Prema Sagar – A Woman who gave new vision and direction to PR Industry 

The Public Relations Industry comprises 70% of women professionals; with a number of PR firms having women as the CEOs and the Owners. On this special occasion of women’s day, let’s talk about the woman who brought revolutionary changes and advancements in the PR Industry and led it in a new direction. Prema Sagar, Chairperson, BCW India Group, has given a new face to this Industry. Let’s deep dive into her successful Journey from starting a printing press to being the Founder of Genesis, world’s leading PR firm, Prema has come a long way.

Prema and her brother used to take printing assignments from various clients, when one of her clients was The Park Hotel, where she met the owner of the hotel, Priya Paul who asked her to work on the public relations of  Park Hotel, after which they started working together for the events of the hotel and gradually, she started enjoying the work of PR and to learn and know more about the same, she went to Frank Jefkins Institute of Public Relations in London and on coming back she set up Genesis PR in 1992.

When Genesis foundation was led, it was the time India had witnessed revolutionary economic reforms, businesses and trade had opened up, while companies from other countries also started bringing in the concept of Public Relations. Prema started the company with three clients and five people, and over the years the company was expanded to three big cities named Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata. In 2005-06 Genesis became part of Burson-Marsteller and became Genesis Burson-Marsteller, subsequently Genesis BCW in 2018.

GenesisBCW is one of the first firms in the industry, and the first one to develop proprietary tools for reputation management, first to create service quality measurement and has also become the firm first to develop one of its kind Live! Newsroom.

Lot of effort and hard work was invested in those 30 years and as a result of continuous struggle and achievements, Genesis has become what it is today. From installing advisory boards in 2002 to launching management trainee programs in 2004 to introducing proprietary tools for reputation management, it has networks across South Asia including six wholly-owned offices in key Indian Metros, to having footprints in 200 other countries including Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar.

Prema Sagar has continuously pushed the boundaries of PR Industry to a great extent and by her curiosity, creativity and vision she made GenesisBCW world’s largest PR firm.

– Chhavi Mittal

Chhavi is a student of School Of COmmunications and REputations (SCoRe) – Class of 2022 – Spring Batch. She is from Jaipur. She has done her bachelors from Manipal University Jaipur. She can be reached on Twitter as  @chhavimittal15 and on LinkedIn as Chhavi Mittal