…As McMedal hails strategic Media Relations efforts of JBN
Amidst the clinking of glasses and backslapping among media professionals in Lagos and Abuja, the Director, Corporate Development of leading conglomerate, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, Jochen Stolle has underscored the need for journalists and media relations practitioners to foster strong relationship even as he declared that the company is a fully-owned Nigerian company.
This is coming just as the President of Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Dr. Ike Keliaku and the President of PR outfit, Upticomm Marketing Company Ltd; Segun McMedal could not agree less.
In his welcome address to the august gatherings held first in Lagos and next Abuja, Stolle described the gatherings as not only unique but historic in many ways.
He said, apart from being the first Media Parley being held since he assumed office as the Director, Corporate Development with direct authority over the Media Relations Office and Corporate Communications Department in the company, it is the first to be organised by Julius Berger‘s new Media Relations Manager, Emmanuel Isibor.
Beyond all that, it is the first time I am getting to meet you all, our dear media partners. But it will certainly not be the last. It marks a season of new and refreshing beginnings. And let me add that this also is the first time our new Head, Corporate Communications, James Agama is getting to meet you all, Stolle added.
Describing the Lagos and Abuja parleys as annual rally to share under an atmosphere of laughter, backslapping and deeper friendship, the Director said, they are indeed refreshing moments for all.
Putting the structure of the company in its right perspective, Stolle said, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc is a fully owned Nigerian company that has contributed immensely to critical infrastructural development in the country. We are listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. We are here to stay and we will continue to contribute our quota to the development of infrastructure in Nigeria”.
According to him, the company is proud to be associated with positive infrastructural development in Nigeria and will continue to adhere strictly to it’s core values of “excellence, responsibility, collaboration and courage”
Continuing, Stolle charged that, as we build on this refreshing partnership journey together, it is my wish that we grow and nurture it into a mutually beneficial long term partnership built on the solid foundation of true friendship and trust. There is no gainsaying the fact that partnership for development has always been the hallmark of all we do at Julius Berger.
He added that, we partner for progress, collaboration, excellence, responsibility and courage. These are the strong pillars around which all we do revolve. That Julius Berger has been operating in Nigeria for over 50 years now, and successfully too, lend sound credence to the foregoing.
Stolle said further that, as a professional Nigerian engineering construction company of immense positive reputation, Julius Berger has been acclaimed for its contributions to the development of critical national infrastructures across the country. The same applies to building for some private concerns like, the famous FAMFA Tower and the up and fast coming Lagos Hyatt Hotel.
Concluding, the Julius Berger Director retorted: we remain a Nigerian company, ever proud to associate with positive infrastructural developments in the country and ever ready to contribute our utmost professional best to further the goals of our founding fathers.
In his exhortation, the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku described Julius Berger as one company that has full confidence in the Nigerian economy.
In his short presentation titled Fostering rewarding relationship between the media and corporate media relations professionals, Neliaku said, since coming into Nigeria in 1965 to handle the first construction contract, the Eko Bridge, Julius Berger has continued to integrate itself into the Nigerian economy to the extent that it is now a fully owned Nigerian company even as he commended the company for maintaining compliance with the Nigerian laws including, specified academic requirements by professional bodies in the country like the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations.
He lauded the company for maintaining its reputation in the Nigerian built environment and construction sector. He said “Julius Berger has a culture of excellence. They invest in growing successive generation of qualified professionals.
Reputation is the biggest asset of any individual or organization. Julius Berger is known for quality, excellence and global standards”.
Neliaku praised the innovative media parley and congratulated Julius Berger Nigeria Plc for cultivating the Nigerian media by establishing such a robust tradition of friendship.
Speaking at the Lagos event which held at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, a PR expert and member of the Governing Council of the NIPR, Segun McMedal hailed the media parley as a welcome development adding; in a vibrant media landscape where competition, misinformation and public trust converge, collaboration between journalists and media relations practitioners is not only essential for mutual success but also for the greater good of society.
Stressing that the media is a powerful tool for shaping public discourse, fortering accountability and influencing societal behaviour, Mcmedal enthused that the media also connects nations, elevates brand visibility and drives organisational growth.
On media relations specifically, the PR expect said, media relations aims to establish mutually beneficial relations between an organisation and the media, adding that, in today’s competitive marketplace, having good media relations can help a company succeed. He therefore urged Julius Berger to continue to grow its annual media parley efforts to further the gains of the interactions.
