If public affairs practitioners hope to be leaders in the corporate world, they must "require a receptive audience in the executive suite" or risk "forever fighting an uphill battle for acceptability," Public Affairs Council senior advisor Fruzsina Harsanyi told those attending the Annual Centre for Corporate Public Affairs Oration in Melbourne.

Harsanyi, who was the keynote speaker at the event, noted that today's companies must operate in a global market that demands the skills, vision and judgment that those in public affairs can provide. 

"The world in which our companies operate demands leaders who have a larger understanding of the relationship between business and society than the all-too-many narrow, bottom-line-focused managers that our business schools are producing and our boards are tolerating," said Harsanyi, who has spent 30 years in public affairs at the highest executive levels internationally, most recently as vice president of global public affairs for Tyco International.

The Centre for Corporate Public Affairs is a membership organization for corporate public affairs and communication practitioners across Australia, New Zealand and Asia. It provides research, professional development programs and events designed to make public affairs a key part of a company.

Harsanyi's speech focused on the importance of public affairs assuming a leadership role in corporations.

"Twenty years ago, I thought public affairs was a pretty useful staff function," Harsanyi said. "Needed by management when something went wrong, sidelined when things seemed to be going right, we were called in to write the explanations after the decision was taken. Our expertise was in understanding the environment in which business operates and connecting to various audiences. Our input, however, was not considered in conjunction with planning often, and often not during execution. We were, however, regularly there for cleanup."

Harsanyi noted that the public affairs discipline continues to face challenges as it strives to take a corporate leadership role - in part because few business management schools require public affairs courses. But today, she said, the public affairs field has distinguished itself as "more than just a staff function" by focusing on reputation management, relations with line management and international public affairs.

"Happily, most of us are no longer just a problem dump," she said. "Many of us have a seat at the table where decisions are made."

As a Council advisor, Harsanyi advises members on domestic and international public affairs challenges. She is a guest speaker and facilitator at Council events, develops print and online publications and is a resource for the Council's growing International Network.

Council members can reach Harsanyi at fharsanyi@pac.org.

View Harsanyi's keynote address at: http://www.accpa.com.au/video.php?x=M00007.