Data-driven PR key to business sustainability in investment banking, experts say

Communication professionals in the financial sector must move beyond intuition and experience and adopt research, analytics and measurable outcomes if they are to protect trust and sustain their businesses.

This was the central message of a webinar on data-driven public relations and business sustainability in investment banks, hosted by Mr Victor Adaha as part of the Pan-Atlantic University (PAU) Project Based Internship (PBI) Programme.

The webinar brought together communications practitioners, academics and students to examine how data can strengthen reputation, investor confidence and long-term performance in investment banking.

Delivering the keynote address, the Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Lagos State Chapter, Dr Samuel Ayetutu described trust as the primary product investment banks sell, and positioned PR as the function responsible for building credibility and confidence.

Dr Ayetutu urged finance communicators to be “intelligent communicators” who base decisions on data rather than intuition.

His presentation rested on three pillars: trust, data as a predictive tool, and the need for data-literate communicators.

Dr Ayetutu defined data-driven PR as public relations guided by facts, analysis, and data to inform strategy, implementation, and evaluation.

He illustrated the risk of acting without evidence and awarned that a single piece of misinformation, or a damaging silence, can erode the reputation, integrity, expertise, and relationships on which financial institutions depend.

Mr Olalekan Otun, Executive Director, Minds & Brains Media & Events Ltd, another speaker, outlined five ways data-driven PR supports sustainability in investment banks: strengthening investor confidence through stakeholder surveys, feedback analysis, and stakeholder mapping to identify concerns about transparency and governance.

Predicting and managing reputational risk through media analytics, monitoring, and early-warning detection of negative conversations. Making communication measurable and accountable by assessing trust, engagement, message comprehension, and reputation trends rather than simple publicity metrics.

Mr Otun added that “Supporting ESG responsibilities with verifiable sustainability performance and guarding against greenwashing.”

He opined that Data PR “Reinforces strategic management and excellence theory by positioning PR as a source of intelligence for organisational decision-making.

He presented the C-STEP framework, a step-by-step approach covering data collection, analysis, insight creation, big ideas, planning, implementation and measurement.

He urged organisations to ask “why” before launching CSR initiatives or campaigns, and to tie every effort to measurable KPIs and business outcomes.

Mr Victor Adaha, the host while responding to questions from participants stressed the importance of working closely with investor relations, call centres, and risk and audit teams to access clean data.

Data PR tools discussed included Google Alerts, social listening, sentiment and predictive analytics, customer complaint and website analytics, and dashboard reporting.

Mr. Victor Adaha identified several barriers to adoption, including poor data quality, organisational resistance and low prioritisation of communications in budgets, privacy and regulatory barriers, and Cost of technology and risk of information overload

Mr Adaha further stressed that, to address these, he recommended building multidisciplinary communications teams that include data analysts and AI professionals, integrating communications analytics into executive decision-making, investing in AI-powered media intelligence and social listening tools, and presenting figures and dashboards alongside narrative

He emphasised that data must be collected and used ethically, with respect for privacy, accuracy and transparency, and that technology complements but cannot replace ethical corporate behaviour.

Academics were encouraged to research links between data-driven communication, reputational capital and financial sustainability, while practitioners were urged to build competencies in research, analytics and AI.

Mr Adaha responded to questions about whether AI and data-driven PR would reduce opportunities for traditional media professionals.

He said: “AI is here to stay and will displace only those who cannot use AI, but should be treated as a tool that assists and structures PR work rather than replaces professionals.”

Discussion also touched on the ethical misuse of AI and the risk of exposing trade secrets, underscoring the need for AI policy, training, and adaptation.

The forum featured Director of Special Education, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr Jide Johnson; Faculty from University of Lagos Mass Communication Department, Dr Rasheed Buhari, and Faculty in Development and Strategic Communication at the University of Abuja, Dr Lateef Odegbenle, among others.

About the PAU Project Based Internship (PBI) Programme
The PBI Programme gives postgraduate students practical, project-based experience by having them plan and deliver real-world initiatives. Victor Adaha, a postgraduate scholar of the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, conducted the webinar as part of his academic programme requirement.