MAM
What are the bigger challenges for brands and PR practitioners in the coming years?
We live in a world where change is the only constant, brands and public relations practitioners need to be very fast, fast enough to cope with the everchanging needs and demands of the people. What works today will not work tomorrow. With the changing expectations of consumers and technological advancements, PR’s along with brands are facing new challenges every day. Now, being in such creative fields requires fresh thinking and quick adoption.
Staying ahead in the race has become crucial to survive in the market. Brands are no longer just competing for market share, they’re competing for trust, attention, and relevance in the market. These challenges for brands and PR practitioners will grow more complex, demanding agility, creativity, and a deep understanding of the evolving digital and social environment. Let’s understand this with some key challenges that will shape the future of public relations.
Digital and AI revolution
Artificial intelligence is not just a word anymore, it’s transforming the way we communicate and express. From content creation to advanced data analytics AI has got you covered, reshaping the industry. It offers powerful tools to reach the audience with precision, AI also poses some challenges like maintaining the human touch. PR is, at its core, about maintaining and building relationships with trust. Now, with AI taking over the automation of routine tasks, we must focus on strategies that leverage AI while preserving the authenticity that resembles the audience.
Managing misinformation and trust
We live in an era where information spreads at the speed of light, which makes us hop on to our next challenge which is the spread of misinformation and deepfakes. A simple false narrative can severely impact a brand’s reputation in just a matter of few minutes, which makes it essential for us as PR professionals to be fully, and strategically prepared to cater to such a crisis and restore and maintain public trust. Hence, building credibility has become more crucial, as consumers increasingly grow skeptical of the information they consume.
The shift in media landscape
The transformation from traditional media to the rise of digital media is reshaping on how brands communicate with their audience. While this shift opens up new opportunities for direct engagement with the audience, it also brings challenges. The landscape of media has become vast, the audience is consuming content from diverse sources from social media to podcasts to niche blogs. PR professionals navigate the complex ecosystem and ensure that the message reaches the right audience at the right time.
Crisis management in a divided world
When a brand takes a stand on social media or on any political issue then it can be a two-sided sword for them. While some consumers expect brands to speak up, others may hate it for the same, making it tricky for the brand to make a decision. PR professionals guide these brands to make conscious decisions and navigate them on how to handle such negative circumstances.
The future of public relations and brands is filled with challenges but with challenges comes opportunities. Brands are willing to adopt, innovate, and engage with their audience to thrive in the market. For PR professionals it’s important to stay ahead of the curve, leveraging new technologies, while staying true to the core principles of trust, authenticity, and relationship building. By doing so, they help brands navigate in this rapidly changing environment and achieve success.
The article has been authored by Adgcraft Communication founder & MD Abhinay Kumar Singh.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
