Lions Befrienders head of branding and strategic communications Christopher Daban Daguimol believes the future of PR belongs to brands that stay human in a world flooded with information.
With nearly two decades of experience across Southeast Asia, Daban Daguimol has shaped communications for luxury leaders like Louis Vuitton and Longines, FMCG giants like Unilever and Diageo and one of the region’s most influential ecommerce players, ZALORA. As a PR juror for The Drum Awards Festival he brings a sharp understanding of storytelling, crisis management and the cultural awareness needed to build narratives that last. In his new role at Lions Befrienders, and through his consultancy work, he helps organisations create communication strategies grounded in empathy, relevance and credibility.
“AI will make us faster, not wiser,” he says. It can track conversations in real time and surface early threats, but it cannot replicate lived experience or cultural sensitivity. “AI can alert us to a brewing issue and even draft a template, but emotion and nuance still demand human judgment.” He sees AI as a tool that helps communicators focus on the parts that require discernment, not automation.
Authentic storytelling sits at the centre of his philosophy. Brands cannot control every comment or share, but they can control who they are and how consistently they show up. “A strong narrative is built on shared values,” he says. When a brand understands its audience and the cultural context it operates in, unpredictable channels become opportunities to reinforce identity rather than threats to it.
If he had to choose one PR tactic for 2025, he would choose high-quality, in-depth content. “Consumers are not passive anymore,” he says. They search, scroll, compare and verify. Thoughtful content lets brands own their narrative and meet audiences where they are. “If you do not tell your story, someone else will, and it may not be the version you want.”
He also believes PR’s most overlooked function is relationship building. At its core he says PR is not about press releases but about trust. Communities, policymakers, journalists, employees and advocates all contribute to the stories that shape perception. “The most powerful messages come from relationships built on genuine human connection.”
Looking ahead, he says the next generation of PR leaders will need to be part communicator, part cultural analyst and part ethical guide. They must understand society, read the temperature of conversations and help organisations respond with responsibility and empathy. “They will be the moral compass in rooms where decisions have real impact.”
His current challenge is cutting through the noise. With attention splintered across platforms, brands have to fight harder to keep their stories clear and resilient while facing misinformation at scale.
The Drum Awards Festival celebrates the communicators shaping narratives that matter. Follow jurors like Christopher Daban Daguimol as they define what effective PR looks like in 2025.
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