Media Age PR‘s John Chihi: The Quiet Architect of Uganda’s Modern PR Agencies Industry

From his early media days at Kenya Broadcasting Corporation and Nation Media Group to a career-defining Coca-Cola assignment that brought him to Kampala, Chihi recounts the evolution of PR from a misunderstood support function to a vital pillar of brand strategy. He speaks with candour about launching one of Uganda’s first standalone PR agencies, building trust in a sceptical market, nurturing young talent, navigating government communications, and staying resilient amid rapid technological shifts.

Under his leadership, Media Age PR has grown into one of Uganda’s most respected communications firms, recently earning top honours at the PRAU Excellence Awards 2023—including PR Agency of the Year, Best Overall PR Campaign, and Best Corporate Communications Campaign for its work with clients such as MTN Uganda and the Uganda–South Africa Trade & Investment Summit.

Blending historical context, personal lessons, and forward-looking insights, this interview is both a legacy narrative and a masterclass in strategic communication for anyone interested in storytelling, branding, and the business of influence.

So, let’s take it from the very beginning—how did the idea of getting into PR first take shape for you? I know you started your work in Nairobi, Kenya,  so let’s trace that journey from your early days there. And then maybe we can also explore how the vision to eventually cross over into Uganda came about—especially considering that, at the time (and correct me if I’m wrong), there weren’t many, if any, standalone PR agencies operating in the Ugandan market.

Yeah, and you’re very right. At about that time, there were hardly any standalone PR agencies. So it was interesting for us to come into the market and try to focus on an area that had not been served before, because a lot of the agencies then were focusing on creative and below-the-line.

When we came in, it was a bit difficult to explain how PR was going to fit in the market. But where I stood is—I understood what PR does and what it delivers to the brand in terms of creating a reputation and a credible storyline for products & services.  And because I was coming from a market that was already growing in terms of reputation management and brands telling their stories, I thought it would be good to introduce the same here and see how it goes.

I think the biggest challenge at that time was people understanding what PR really is—and how you could use PR to build your brand and tell compelling stories creatively. Because everybody believed that a PR person is the kind of guy you put at the front office—well-presentable, able to communicate, and perhaps just give you basic information about what the company does.

So yes, it was a very interesting time to introduce storytelling from a brand perspective, use journalists to tell stories, and basically start to explain to the market that they could use PR to build and position their brands, because business is about creating a reputation right from the beginning.

Yes, okay—and just before we get into your time in Uganda, had you already been active in Kenya, or was Uganda your first real area of operation in PR?

Yeah, actually, my background is interesting because I first went into media at a very early stage, while still in school. At Starehe Boys School, we used to get opportunities to go and work in corporate organisations during the holidays, and I had the opportunity to be posted at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC). It was called Voice of Kenya. That’s where we learned how to edit stories and basically prepare them for presenters, as news or as news features. That’s how my interest in media really began.

So I worked quite a bit even before I joined university—I was already working part-time at KBC, where  I became familiar with the media at a very young stage.  At the University of Nairobi, I studied economics, sociology, and philosophy—but I eventually dropped philosophy and focused on sociology and economics. That combination gave me a lot of insights into economics and social behaviour, and this was made even more relevant as I continued working in media. There was a strong understanding of the community, social dynamics, and the economic landscape —not just of the country but of businesses themselves. It helped shape how I engaged with stories and interviews, especially those related to business.

So, it was almost a perfect fit going into media after graduating in 1990. I went straight into the field and worked in various roles. I eventually joined Nation Media Group, where I was part of the team that started The East African, the regional publication that’s still running today. I also worked on the Daily Nation, specifically in the business section. I had the privilege to work closely with renowned media luminaries like Tom Mushindi, Wangethi Mwangi, Joseph Odindo, the late Gerry Laughran, Edmund Kizito, Joakim Buwembo, the late Sam Mukalazi, Abby Mutumba Lule, Gitau Warigi and Mbatau Wangai, amongst others.  

