Ian Fernandes, former CEO of Mediamax Networks Limited, has been appointed to the board of Engage BCW, a multi-award winning Kenyan Public Relations and Communication agency.

Ian, who was once the Nation Broadcasting MD and KTN Digital MD, has been appointed to the board as the Executive Director as the PR agency targets its next phase of growth.

The former media boss boasts a 27-year career spanning the media, technology and communication industry and will support Engage’s management team with driving growth.

He will also support its transformation, innovation and strategic-thinking to leverage on the massive business opportunities in Kenya and the larger Sub-Saharan region.

“There is now a fine line between PR and advertising, with many brands now realizing that what your consumers say about you, is now more important than what you say about yourself. We have had to relook at established ways, to come up with new solutions to meet client needs,” Ian said.

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He added, “The time has come for public relations and storytelling to reinvent itself with solutions that serve these new requirements.”

Ian launched his career as an ICT consultant at audit company KPMG, before later joining the Standard Group in 1993, as the IT manager.

In a span of four years, he rose through the ranks to be appointed the KTN Managing Director and Standard newspaper Group Technical and Production Director.

During his seven-year tenure as MD at company owned by the Moi family, Ian transformed the station from being under receivership to becoming profitable and Kenya’s leading Tv station.

In 2005, Ian joined Nation Media Group (NMG) as the MD in charge of its Broadcasting Division and in his 9 years at the firm he oversaw the business turnaround of NTV Kenya, launched NTV Uganda and was responsible for the strategy and formulation of NMG’s new Digital Division.

In 2014, he moved to Mediamax as the CEO and served for 5 years, and during this period re-launched People Daily as Africa’s first national free newspaper and relaunched K24 TV.

He media guru also reformed the group’s seven radio stations including Kameme Fm, Milele Fm, Meru Fm, Mayian Fm, Emoo fm and Pilipili Fm to become competitive in their categories.