Nitin Mantri, Regional Executive Managing Director for APAC, WE Communications, & Group CEO, Avian WE
Nitin is a dynamic leader in the world of communications. He is the Regional Executive Managing Director for Asia-Pacific, WE Communications, and the Group CEO of Avian WE. He also serves as the Chair of Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA)’s Global Advisory Board and is the Co-Chair of PRCA Asia Pacific.
Notably, Nitin was the first Asian to hold the position of President at the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) from 2019 to 2022. During this time, he significantly contributed to the organisation’s global agenda. Additionally, he held the position of President at the Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) for an impressive five-year term, from 2015 to 2020.
The spirit of entrepreneurship is a fundamental aspect of Nitin’s character. This inner drive prompted a pivotal decision in 2006 when he left behind a thriving career in the UK to lead Avian WE as its CEO and business partner. In 2007, Nitin’s innovative spirit once again inspired him to establish Chase India, specialising in public affairs and government relations, with two co-founders. Today, Chase, an Avian WE associate company, stands as a dominant force in India’s policy sphere.
Nitin’s illustrious career in communications began at Genesis PR (now BCW) following the completion of his MBA from the Birla Institute of Management Technology. Subsequently, he relocated to London, where he held a significant role at Brodeur/Pleon (now Ketchum), a Europe-based public relations and communications consultancy under the Omnicom Group umbrella. There, he oversaw Pleon UK’s operations across the corporate and technology B2B practices.
Nitin is deeply invested in advancing the public relations industry. During his tenure as the PRCAI President, he prioritised enhancing the public perception of the profession in India. When he was the President of ICCO, Nitin made significant progress in making the global PR industry relevant to different markets and potential talent. He currently mentors ICCO’s Global PR Youth Board.
Nitin is actively involved in academia, shaping syllabi at reputable mass communication colleges in India to raise awareness about the public relations profession at its foundational level. He is on the advisory board of The School of Communications and Reputation (SCoRe), an institute dedicated to the development of education and research in reputation management and continues to teach at various institutes, including XIC.
In addition to his educational contributions, Nitin serves on the advisory boards of esteemed organisations such as Giving Tuesday, a global movement promoting generosity, and Bennet University, a philanthropic initiative by The Times Group, a prominent media conglomerate in India.
Nitin was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution Award at PRCA APAC Awards in 2024. He was inducted into the ICCO Hall of Fame for his extensive PR insights, contributions to the advancement of PR, and consistent leadership in 2022. He was recognised with PRovoke News’s Individual Achievement SABRE Award at the Asia-Pacific SABRE Awards in 2021. He received the Global PR Leader of the Year Award at the ICCO Global Awards in 2015.
