Ahead of the upcoming Snaga Komunikacije conference, in collaboration with the Woman.Comm Club, we bring you an interview with Katja Fašnik, one of the world’s leading experts in crisis communication and the Executive Director of Key7 Communications & Cyber Security.
Internationally recognized for her work at the intersection of crisis communication, reputation management, and cybersecurity, Katja advises governments, corporations, and key infrastructure systems where trust is most fragile. As the leader of a global team of over 30 experts, she reshapes how institutions communicate in times of crisis, strengthening resilience through the integration of digital security and strategic public messaging. She is currently completing her PhD on communication in nuclear crises and has further enhanced her extensive expertise at prestigious institutions such as Oxford and Leiden.
How would you describe the current state of the communications industry in the region, and what are the biggest changes you’ve noticed in recent years?
Modern times are somehow breaking down the long-standing standards of our industry. The most awarded and prominent communicators used to be those who brought the most budgets to the media, usually coming from agencies that, playing both saviors and troublemakers, placed their own people in companies who blindly followed their interests. Somehow, forgive me, those who gave the most to the media and major agencies were proclaimed the best. Then the established standards began to erode because awarded progress must be proven, especially in risky and unpredictable times. Boutique PR has become quite ineffective, sometimes even harmful. That’s why more serious companies and societies have begun hiring communicators or consultants based on competitiveness, not just shared media interests. Risky times intensify the need for highly efficient, well-trained, and exemplary communicators. They deliver results and benefits of impressive scale.
It seems to me that recently, women have strengthened their reputation and contribution within the communications industry. We’ve managed to highlight how good we are at our profession, how much faster, smarter, braver, more advanced, and more elegant we are, how many good ideas we have, and how strong and persistent we are in achieving goals. We are indestructible and unyielding.
On the other hand, the biggest change lies in the consequences of inadequate communication. Ten or twenty years ago, you could make a mistake without measuring damage in stock price drops or reputation loss. Today, a single false statement, corporate activism, or someone exposing your private habits can destroy you overnight. Just in the past year, I’ve noticed a rise in unethical blackmail and attacks on company employees through fabricated comments that unfairly damage their integrity and family peace, sometimes just because an employee, for example, who is a drug addict, was denied emergency leave.
Which communication trends do you consider key for the future – what will shape the industry in the next 5 to 10 years?
The ability to adapt to change that comes slowly but inevitably. Today we work for quantity, to flash, to appear, to publish daily content, to be constantly online, as if that defines excellence. Eventually, servers won’t be able to handle this behavior, and AI has already done its part. Electricity costs will keep rising, and the masters of communication will be those who achieve the most with the least “energy and words.” Those who can deliver purposefully what’s expected, without bombardment across all channels and endlessly repetitive content. Naturally, cybersecurity cannot be ignored. It will be the biggest risk and challenge ahead, alongside artificial intelligence, energy, and communicators’ mental health.
How is the communications industry today dealing with challenges of trust and authenticity, and how can we overcome them?
People have completely lost trust in media and public relations. That’s why a new type of media is emerging, where trust will be based on the audience following those they believe in or find relevant. More important than traditional, pre-edited TV or radio segments will be the opinions of individuals that society accepts as moral authorities in their industries.
Many colleagues confide in me that they feel hurt or looked down upon, even socially punished, for example, accused of selling out to “pharma mafias” just because they represent pharmaceutical companies. I’ve had different experiences. When people see me, they usually ask what’s wrong and what’s happening haha, but I take it as a compliment. After all, I’m a crisis communicator, a communicator of critical infrastructure. My work is serious and demanding, and with my skills, I help make people’s lives better when things are going wrong. From this, I conclude that those who will earn the greatest respect and support in our industry are colleagues who are ready to address the toughest, most radical topics – who speak bravely, loudly, and clearly – because that’s how they express trust in information and communicate authentically. Quiet voices and weak messages are dull and ineffective. People want bold, clear communicators, they want decisiveness, stability, and confidence. Everything else they ignore.
