You may have spotted our Founder and Managing Director, Susie Horgan, on the cover of Business Plus this month. In her interview, Susie explored some of the key shifts shaping communications today — from the rapid rise of Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) and its impact on earned media, to the growing demand for sustainability communications and crisis preparedness. 

Here’s her Q&A with Business Plus: 

What have been your main areas of activity and growth over the past year? What services are most in demand by clients? 

We’ve seen strong growth in sustainability communications, especially with the launch of The Sustainability Decoder, supporting organisations in navigating ESG communication and stakeholder trust. Clients in the Green Transition now represent our second-largest sector. 

Internal communications continue to thrive through The Internal Wire, helping organisations embed employee engagement strategies. 

We’ve expanded our senior team to meet growing demand for strategic reputation management, including crisis preparedness. 

Across the board, clients value our outcome-led approach, which is grounded in experience, not hours. 

How has your work in the past year influenced outcomes and created meaningful change – for your clients, communities and/or the Irish economy? 

Our purpose is to help clients communicate with impact, especially when it matters most. For Age Friendly Ireland, we developed a campaign that helped increase applications to their Healthy Age Friendly Homes programme by 276%, directly supporting older people to live independently for longer. 

Our work with Ørsted continues to advance renewable energy projects and community engagement in Ireland, in a way that’s both clear and respectful. 

We were also proud to work with I Wish on their largest-ever STEM event for young women, helping to drive record attendance and media visibility for a cause that aligns closely with our own values of gender equity and education. 

How would you define the current role of PR and its value in a world full of misinformation and distraction? 

In a world saturated with misinformation and distraction, PR is a stabiliser. It builds trust, fosters relationships, and clarifies purpose. With attention spans short and trust fragile; clear, values-led communication is a competitive advantage. 

How has the influence of generative AI on PR evolved in the past year? How has your agency been using AI and what has the impact been? 

AI has undoubtedly changed the landscape; we see its role as one of support, not substitution. It can speed up research, reporting, and some forms of testing, but it lacks the instinct and empathy that people bring to strategic communication. 

In parallel, we’re seeing how earned media now plays a growing role in Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO). Authentic third-party coverage increasingly shapes how organisations show up in AI-generated content. For clients, this means the quality and credibility of earned placements have never been more important, especially when it comes to how their brand is represented in an AI-driven world. 

When it comes to earned media, what are the trends and challenges in the current landscape and how do you overcome them? 

The appetite for earned media remains strong, but so does the bar for what’s considered newsworthy. Journalists are looking for relevance, substance and clear value for their audiences. Even in business media, human stories matter. Stories that show real people or lived experience often resonate far more than generic announcements. 

Our approach is focused and deliberate: we invest time upfront in story mining, align with the news cycle, and pitch narratives that support both editorial priorities and client objectives. 

Trusted relationships with media, well-briefed spokespeople, and clarity of message are what help us cut through. We don’t chase clippings; we aim to build lasting credibility. 

Can you comment on the trend in relation to the demand for crisis management and your agency’s approach and experience in this area? 

In a fast-moving media environment, where misinformation spreads quickly, having a clear approach to issues and crisis planning is essential. We’re seeing more clients invest in early-stage issue mapping, scenario planning and training, rather than reacting in the moment. 

Our approach is proactive and rooted in building resilience. We work closely with senior leaders and communications teams to ensure they’re equipped to respond with clarity and credibility under pressure. 

A version of this article appeared in Business Plus in August 2025.