17.11.2025
Our Director Julia Walton has been speaking to leaders in financial PR to get a sense of the sweeping changes agencies are facing and what it all means for hiring.
The world of financial and corporate PR has always moved quickly, but the pace of change in the past few years has particularly notable. Agencies are facing multiple priorities which often conflict with one another. Trying to keep clients happy, grow their businesses, stay ahead of new trends and still find time to develop their teams is no mean feat.
What’s happening in the market?
Reputation has become a business-critical asset, and everyone has a view on it (investors, employees, regulators, customers, the wider public, etc). At the same time, management consultancies have muscled into the PR world, and traditional agencies are increasingly branching into new areas of work.
The financial landscape hasn’t helped either. With fewer listed companies, shrinking valuations and a long-term decline in results-driven work, agencies are under pressure to rethink who they are and what they offer. The old, siloed model is out; integrated, insight-led advice is very much in.
Traditional media might be smaller, but overall content consumption has grown. Journalists form opinions faster, using more varied sources. Meanwhile, in-house teams are often focused on internal audiences, leaving agencies to scan the full stakeholder picture.
What agencies are prioritising
Across the conversations we’ve had, agencies are broadly aligned on their priorities:
- Offering broader, insight-led perspectives rather than narrow expertise.
- Being prepared for digital crises that can take off in minutes.
- Protecting advocacy, trust and strong relationships — still the foundations of good PR.
- There is a big rise in demand for senior, trusted advisors. Senior individuals are also in demand as we see new business as a key skill agencies are prioritising in hiring decisions
And what does all this mean for staffing?
1. Broader skill sets
Agencies want people who understand reputation in the round – from political and social issues to ESG, crisis, digital and corporate comms. Pure financial results expertise isn’t enough.
2. More strategic thinkers
Clients expect advice that’s rigorous, analytical and joined-up. Curiosity, commercial awareness and the ability to read complex stakeholder landscapes are becoming must-haves.
3. Higher demand for senior advisers
With reputation now a board-level concern, agencies need consultants who can work confidently with senior leadership and offer clear, steady counsel. One side effect: fewer entry-level hires, which may cause mid-level shortages down the line.
4. Less reliance on results work
As results announcements decline, some teams are shrinking or retraining staff to handle more diverse briefs.
5. Integrated teams
Hybrid professionals who can move across financial, corporate, digital and internal comms are in demand. Collaboration is no longer a “nice to have”.
6. Fiercer competition for talent
Management consultancies are attracting senior comms professionals with strong business acumen, which means agencies need to sharpen their career development, flexibility and progression paths to compete.
7. Cultural fit really matters
Because reputation is increasingly tied to behaviour and ethics, agencies are prioritising people with sound judgement and integrity, not just technical flair.
In conclusion
Financial and corporate PR teams are evolving fast. Agencies will need leaner, more multidimensional teams filled with commercially switched-on communicators who can combine financial expertise with broader reputational insight.
If you’d like to talk through any of these trends – or what they mean for your hiring plans – feel free to get in touch.
Article by Julia Walton