On a positive note, there are extraordinary authentic individuals capable of immense energy, professionalism, and enthusiasm, executing strategic, highly educational events, for example. Dunja Ivana Ballon is one such person. With her events and projects, you always know your time will be well spent, she plans and executes them brilliantly with her partners. She recognized the complexity of this industry years ago, found the right people, and built meaningful programs. I’ve attended countless events globally, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen her level. She also makes no compromises when organizing professional competitions. I was a jury member at her BalCannes a few years ago, and even compared to international juries I’ve joined, such as at PRCA, where I chair the Slovenian branch, I’ve never seen such quality, transparency, and evaluation mechanisms. She exemplarily tracks trends and integrates them into projects that deliver key insights for industry leaders, about trends, needs, solutions, and forecasts, providing essential business information. She’s a leader with a strong advantage over others, thankfully channeling her energy into strengthening the profession itself. Thanks to such progressive trendsetters, we have progress and excellence in our region. These are people who, as driving forces, keep our profession alive and competitive. Resilient, goal-oriented, firm, and selective, they lead and set standards.
This gives us opportunities to update our knowledge and skills; how one uses them is an individual choice. I definitely bet on niche and deep specialization within a broad base of knowledge, and I believe Dunja does too. She structures content in ways that make following her a worthwhile investment, you quickly stay up to date with everything essential and useful.
Your keynote topic at the conference is “Why Has Crisis Communication Become Part of Everyday Life?” Why is this topic especially important today, and what do you want the audience to take away from your session?
Simply that solutions exist, that we’re not alone, and that together we can overcome challenges. I want to inspire everyone to strengthen themselves and learn to deal with risks, not just to endure them, but to manage them responsibly and effectively. I want both professionals and the public to hear that it’s time to get organized, educated, and resilient in many areas. Of course, in times of narcissism, egoism, and individualism, it’s hard to achieve this, but I no longer worry about that. My father taught me about natural selection early in my life.
How important are events like Snaga Komunikacije for developing the communications industry and strengthening the professional community?
Not only are they crucial, they’re the only way we can meet, exchange insights, and support each other through sharing successful practices. But what matters most is who the leaders behind these events are, how professional and strategic they truly are. Irena Miličević Vukoja, like Dunja, is a key leader in our region. But if I may add, she’s not only an excellent lecturer and communications director and president of several initiatives, she’s also someone who feels deeply. I remember her sitting next to me while someone told a story about a 12-year-old girl who jumped out of a window after her parents took away her phone. She listened, understood, and felt it.
All that Dunja builds with events like Dani Komunikacije, Weekend Media Festival, BalCannes, and others, along with all the systems and standards in the world – without a defense strategy or crisis communicator, it’s doomed.
Irena, on the other hand, observes, anticipates, and manages risks while building programs around priorities, needs, and directions. You can see her global experience and how she has built a strong and significant brand focused on empowerment, especially of women in our industry. Again, we’re talking about phenomenal women – driving forces with a genuine inclination toward quality and growth.
Unfortunately, many women lack that. In Slovenia, for instance, we have Katarina Čas, now a world-renowned actress, exceptionally talented and beautiful, yet the local media barely feature her, female editors are jealous and hide exceptional women from the public. It’s a shame, they don’t realize they’re limiting young girls’ awareness of what they can achieve, that success isn’t constrained by region or circumstance.
The Woman.Comm Club gathers and connects leaders in the industry. What does such a network mean for the progress of individuals and the industry as a whole?
Such a network creates a home for everyone who strives for excellence – in both profession and life. Belonging to an association of women that stands for excellence and integrity is already a privilege. It’s essential to support and strengthen such organizations because, ultimately, women are the ones shaping the media landscape 😉.
I believe the time is coming when women will truly realize how important it is to connect and support each other – because we’ll soon witness the rapid collapse of many systems we now take for granted. It won’t take decades. And when that happens, only those who are well-connected will endure. I root for Woman.Comm to keep expanding and growing proudly – because together we are incredible, productive, and supportive. Together, we can do everything.
