The managing director of a Birmingham PR agency has been elected president of one of the sector's biggest trade bodies.
Jason MacKenzie from Liquid has won the vote to lead the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) nationally in 2017.
The CIPR has more than 10,000 members involved in all aspects of PR and is believed to be largest body of its type in Europe.
Mr MacKenzie, who is a fellow of the institute and a chartered public relations practitioner, is a board director, member of the national council and chairman of the CIPR professional practices committee.
He is also a visiting lecturer at Birmingham City University.
Mr MacKenzie said: "I have been a PR and marketing consultant for two decades and have seen dramatic changes during that time.
"The PR industry has become increasingly professional and is now recognised as a discipline that must be considered at board level.
"I want to ensure professionalism remains at the heart of our agenda and the CIPR delivers value to members and engages meaningfully with all of its stakeholders.
"Becoming president-elect in 2016 and president in 2017 will require drive, energy and commitment - and I am looking forward to delivering results."
He added: "Having worked in the regions, I know how London-centric professional institutes can become.
"I want to ensure that the CIPR is as relevant to someone who lives hundreds of miles from London as it is to professionals living and working in the capital."
