Founding chartered practitioner Emma Leech FCIPR will become president elect of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) next year, having stood unopposed in the 2017 CIPR election.

A chartered marketer and manager, Leech works as the director of marketing and advancement at Loughborough University, having held similar roles at the Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Nottingham.

Leech joined the institute in 1996 and became one of the UK's first accredited PR practitioners in 2005. She was awarded fellowship of the CIPR in 2009 and was named ‘CIPR/IOD PR director of the year’ in 2012.

Emma Leech, Found.Chart.PR FCIPR, says, “I am absolutely delighted to have been nominated as the next president elect and am looking forward to working with board and council colleagues in driving forward CIPR’s vision and strategy. I am grateful to those who nominated me and for the many positive messages I’ve received from colleagues across the industry.”

Leech will succeed Sarah Hall Chart.PR, FCIPR as president of the CIPR in 2019. Sarah will take over from the current president, Jason MacKenzie Found.Chart.PR, FCIPR, next year.