From Sweden to Mumbai: My first ICCO Summit experience

Earlier this year, my colleague Walter Westerlund and I won the ICCO NextGen PR World Cup 2025. That alone was incredible. But what came next was even greater: the chance to travel to Mumbai and present our idea at the ICCO Global Summit – surrounded by industry leaders, innovators, and thinkers from across the world.

Suddenly finding myself halfway across the world, not just attending a global summit but standing on a stage to present our idea to industry giants from more than 30 countries felt surreal. It is one thing to travel privately, but it is something entirely different to be invited somewhere because of your work. That made the whole experience both humbling and unforgettable.

Walking into the first networking reception, I felt everything at once: excitement, curiosity, and a fair amount of nerves. But it didn’t take long before the nerves faded. Everyone we met was incredibly warm, welcoming, and genuinely curious about the Swedish PR landscape – and about us. Those conversations set the tone for the entire summit and made me realise something important: experience matter far less than openness, humility, and passion for the craft.

Learning from the brightest minds in communications

The sessions and panels were like opening a door to the future of our industry. Conversations about AI, the creator economy, geopolitics, cultural intelligence and the shifting nature of trust gave me a completely new perspective on where communication is heading and what the next generation needs to be ready for.

If I had to summaries my biggest takeaways, it would be:

• Content creators shape culture more than brands do. Hearing global leaders talk about it, and realising how quickly influence shifts today, made me rethink how we build ideas from the ground up.
• AI is everywhere, but people still make the biggest impact. The conversations showed that understanding humans, emotions and behaviour is still the heart of everything we do.
• Different perspectives change the entire room. Hearing voices from so many countries made it clear how much stronger our industry becomes when more people, especially young professionals, are included.
• Being young in this industry is actually an advantage. I felt that throughout the summit: curiosity, energy and fresh thinking are not just welcomed – they’re needed.

Even with all the insights and new knowledge, the most valuable part of the ICCO Global Summit was the people. The conversations over coffee, the encouragement from senior leaders, the laughs, the shared reflections, the people and the connections stay with you long after the event ends.

Attending the summit didn’t just inspire me; it made me feel more connected to a global profession than ever before. It showed me that the future of communications will be shaped by collaboration, curiosity, and courage across borders.

And now I’ve definitely got a taste for it.

I truly hope I get the opportunity to join the ICCO Global Summit in Milan next year.

If you ever get the chance – don’t miss it.

See you in Milan 2026. We’re ready.