. At the time of speaking to Rebecca Pardon last month, Ford had been the role only three months. She discussed how she is settling in, and why she believes communications professionals have a more strategic role to play.

As the Zoom call for this interview is booted up, Rochelle Ford, Page Society CEO, has been in the UK only a few hours. Indeed, it was momentarily anticipated that the interview might need to happen mid-transit, possibly from the dawdling taxi queue or while juggling cases at baggage reclaim.

Ford’s schedule is, understandably, packed. She arrived in the UK directly from Copenhagen, following brief stops in Zurich and Merck, Germany. From London, her next stop is Amsterdam. And yet, she still made sure to sneak in a spa visit between flights. 

It’s all part of the job for Ford, whose members span the globe. Having only started the role in January, she has many introductions to make.

“It’s been wonderful,” Ford says of her first few months. “We kicked off the year by releasing a study at Davos during the World Economic Forum. The headline was tough; only 26% of people have confidence in business. But what the study found across 14 countries was that if we can communicate the context behind our actions, and show what companies are really doing, we can start to rebuild trust.”

What excites her most is seeing how members are stepping into broader roles. “We’ve got people doing wealth management for entire countries, people in NGOs, in global companies, universities and they’re not just communicators. They’re strategic business partners.

“Often people think of us as crisis managers with a bag of tricks, but it’s not that anymore. It’s about multi-stakeholder engagement and creating multi-stakeholder value. And Page is providing the space and research for communicators to come together globally, talk about these issues and elevate the profession.”

Founded in the US in 1983, Page has spent the last decade focusing on international expansion.  “It started off as just a little meeting of chief communications officers from some of the biggest companies – the AT&Ts, the Chevrons, IBM – coming together to support each other,” says Ford. “Then they thought, ‘Oh, we should invite Harold Burson and Edelman,’ the most famous agency names, because they had advice that could help.

“Then they invited educators. Eventually, they said, ‘We’re all operating across the globe,’ and people from around the world began joining and finding real value.”

One of Page’s biggest strengths, Ford adds, is the thought leadership it has developed, and how consistently it applies globally. “Even in China, with a very different economic and political environment, it still holds true.”

A core Page principle, and something Ford is keen to reinforce, is the concept of ‘corporate character’. “How do we help companies be authentic?” Ford asks. “That’s still really important, and emphasising the role of the corporate communicator, the CCO or chief public affairs officer, to focus on what we call ‘corporate character’.

“By that we mean the mission or purpose of a company, and its corporate values. That must be the centre, so that every decision, every product, every service, every policy and the brand itself is built around those values. And the communicator’s job is to help align the entire C-suite with that, so that whatever decisions are made, they’re rooted in who the organisation truly is.”

Ford believes we’re seeing a fundamental shift in the role of communicators. “We are advocating for our members to be leaders,” Ford says. “We support senior communication leaders, because you have to speak up. You have to tell the truth, even when it hurts. We believe truth is real. We believe you must manage for the future. What you do today affects how you’re seen tomorrow.

“And it starts with listening. Some stakeholders will hate us, we have to ask why. Look in the mirror and ask, do we deserve it? What do we need to change – policies, products, behaviour – to restore trust?”

She adds that the remit of today’s communicator extends far beyond media or influencer relations. “They’re responsible for internal engagement, HR, philanthropy, community relations, even investor relations. They must see around corners. Some of the best things our members do, no one ever hears about, because it was handled quietly, behind the scenes.”

As the profession evolves, new technologies are becoming central to the communicator’s toolkit. When asked whether this pace of change is daunting, Ford sounds more pragmatic than concerned. “One of the reasons our society is named after Arthur W. Page is because he said to the CEO, ‘I’m not going to be your publicist; I’m going to be your advisor.’ That was back in the ’40s and ’50s. We’ve been pushing beyond media relations for decades.

“Now, with access to data and analytics, we can be even more strategic. Our members use everything from social analytics to behavioural and psychological research. They’re doing focus groups and in-depth stakeholder listening. And AI is accelerating this: what once took days now takes minutes. It’s helping us make informed, data-driven decisions faster.”

Still, Ford insists, technology won’t replace the human element. “I used to gather newspapers, cut them out, paste them and fax them to clients. Now the computer does that. But the real value is using humans for what we do best: strategy, empathy, connection.”

She believes the basics still matter. “It’s about interpersonal communication. Talking, like you and I are doing now. Holding town halls with the CEO. Visiting a community where a plant is opening or closing, or where something innovative is happening. That face-to-face engagement still counts.”

Looking ahead, Page’s focus is on deepening its global reach without losing sight of its purpose. “As we grow internationally, the emphasis remains on supporting communicators to help companies be authentic,” says Ford. “Corporate character is still at the centre, ensuring every action and message is grounded in purpose and values.”