All of that exposed me to brands, corporate networking, and engaging with industry leaders and very knowledgeable businesspeople. That whole experience fed into my later career in public relations, as a media person. Now, transitioning from journalism to PR at that time wasn’t easy. PR was still a very young discipline, and media people were very fixated on the byline—on what you wrote. But I was able to make that shift and started enjoying the work of communicating and telling good business stories.

Because you see, traditionally, in media, a story was only considered good if it was controversial. But in business, there are so many good stories to tell. And at the time, the industry was just beginning to warm up to the idea that brands can—and should—tell their good stories. And that those stories could actually be well-received by the market.

Was there any particular person who inspired the idea of starting your own agency? How exactly did it come about?

Actually, it started when I moved from media to agency work—from the Nation Media Group (NMG). I was headhunted by one colleague who we had worked with in the business section, and he had already crossed over to agency work. At the time, I was very sceptical—I didn’t really know what agencies do, and I was not sure how I was going to fit into that space.

But I had a bit of a background in marketing, and I later pursued a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing just after leaving university.  So when I looked at it again—bringing together the communication skills I had gathered from media, and combining that with branding and storytelling—it started to make sense, especially since companies at the time were very eager to get out there and tell their stories.

So for me, it was actually quite an easy transition—just that it was a bit different from what I had been doing as a journalist.

Okay—and by the time you crossed into Uganda, you were still in your early days as an agency person, basically just starting out. What motivated you to make that move? And more importantly, had you already done some kind of groundwork or interviews across the border, or did you just walk in, like the early-day missionaries?

Yeah, that’s the other interesting bit—because, truly speaking, I had never thought of working outside my country, Kenya. At the time, I was a young man with very good grounding in the things I wanted to do. I had a good job— a very well-paying job—and I could do what I was doing very comfortably.

So when someone started trying to interest me in coming to Uganda, I honestly thought it was a joke. I didn’t take it seriously. Every time the gentleman approached me, I’d brush it off—because he kept saying, “There’s something we need to do in Uganda, and I think you’re the guy to do it.” I kept taking him round and round… until one day, he showed up with an air ticket, put it on my table, and told me, “There’s a meeting in Kampala on Monday—you’ll need to leave on Sunday. Just go for the meeting, see what they want, and then come back.” This gentleman is Koome Mwambia, who was MD of Ogilvy PR and who later opened his own Agency, Red House, in Nairobi.       

So that’s where it all started. Because I’d taken him in circles for a while, I said, “Okay, let me just go and see what they want, and then come back.” I attended the meeting in Kampala. It was about Coca-Cola—they were launching, I think, Always Coke. We had a discussion, and they asked me what could be done in PR. I told them what I thought they could do.

After the meeting, I went back and wrote down my notes and sent them over. I thought that was the end of it. But about a week later, the same guy came back and said, “They liked what you did—and they want you to go back and show them how to do it.”

So I came back to do just that. I thought it would just be for the weekend, which was fine—I wrote them a plan after our meeting and went back to Nairobi. Then came the third bit, which was a bit surprising. They said, “We liked your plans—but now, you have to come back and implement them.”

And that’s how I ended up here. That’s now more than 23 years ago. And yes, I’m still stuck. I’m still here.

At the time, there seemed to be a lot of connections between the players in Kenya and Uganda. I remember around 2006–2007, there was quite a bit of movement and restructuring among agencies—like MCL, Lowe, and the broader McCann setup. A lot was shifting then. So was your move part of or influenced by that wave of changes, or was it a completely separate transaction altogether?

This was actually a totally separate one. When I came, I think what really got me here was an honest discussion I had with Koome, who was running a big agency in Nairobi at the time—Ogilvy Kenya. Yes, Ogilvy PR. They had just started the PR section in Nairobi, and they were handling Coca-Cola. They needed someone to do the work here in Uganda—and that’s how I ended up coming.

The only thing that convinced me to eventually make the move was that I told him, “Look, I have a good job in Nairobi. So unless I’m coming to Kampala to start something new—something I can take ownership of—then it won’t make much sense.” And that’s actually how I ended up starting an agency that was different from the rest.

