Tales

This May, our CEO Galina Pauncheva represented d:istinkt at the PROI Global Summit 2025, held in the beautiful lakeside town of Stresa, Italy. The event brought together 110 senior agency leaders and entrepreneurs from 78 agencies across more than 50 countries, united by a shared purpose: connecting for growth.

A Summit for Visionaries

Hosted annually, the PROI Global Summit is one of the most influential gatherings in the communications industry. It serves as a hub for collaboration, learning, and strategic dialogue around the future of our work.

This year’s theme “Connecting for Growth” was reflected in every conversation. Key topics included:

• The strategic integration of AI in communications
• How to scale breakthrough campaigns across global markets
• Managing transformation in complex business environments
• The evolving power of collaboration across global teams

Thought leaders such as Mike Santoro (Walker Sands, USA), Debby Penton (Wildfire, UK), and Angela Scaffidi (SenateSHJ, Australia) helped shape a bold and forward-thinking agenda.

Key Highlights and Sessions

Among the most impactful sessions was “The Future Agency” panel, moderated by Paul Holmes of PRovoke Media. The discussion covered:

• Innovation in agency models
• Purpose-driven leadership
• Embracing AI in talent and delivery
• The future of culture in hybrid organizations

Another standout moment was Anna Lecat’s powerful keynote, “Conflict as a Catalyst”, which challenged attendees to reframe tension as a force for creative and cross-cultural growth.

Breakout sessions explored pressing topics such as:

• ESG strategy
• Scaling businesses across new markets
• Real-life leadership lessons from agency founders

Even outside the official agenda, mornings began with “Wisdom Walks” – informal walks and talks by Lake Maggiore with PROI veterans and newcomers, turning shared steps into shared insight.

A Celebration of Partnership

This year also marked a major milestone: 55 years of PROI Worldwide. Since its founding, the network has grown into a force of independent agencies that believe in collaboration over competition. This anniversary was both a celebration of its legacy and a launchpad for its future.

We proudly welcomed new agencies into the network and aligned around a refreshed global vision, led by the PROI Global Board. Together, we are shaping a future driven by partnership, innovation, and purposeful impact.

A Grateful Look Back, and a Forward View

We’re deeply thankful to our Italian colleagues at Sound Public Relations for their exceptional hospitality and organization. Special thanks go to Elisabetta Moroni, Roberto Adriani, and Damir Biuklic for crafting a world-class experience in Stresa.

It was a pleasure to reconnect with respected leaders like Dirk Aarts (Whyte Corporate Affairs, Belgium), Anne Green (G&S Business Communications, USA), and Youssef Eddini (Asda’a BCW, UAE), who continue to set global benchmarks in the field.

Our final thoughts

At d:istinkt, we left inspired - not just by ideas, but by the people behind them. We return to Sofia with a renewed commitment to bring global thinking into our local work and are already looking ahead to the PROI EMEA Summit in Cambridge later this year.

Growth starts with connection. And as part of PROI Worldwide, we are proud to be part of a network that helps us grow smarter, together.