IABC EMENA

Name

IABC EMENA

Legal name

International Association of Business Communicators

Website

https://iabcemena.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues for IABC. The organization introduced 'IABC Member Lite' at $115/year (approximately €100). Membership provides access to events, webinars, podcasts, certification programs, awards, and networking opportunities.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from paid events including City Connect meetups (€15), Communication Leadership Summit (€209-241), London Unfiltered (£22.33), and other professional development events. Some events offer free registration for members with paid attendance for non-members.
3. Sponsorship and Partnership: The organization seeks sponsorship to run more quality events at affordable prices. Sponsors gain visibility while supporting the communication profession in the EMENA region.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

IABC EMENA is the Europe, Middle East and North Africa regional arm of the International Association of Business Communicators, operating as a volunteer-led nonprofit professional association for communication professionals. It sells annual membership and delivers a portfolio of in-person events (City Connect Series, Communication Leadership Summit, London Unfiltered), monthly Online Connect webinars, the EMENA Podcast, and the Gold Quill Awards program. Members also gain access to IABC's global CMP and SCMP professional certification pathways and a network of local communities across major EMENA cities.

Product overview

IABC EMENA is a regional professional association serving communication professionals across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Rather than a unified software product, the organization offers a portfolio of member services including events programs (City Connect Series, Communication Leadership Summit, London Unfiltered), online content (EMENA Podcast, IABC EMENA Connect Webinars), awards (Gold Quill Awards), professional development and certification pathways (CMP, SCMP), and a Community Leads program for local engagement. The organization operates as part of the global IABC network and facilitates connection, knowledge sharing, and professional development for its members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IABC Membership (EMENA region) Annual membership program for individual professional communicators in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Provides access to City Connect events, Online Connect webinars, the EMENA Podcast, Gold Quill Awards eligibility, CMP and SCMP certification pathways, and the global IABC network.
• City Connect Series In-person networking and knowledge-sharing events held in cities across the EMENA region, bringing together communication professionals for presentations, panel discussions and networking. Hosted in partnership with local organizations such as BNP Paribas Bank Polska. Free for IABC members; €15 for non-members at Warsaw City Connect.
• Communication Leadership Summit A full-day unconference format event in Brussels for senior communication leaders, featuring participant-driven discussions rather than traditional panels on the future of the profession. Co-facilitated with consulting firm Strategic; held at Full Circle Brussels.
• London Unfiltered An intimate storytelling event where five speakers share five-minute personal stories, creating unfiltered human connection among attendees. Co-hosted with AB (ABcomm), led by Katie Macaulay, and held at venues such as the 53rd-floor Observatory at Wardian London, Canary Wharf.
• EMENA Podcast Audio podcast series featuring conversations with communication professionals on topics including leadership communication, change management, internal communications and storytelling. Distributed via SoundCloud and the IABC EMENA website.
• Online Connect (IABC EMENA Connect Webinars) Monthly 60-minute online webinar sessions featuring conversations with communication experts providing practical and relevant insights on topics such as thought leadership strategy and LinkedIn influence. Free for IABC members.
• Gold Quill Awards (EMENA regional program) Annual awards program recognizing excellence in business communication, with Excellence and Merit distinctions across multiple categories such as internal communications, safety communication, customer relations, corporate social responsibility, and climate change and sustainability communication. EMENA-region winners in 2024 include Aviva Internal Communications Team (UK), A1 Slovenia, Lidl Slovenia and adidas.
• Community Leads Program Local community activation program with volunteer Community Leads in Brussels, Berlin, Warsaw, the Nordics, the Netherlands and Portugal who facilitate regional networking, City Connect events and knowledge sharing. Operates as a precursor to traditional IABC Chapters and SIGs and is the first such flexible community model within IABC globally.

Quantifiable outcome

• 44% increase in members-at-large in the last year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BNP Paribas Bank PolskacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBNP Paribas Bank Polska partners with IABC EMENA to host Warsaw City Connect events. The bank has presented on topics including 'Listening to the Voice of Employees – A Feedback Culture Campaign' and 'How can internal communication support business?' The partnership provides venue, content expertise, and networking opportunities for communication professionals in Warsaw.
• AB (ABcomm)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAB (ABcomm), a communication consultancy led by Katie Macaulay, co-hosts London Unfiltered storytelling events with IABC EMENA. The partnership brings together professional storytelling and networking in a unique event format featuring five speakers sharing personal stories.
• StrategiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic, a communication consulting firm, partners with IABC EMENA for the annual Communication Leadership Summit. Orla Clancy from Strategic co-facilitates the unconference format events designed for senior communication leaders.
• IABC UK & Ireland ChaptercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UK & Ireland Chapter operates as a separate but affiliated chapter under the IABC EMENA regional umbrella. The chapter hosts its own events including Turbocharge flagship conference and collaborates with EMENA on regional activities and events.
• EACD (European Association of Communication Directors)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIABC EMENA collaborates with EACD, hosting joint events such as City Connect in The Hague that brought together members from both organizations for round table discussions.
• Catalyst (IABC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst is IABC's online resource platform providing articles, research, and professional development content for IABC members including EMENA region members.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC): Global trade body for communication measurement and evaluation professionals. Comparable as a specialized membership organization serving communications professionals with events, training, and frameworks.
• International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO): Global industry body for PR and communications consultancy firms, with strong EMENA presence. Comparable as a peer organization serving communications professionals and consultancies through membership, events, and standards.
• European Association of Communication Directors (EACD): European-level association for senior communication leaders and corporate communication directors. Already a partner of IABC EMENA for joint events, making it a directly comparable peer serving a similar EMENA communications audience.
• Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR): UK-based chartered professional body for PR and communications professionals, offering membership, training, events, and credentials. Highly comparable to IABC EMENA's mission of advancing the communications profession in the EMENA region.
• Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA): Industry body for PR, communications, and consulting professionals operating across the UK and internationally. Directly comparable membership, event, awards, and training offerings for communication professionals.
• Global Alliance for Public Relations: International confederation of the world's major PR and communication associations, including IABC. Comparable as a peer umbrella body supporting the communications profession globally and across EMENA.
• Page Society: Invitation-only association for chief communications officers and senior communication leaders. Comparable in mission to elevate corporate communication as a strategic function, with overlapping EMENA-focused senior leadership programming.

Broad incumbents

• International Association of Business Communicators (IABC): Global parent organization of IABC EMENA, headquartered in San Francisco. Operates as a broader umbrella association over the EMENA region, providing shared branding, certification, awards, and platforms.
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA): Largest US-based professional association for PR and communications professionals. While US-centric, it shares the same membership-events-certification model that IABC EMENA operates within EMENA, making it a structurally comparable incumbent.

Emerging players

• Women in Communications & Technology (WCT): Membership organization for communications and technology professionals with networking, events, and awards. Comparable in micro-community format for communication professionals, though focused on a different demographic niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@IABC_EMENA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iabc-emena

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IABC EMENA