Oh, okay—so you landed in Uganda, initially just to make a presentation, and then eventually decided to stay. Now, knowing what you know today and having witnessed the evolution of the communications agency space—especially PR—what would you say the landscape was like back then? Looking back, with the perspective you had from Nairobi, how would you describe the state of the PR industry in Uganda at that time?

Today, it’s probably like night and day—because, as I said earlier, when I first came here, there was hardly any serious PR happening. PR was seen as something totally different from what it is today. A PR person was basically the one sent to receive guests, take them around—that kind of thing.

So it was really a challenge to talk to companies and convince them that PR is something entirely different from what they were thinking. It’s actually a management function—one that can help grow your brand and tell your company’s story in a convincing way to customers and other stakeholders.

It took a lot of effort to get that message across. There was a lot of education we had to do—basic, basic information we had to provide. Things like: “How does this work?” “Who tells the story?” Some people would say, “We don’t trust the media because they only write bad things—they like sensationalism.” So we had many hurdles to overcome.

On the positive side, as you mentioned, there were regional brands that were already strong and understood PR quite well. I remember one of the first brands I served when I had just arrived was Hima Cement, which was part of Bamburi Cement. I happened to meet the MD at the time—Mbuvi Ngunze —moving around town. He asked me, “What are you doing here?” And I told him, “I’ve just come in and I’m doing PR for an agency.” And he said, “We’re actually trying to do something, but we haven’t found someone good to handle it.” That’s how I got Hima Cement as a client.

And many others followed after that.

The regional brands were excited to start the journey of storytelling and brand positioning. They were keen on building good relationships with stakeholders—including the media—so it was easier to work with them, and to help them showcase what they were doing. And that, I believe, is what started to sell PR as a discipline in Uganda.

So yes, where we are today compared to back then—it’s almost like night and day.

And from a media perspective—considering that, in PR, one of your biggest stakeholders is the media—how was it back then in terms of their understanding and appreciation of PR? And how has that evolved over time?

The media—yes. When I first came in, it was just like in any other traditional market. The editorial was completely separate from the other arms of the media. It was very independent. Editors would decide what they believed was a good story, and they had the discretion to publish it—or not.

What helped us a lot at that time was the fact that we understood the media. Having worked in media myself, we knew how to put information together in a way that told a good story. We understood that, yes, the media wanted to carry business stories—but those stories had to be properly packaged. Storytelling was key, especially since the media environment then was still very traditional. They had a specific way of structuring information for their audiences.

What has happened since then is a complete revolution—and this has been largely driven by technology. And it’s a good thing, because we are now dealing with an entirely different kind of stakeholder—both in terms of how they understand and consume information, and in terms of what they expect. They’re very particular about the kind of content they want.

For the younger generation, for example, things like attention span become very important when you’re thinking about how to communicate with them. So yes, I’d say the media is one of those disciplines that has been totally disrupted by technology and innovation.

And while that disruption is, in many ways, a good thing, it can also be very challenging if your business is not flexible enough to adapt to those changes.

And then let’s also look at it from the client’s side—particularly in two areas. First, there’s the issue of clients initially not fully appreciating the role of PR. But even when they do, there’s the bigger question: do they truly value the strategic contribution that agencies bring to the table as trusted advisors? From your perspective, how has that evolved over time?

And secondly, from a commercial perspective, how has that appreciation (or lack of it) translated into what clients are actually willing to pay for? Are we seeing improvements in retainers and margins? Or has it turned into a bit of a game of hide and seek?

Yeah, that’s an interesting question. I think, by and large, because of the disruption—and the speed at which technology is evolving, especially with mobile phones and access to information—it’s now very obvious that communication is absolutely key to any business.

How corporates accommodate that, though—that’s where the differences lie. Technology tends to reward early adopters. Those who take advantage of what it offers are clearly ahead when it comes to engaging stakeholders, reaching customers, getting feedback on products and services, and so on.

So, from where we started to where we are now, there’s definitely been a shift—perhaps even a quantum leap—in how the market understands the value of PR services.

