Historic First For British Asian Entrepreneur - Farzana Baduel, Curzon PR CEO awarded Honorary Fellowship of the CIPR - Curzon PR London

Historic First For British Asian Entrepreneur – Farzana Baduel, Curzon PR CEO awarded Honorary Fellowship of the CIPR

Historic First For British Asian Entrepreneur – Farzana Baduel, Curzon PR CEO awarded Honorary Fellowship of the CIPR

In an historic moment, Farzana Baduel, CEO and Co-Founder of Curzon PR, becomes the first ethnic minority and British Asian woman to receive the prestigious Honorary Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).   The CIPR is the world’s only Royal Chartered professional body for public relations professionals, with almost 10,000 members.  The Honorary Fellowship of the CIPR, established in 1967, is a highly esteemed accolade granted by the Board of Directors in recognition of exceptionally outstanding services to the Institute and the development of the public relations profession.

This is the first time in its 56 – years of running the initiative that recognition has been given to an ethnic minority woman. It demonstrates Farzana’s outstanding service to the institute and her significant contribution to the public relations profession.  Farzana joins an elite group of only 54 members to have received this distinction.

The public relations industry employs nearly 100,000 people, adding £16.7bn to the UK economy.  But, a recent report from the CIPR found a lack of diversity was holding back skills and recruitment into the profession.

Expressing her gratitude, Farzana Baduel said, “I am deeply humbled and honoured to receive the Honorary Fellowship of the CIPR. This recognition is not only a personal achievement but also a milestone for diversity and inclusion in our industry. I hope this inspires the next generation of PR professionals, especially those from ethnic minority backgrounds.”

Farzana is an established industry leader and educator. She serves as the  Resident Public Relations expert for the University of Oxford’s Entrepreneurship Centre at Said Business School. She is a  Trustee on the board of the British Asian Trust, dedicated to tackling poverty in South Asia.

Additional recognition and awards include:

  • Chartered PR practitioner with the CIPR.
  • Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Marketing (CIM).
  • Listed in PRWeek UK’s Power Book 2023 for her PR expertise.
  •  PRovoke Media named her in the top 25 PR innovators in EMEA.
  • Businesswoman of the Year, Muslim Awards.
  • Entrepreneur of the Year, Asian Women of Achievement Awards.

Farzana Baduel was awarded alongside other industry stalwarts, including Richard Bailey, Tony Bradley, Paul Mylrea, and Peter Walker.

CIPR President Steve Shepperson-Smith Chart. PR, FCIPR, commented, saying, “I wish to thank and congratulate Farzana, Richard, Tony, Paul, and Peter for their invaluable service and contributions to the CIPR and our industry over many years. I’m delighted this has been recognised with an Honorary Fellowship. Their commitment to and passion for professional practice and to guiding the next generation of practitioners is an inspiration.”