The evolving role of communications leadership in 2025

On the 22nd of October 2025, Matthew Stevenson brought together a group of Communications Leaders for our latest roundtable. Together they discussed the realities of comms and leadership in 2025 and beyond.  

This article reveals the key takeaways from the conversation, including: 

• The changing role of communications in businesses
• The impact of technology and AI
• Communications recruitment in 2025

Keep reading to learn more. 

The role of communications in businesses 

A large part of the conversation centred around the evolving role of communications teams in 2025. Thanks to economic pressures and societal factors, the function has gradually evolved over the last 12 months. 

Communications must prove their commerciality 

Every attendee agreed that comms is no longer viewed purely as a reputational function. Over the past year, leaders have increasingly had to prove their value by aligning communication strategies with commercial objectives. 

Whether working in real estate, financial services, or technology, many described being asked to demonstrate how communications contributes to the bottom line. 

“We’ve devised our strategies to show that PR can hit the bottom line too.” 

The shift has also brought comms closer to policy and government relations. Several leaders noted a growing share of their time spent on influencing and lobbying as part of maintaining their company’s “licence to operate”. 

Agility and risk management have become essential 

The pace of political, economic, and social change is making agility a non-negotiable skill for teams. Leaders spoke about balancing long-term brand building with short-term crisis management, with appetite for risk at an all-time low. 

Crisis and reputation management are consuming more time than ever. Communications professionals are increasingly involved with key business decisions. Teams are not just expected to communicate them across the company anymore, but to assess the reputational impact early on. 

That visibility at board level is certainly a positive shift. As one attendee noted, “There are few roles in a business that have as broad a view as comms. We’re joining the dots across the organisation.” 

The impact of technology 

AI dominated the second half of the discussion. The growing use of different tools has played a pivotal role in the transformation of communications in 2025.  

Used well, AI presents the opportunity to speed up research, test messaging, and predict crisis hotspots. However, the tools also present significant issues for comms teams, including serious reputational, ethical, and security challenges. 

New risks created by AI 

While there are clear benefits to implementing AI tools into workflows, there are also numerous challenges that the new technology brings.  

Several leaders shared examples of misinformation or AI-generated complaints already reaching their businesses, forcing teams to rethink crisis monitoring and legal processes. Upskilling was a serious concern for the leaders in the room. 

How AI is reshaping comms teams 

The communications skill set must evolve to be effective in this AI-driven world. Large language models are already influencing public perception. As a result, it’s critical for external communications and PR functions to understand how to shape these narratives responsibly. 

However, the group agreed that training and governance is slower than adoption. Many organisations rolled out AI tools quickly, without setting clear boundaries on what data can safely be shared. 

Communications recruitment in 2025

Another key point highlighted is the evolution of talent strategies. Relationships with agencies are changing, the market is harder for junior team members and senior leaders are under strain.  

Businesses are bringing talent in-house 

Agency relationships sparked one of the most animated discussions of the session. Many leaders are reducing their reliance on agencies and bringing more expertise in-house. 

Agencies are truly valuable to communications teams when they act as true counsellors. But more recently, there have been difficulties with agency business models, high turnover, and a lack of commercial understanding. Several roundtable participants observed that too many are slow to respond, overly focused on media relations, or detached from a client’s day-to-day reality. 

For now, many companies are taking a more modular approach and using niche, specialist partners for different briefs rather than retaining just one agency. 

Developing future comms talent remains a major challenge 

Despite the transition away from agency support, comms teams are now leaner than ever. The hiring that does take place is often at a manager level. With fewer junior roles available and reduced time for training, the leaders in the room expressed concern for those new to the profession. 

This is compounded by the shift to hybrid working, which limits the osmosis learning that’s so crucial in communications, where much is absorbed through conversation and observation. 

There was also debate about how AI might change entry-level pathways. While the tools can automate some traditionally junior tasks, it also frees space for deeper mentorship and more strategic development. As discussed in previous conversations, it’s team leaders’ responsibility to change their approach to training so that junior employees are equipped with the right skills in an AI-driven world. 

Energy and resilience are under strain 

Perhaps the most candid discussion came at the end. Many leaders admitted to feeling drained after years of crisis communications, reduced budgets, and heightened expectations. And as above, this doesn’t seem to be coming to an end anytime soon. 

Yet, there was also pride in the role that effective communications plays in connecting people, building trust and protecting organisations. As one participant summed up:

“We might be exhausted, but we’re more important than ever.”

Final thoughts 

The roundtable made it clear that communications leaders are operating at a crossroads: balancing risk and opportunity, automation and authenticity, commercial value and human connection. 

While the tools and challenges will continue to evolve, the skills that define great communicators - curiosity, clarity, and calm under pressure - remain as vital as ever. 

More communications events coming soon 

We wanted to extend a big thank you to everyone who participated in our latest roundtable event. It was a fantastic opportunity to discuss 2025 communications trends. If you’d like to join us at our next event, keep an eye on our LinkedIn and dedicated events page.