The challenge now, I’d say, is more about scale. It’s about the number of clients who not only understand what PR can offer, but who are also willing—and able—to invest in it. In my view, that’s partly because the market is still very small. The number of corporates that can actually pay a competitive rate for professional services is equally small. 

What ends up happening is that we all compete over a cake that isn’t growing fast enough—and we just keep slicing it into smaller and smaller pieces. That’s not healthy for the market, because it limits growth. There’s no real pipeline—no tiers of clients developing below—who can gradually move up and expand the ecosystem.

That will remain a problem until the economy itself grows and stabilises enough to absorb more communication services, allowing for a bigger corporate cake. One big opportunity area is the government. Because of its very nature, everything in government needs to be understood. So there’s huge growth potential there.

But the issue is—the government is slow. Everywhere in the world, governments tend to be slow in adopting change, especially when it comes to communication. And traditionally, in Africa, governments have also been very secretive about what they do.

If that mindset shifts, and government opens up to more structured communication, then it can create a whole new layer of business—one that could help grow the PR and communications sector significantly.

I remember you mentioned being headhunted from the newsroom—and interestingly, about 10 years later, some of us also got picked the same way. Even today, it still seems to be the norm: PR agencies—and even clients—continue to poach talent from newsrooms. From your experience, what does that say about the current talent pool? Are universities equipping students with the kind of market-relevant skills the industry needs, or is there a gap that still needs to be addressed?

Yeah, that’s a big problem—talent. Getting the right kind of talent is still a huge challenge. There are certain areas that remain totally underserved—like strategy, public affairs, stakeholder management and engagement. Yet these are critical functions when it comes to delivering real value to brands and businesses.

Because at the end of the day, businesses exist to make profit—and that profit only happens when people know about you, trust what you do, and believe in your value. PR plays a key role in building that trust. If your customers speak well of you, if your stakeholders have confidence in you, then your brand is likely to keep growing.

But without skilled people to guide you on strategy—people who can conceptualise meaningful, market-relevant plans to position your brand effectively—you’re going to struggle. And one of the biggest gaps right now is in crisis communication. Every business, no matter how stable, is always dealing with some level of underlying crisis. If you don’t have people who understand how to manage and respond to that, it becomes a serious vulnerability.

The issue is, we’re not seeing enough young professionals coming through the ranks with that kind of depth. And that’s worrying—because if we’re struggling now, at a time when the industry hasn’t even reached full maturity, it makes you wonder what the future holds. Maintaining a strong talent pipeline is already hard enough with what we have.

A big part of the problem is also the kind of training young people are receiving, from school through to tertiary institutions and universities. Many are still being taught the old, theoretical style of communication and business training, which is not very practical or aligned with market realities today. That needs to change.

We need a shift towards teaching students things that are actually happening in the market. There’s no value in spending three years on campus studying theories if, after graduation, you can’t apply any of it to real businesses. We need more focus on strategic design, critical thinking, and market-driven approaches—skills that brands truly need.

So yes, like you said, that’s why we still find ourselves going back to the newsroom for talent. Legacy media is slowly fading, but traditional media skills are still very relevant—and journalists are often easier to transition into the new media landscape. They remain some of the most useful resources you can pick and integrate into agency work almost immediately.

You’ve already pointed out some of the key challenges—especially around end users not fully understanding what PR or reputation management really entails, and the rise of unqualified people out there claiming to do PR. This blurs the lines and undermines the profession. As one of the industry leaders, do you think enough is being done to address these challenges? Are the associations and key players doing their part to safeguard the credibility and future of the profession? Or is there still more that needs to be done—perhaps in terms of collaboration, setting industry standards, or driving collective action? What’s your take?

 I think there’s something being done, but honestly, it’s not enough—and it’s not moving fast enough. One of the big challenges we face as agencies is that people don’t understand that we actually run real businesses—just like our clients do. We face the same business pressures: overheads, operations, staffing, and profitability. That’s on top of the actual work we do for clients.

It’s important to differentiate those two layers. But many people still think of John Chihi as the guy who must attend every press briefing, every client call, every last-minute request—and that’s because we still lack enough well-trained professionals that clients can trust and rely on. Until we fix that talent pipeline, it’s going to remain a major issue.

Then there’s the bigger question of industry growth—and that goes beyond just the agencies. We need wider stakeholder involvement: policymakers, regulators, and especially the government. If government itself isn’t fully sold on the value of communication—PR, storytelling, transparency, and leveraging both new and legacy media—then we’ll keep hitting a wall.

Policy support is essential. For example, there should be government policies that stipulate certain standards for communication—who qualifies to deliver it, how it should be executed, and how strategy, planning, and evaluation should be handled. If those policies aren’t in place, or if communication is being handled by people without the proper training, the whole system is weakened.

That leads to another challenge—who supervises the agencies? Often, there are instances where the person supervising us on the client side doesn’t have the right skill set, and that creates a disconnect. If they don’t understand the depth of what we do—strategy, stakeholder engagement, crisis comms, public affairs—then there’s always going to be tension. We need mutual understanding and respect on both sides.

The big corporations have gotten this right. You’ll see them working seamlessly with agencies, and the results speak for themselves. But the biggest market—government—is still far behind. In any country, government is the single largest consumer of communication, and unless we bring them on board—not just as clients, but also as partners in policy and capacity building—we’ll struggle to grow the industry.

Training and skilling must be integrated across all levels of the education system. That’s the only way to build a pipeline that’s ready for the demands of modern communication and PR.

I was recently speaking to a client who said one of the challenges they face with agencies is that many claim to do everything—be all things at once—but often end up messing up certain elements along the way. Now, as a standalone PR agency, I imagine that from time to time you’ve had to collaborate with other agencies—maybe a 360-degree agency that handles ATL or digital, while you’re brought in for PR, or vice versa.

How has that collaboration experience been for you over the years—especially when you’re working with people who are, in many cases, also your potential competitors? How has that evolved over time, and what has been the general industry experience when it comes to these partnerships?

And if you were to frame that as advice—because where I come from, they say when you’re eating with someone who might harm you, you use a long spoon—how would you advise agency leaders to approach collaborations with caution but also with openness?

 From where I sit, collaboration is inevitable—and perhaps the way we structured ourselves from the beginning makes even more sense today. Over time, companies have come to realise that no single agency can do everything exceptionally well. There are agencies that are brilliant at creative, others that excel in digital, media buying, BTL, and so on.

Traditionally, agencies would position themselves as 360-degree providers—a one-stop shop for all communication services. But today, clients—especially the more experienced and structured ones—understand that this model doesn’t necessarily offer the best value across the board. As a result, many now actively encourage collaboration among specialised agencies. I think that’s a very positive shift for the industry.

What this shift is producing is a rise in specialist agencies—those who go deep in one domain rather than trying to cover everything. In our case, we specialise in PR, and we make that very clear. We’re not trying to offer creative or related services for clients. Of course, we understand those spaces, and that understanding helps us integrate more effectively when needed, but our value is in being excellent at PR. Of course, because we are custodians of content and are very adept at content creation, we are naturally gravitating towards Digital Communication and Strategy.       

From a market perspective, this can still be challenging. Big agencies will often try to convince clients they can offer everything, including PR. But what usually happens is they focus most of their investment on the one area that brings them the most revenue—say, creative—so they hire the best talent in that area, and PR ends up being a bolt-on, under-resourced. That creates an opportunity for agencies like ours, which are built around PR as a core.

Interestingly, we’re now seeing lawyers venturing into areas like public affairs, stakeholder engagement, and reputation management—all of which fall under the PR umbrella. They’re able to do this because they’ve earned client trust in one domain and are now expanding. And that’s okay, but I believe it’s also a call to us, as communicators, to assert our expertise in these areas. If a client needs legal insight, let the lawyer focus on that. But when it comes to communication—especially in sensitive, strategic matters—pair that lawyer with a solid communicator. That’s when you get the best results.

So yes, collaboration is here to stay, and it can be very productive if managed well. But like any partnership, it needs the right fit. Agencies must be intentional about making collaboration work—because at the end of the day, we are still competitors. That tension will always exist. The trick is to keep the client’s needs at the centre and ensure each party brings their best to the table.

In light of all the challenges we’ve discussed—but also considering the rapid changes shaping the communications landscape, such as advances in technology, the rise of AI, the growth of influencer culture, and the increasing reliance on data—where do you see the PR and communications industry heading? And if someone wanted to invest in the future, whether in terms of skills or capital, what areas or competencies do you think are becoming most critical for the next generation of communicators?

Technology has become a real game-changer—especially for communication. Yes, it has disrupted traditional media, but it has also opened up incredible opportunities. Today, anyone can be a publisher. All you need is skill, clarity of focus, and a commitment to continuously improve. We’ve seen this clearly with influencers, digital amplifiers, and content creators—entirely new spaces have emerged, and they’re all contributing to how stories are told, how stakeholders are engaged, and how brands connect with audiences.

So, in many ways, the opportunities for communicators today are almost limitless. The real challenge now is: how do you bring all this together? How do you bring together the right mix of skilled people, build the right platforms, and deliver value to your clients in a way that is agile, scalable, and effective? That’s where the industry is heading.

You also need to constantly scan the horizon. Things are changing so fast that what’s relevant today may be outdated tomorrow. So it’s about staying curious, staying sharp, and being willing to push the boundaries in new areas.

It’s an exciting time—but also a bit scary. Because you could be at the top today, and tomorrow, you’re irrelevant. That’s the kind of disruption we’re dealing with. But for those in PR and communication who can embrace this shift, especially through content creation and digital storytelling, I believe there’s a significant role to play—and many new paths to explore.

Earlier, we touched on the issue of talent—skills, training, and the readiness of people entering the industry. But there’s another emerging challenge I’ve observed: attitudes and work ethic, especially with the entry of Gen Z into the workforce. You’ve been in the industry for over two decades, and I imagine more than 100 people have passed through your hands—many of whom are now spread across the industry.

As someone who has seen multiple cohorts come and go, how would you describe the shift every five years or so? What has your experience been like managing different generations—especially Gen Z—in terms of expectations, work ethic, motivation, and actually getting them to deliver?

It’s a very interesting phase we’re in, because everything is changing so rapidly—including the people side of the business. And in a business like ours, where human resources is the most critical input, if you don’t evolve with the times, especially how you manage and engage your people, then you’re going to face serious challenges.

Take Gen Z, for instance—they work and see the world very differently. Their expectations around work, flexibility, purpose, and even communication are completely different from what we were used to. So the real challenge, especially for people like us who were brought up in a very traditional 7-to-5 work culture, is to shift that mindset. COVID really accelerated this shift—it made people realise that remote work is possible, even productive. And for a field like communications, remote or hybrid models can actually work quite well.

We now need to focus more on performance and delivery, rather than presence or clocking hours. And naturally, that also means that employment contracts and performance expectations will have to evolve—they’ll become more results-oriented than time-based.

That said, managing all of this—remote work, shifting work cultures, changing contracts, evolving expectations—it’s a lot. As an agency, there’s already so much we have to manage just to stay afloat and remain competitive. So when clients make decisions about outsourcing versus in-house, or when they evaluate agency performance, they also need to consider these shifting dynamics. Some companies still think they can do everything internally, but I’m a strong believer that businesses should focus on their core business—and let professionals handle communication.

That’s what we bring to the table—deep understanding of strategy, expertise in storytelling and content creation, stakeholder engagement, and brand building. And it’s something we should be allowed to do well, without the added burden of trying to fit into old boxes that don’t serve today’s realities.

As we start to wind down, looking back at your journey over the last 20 years—having worked with so many clients, contributed to meaningful change, won awards, and helped shape the industry—what are two or three moments or achievements that you personally take the most pride in? Especially when you reflect on what you set out to do when you first came to Uganda, what stands out as your legacy? And perhaps, when that day comes and you’ve retired to the Bahamas, what would you love to be remembered for?

For me, the first and most obvious point of pride is the young talent we’ve nurtured over the years. It gives me immense pleasure to see so many young people who passed through our ranks now doing fantastic things in the companies they’ve joined. Some of them have gone on to lead departments and teams, others are excelling in agencies or client-side roles. I always tell them—it’s the small things that matter. If the small things are done right and consistently, they eventually result in big, successful outcomes. I believe that mindset stuck with many of them, and for me, that’s the real foundation of a strong industry. You build a sector by growing the calibre and quality of people at the lower levels—those are the future leaders.

The second thing I’d mention is the work itself—the kind of success and value we’ve left behind with the brands we’ve worked with. Yes, companies tend to move fast; they evolve, teams change, priorities shift. But the impact of the work doesn’t disappear. The legacy of a well-positioned brand, a successfully managed crisis, or a memorable campaign—it lingers. People may move on, but the work remains. That’s incredibly fulfilling.

And when I look back over the last 20 years, I’m honestly amazed at the amount of work we’ve done. It’s almost overwhelming. You and I have worked together for a long time, and I can tell you—I can’t even showcase half of the work we’ve delivered. And yet, it’s all fantastic work. Sometimes you have to pause and appreciate that depth of contribution—across sectors, issues, and brands.

One of the unique things about being in PR is that you end up knowing a little bit about everything—across industries, across subject matter, across challenges. The amount of knowledge you pick up along the way, and how it allows you to help businesses grow or reposition themselves, is something I deeply treasure. It’s one of those professions where your value compounds with time, and you become more useful the longer you do it.

So, yes, for me, the legacy is in the people, the brands, the work, and the knowledge we’ve gathered and shared. And I still find it satisfying. I still wake up excited to do this work. I know at some point I’ll have to slow down, but for now, I’m grateful that I can still keep going—and keep contributing.

Alright, and maybe finally, doing business in Uganda is a game of thrones in its own right, and even more so when you’re starting from scratch. You’ve fought battles—some public, many private—and not all can be spoken about. Yet, I imagine both the struggles and the wins have left you with deep, lasting lessons.

So if you were to write a book today about running a PR agency in Uganda—especially for the benefit of someone out there, maybe a journalist thinking of crossing over, or a young entrepreneur who’s just launched their own agency—what are some of the toughest, most valuable lessons you’ve learned that you would gladly offer them for free as they navigate those difficult early years?

Yeah, the first one is the old adage—hard work pays. At the end of the day, there’s absolutely no shortcut for it. You’ve got to put in the hours, the commitment, and the consistency.

Secondly, our business is fundamentally about integrity. Without integrity, you’re going nowhere. Integrity is the currency of communication—honesty, truthfulness, and being known for doing what is right. If people can’t trust you, they won’t let you tell their stories.

The third one is passion. Most people start with passion, and that’s great. But passion alone isn’t enough. It’s when everything else aligns—your hard work, your values, your perseverance—that passion truly comes alive. If I had taken shortcuts or had a different experience in key areas and didn’t invest the necessary effort, my passion wouldn’t be where it is today.

You have to deliberately work at it—to ensure that what you love grows stronger and better than you ever imagined. That’s how people end up in places that seem tailor-made for them—it’s not just luck, it’s because they’ve put in the work to let their passion lead. And once you’ve done that, you can look back and say, Yes, I’ve done my bit.

Alright, I think that’s it from my side—unless there’s anything you feel we might have missed? Any final thoughts or reflections you’d like to highlight or leave us with?

I think we’ve touched on most of the important areas of the business. But if there’s one thing I always emphasise, it’s this—communication, and PR in particular, offers limitless opportunities. That’s a fact. If I were to give advice to anyone exploring their career path—regardless of the profession—I’d strongly recommend getting some grounding in communication.

It’s a skill that enhances everything else you do. If you’re a doctor with strong communication skills, you become a better doctor. If you’re a lawyer, you become a more persuasive advocate. If you’re in sales, communication is the edge that sets you apart.

So, it’s not just about being articulate or speaking well. It’s about investing in the craft of communication—getting trained, understanding audiences, and being intentional. Because in any profession, the ability to communicate well multiplies your impact.