M&C Saatchi World Services

We were honoured to sponsor the COL Arthur Tulak (U.S. Army, Ret.) Scholarship for a second consecutive year, supporting excellence in the Inform & Influence Essay Contest, awarded annually at INFOPAC in Hawaii, USA. Congratulations to this year’s awardees from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa: 🥇 First Place: Za’Niyah Smith   🥈 Second Place: Andrew Sakamoto This initiative – made possible through our partnership with the AOC - Diamond Head Chapter – celebrates leadership and innovation in information operations and communication strategy across the Indo-Pacific region. We’re proud to support these rising stars, the AOC, and another successful #INFOPAC Symposium advancing innovation and collaboration.

As the nation pauses to reflect upon the services and sacrifices of those who have fought for Great Britain, we at WS particularly think of friends and colleagues we have lost in more recent conflicts. That’s why we backed from the beginning the creation of the new The UK Afghanistan Veterans Community (HQ), a charity our staff proudly support including our CEO and Army veteran Simon Bergman, who serves as an AVC trustee. Thank you, AVC, for this certificate of appreciation, and thank you to all our veterans (regular and reserve) who have and continue to serve our country. #WeWillRememberThem #LestWeForget #Afghanistan #Veterans

The search for London’s best analysts saw Team World Services win at the 3MI Int Corps Challenge! For the 8th iteration of the annual event, WS joined other corporate teams from across the capital, in undertaking demanding analytical challenges, under the guidance of professionals from 3MI Bn.    The WS team, comprised of Ben Fullman, Naomi Sandhu, Chris Neil, Jedd Wise, Justus Kampert and Sophie Thomas, put their skills to the test as they explored through the challenge the synergies between the role of a business analyst and a military intelligence operator.    The event, held at KPMG UK offices in Canary Wharf, was in partnership with the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Association for Greater London. It enabled civilians to find out more about Military Intelligence and the transferable skills their regulars and reserves utilise to help understand complex problems.   WS is a proud supporter of GL RFCA as well as an advocate of the MODs Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) British Army - Intelligence Corps UK Ministry of Defence Katie Dodd Apoorv Rajneesh Shrotriya

World Services is at the cutting-edge of developing tech-enabled research that help create strategies to tackle some of the world’s most challenging problems.   So we’re delighted our research team, working with colleagues at M+C Saatchi UK, has been shortlisted for the Creative Development Research (Jeremy Bullmore) award, at the Market Research Society (MRS) Awards 2025.    The team, comprised of Ana Babic, Aibek Iliasov, Hana Shillova and Sanjeev Devarajan, look forward to the MRS Awards in December 2025. #MRSAwards #MarketResearch

At M&C Saatchi World Services, we're proud to stand alongside organisations driving meaningful change. In Australia, one in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. The work of the Women's Resilience Centre is a powerful reminder of what happens when compassion meets action. 🎥 Watch the video our team created to see the impact of their work – providing support for vulnerable women, building community resilience, and helping break the cycle of abuse. Through strategic communications, creative solutions, and narrative clarity, we help purpose-led organisations around the world amplify their impact, reach new audiences, and bring their missions to life. #DomesticViolenceAwareness #SocialImpact

The strategic security landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, with narratives now being created and disseminated at unprecedented speed and scale. In their insightful explainer, “Operationalising Strategic Communications: Developing Australia’s next sovereign capability”, authors Olivia B. and Morgan Smith of M&C Saatchi World Services examine how Australia must evolve its approach to narrative and influence – calling for a whole-of-government strategic communications capability to better safeguard national interests in an increasingly contested information environment. Read this timely and thought-provoking publication on the United States Studies Centre website 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gz4bTQVd

This week during #DSEI2025, M&C Saatchi World Services had the privilege of hosting an evening at the Tower of London with UK and international defence and security partners. In a setting that speaks to Britain’s centuries of resilience and defence, we exchanged ideas on how digital technologies, data, and cyber capabilities are reshaping today’s security landscape. From the walls that once safeguarded the realm to the digital frontiers that now define it, the dialogue underscored a simple truth: strength in defence comes from adaptation, collaboration, and foresight. A huge thank you to all who joined us for an evening of insight, partnership, and forward-looking discussion. (Photo: the Tower poppies installation with the Shard rising behind - a reminder of how history and modernity stand side by side.)

“Communications has the power to achieve strategic objectives in an increasingly complex and unpredictable world.” That was the key take away delivered by top EU diplomat, Charlie Stuart, when he spoke to WS staff at our recent prestigious Speaker Series monthly event.   Charlie, the Chief Security Advisor for Africa in the European External Action Service, drew findings from his extensive and highly successful international diplomatic, legal and military career. He outlined how organisations need to transform to accelerate empowered decision-making in order to operate at the speed of the information environment.    Figuring out the “why” then the “what” before even considering the “how” is fundamental to effective strategic communications, and thus forms a core part of WSs tech-enabled approach to solving some of the worlds most complex problems.

Do you think you know how to 'Capture the Narrative' on social media? We're a proud sponsor of the world's first simulated social media manipulation competition, Capture the Narrative. Hosted in Australia by UNSW Institute for Cyber Security, teams will compete in a controlled, artificial social media landscape to shape narratives through AI. The innovative competition aims to raise awareness of the potential for abuse and the importance of AI literacy and building cyber security professionals who can detect and counter real-world threats. More competition information can be found at → https://lnkd.in/gCYjRgBU

Over the past few months, our global research team at M&C Saatchi World Services partnered with Innovate UK’s Global Alliance Africa (GAA), a flagship initiative connecting innovation ecosystems across the UK, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.   Our multidisciplinary team has been working at the intersection of research, evaluation, and communications to answer a critical question: How can innovation programmes most effectively catalyse inclusive and scalable growth?   Here’s what we delivered: - In-depth interviews with 36 innovators, funders and partners who had worked with GAA, across Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and the UK - A detailed review of programme documents, including MEL data, case studies and external reviews - Systems Thinking-based analysis mapping GAA’s position and role within wider UK–Africa innovation ecosystems, identifying strategic learnings to maximise impact   We’ve produced a recently published Strategic Learning Review, capturing how GAA catalyses UK-Africa innovation for shared growth. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/ePHmpSBd This project has been a compelling example of how research and learning can be embedded at the heart of innovation programmes, as a strategic driver of impact.    Thank you to Aibek Iliasov, Sanjeev Devarajan Heni Pupco, Maya Rampal, Ana Babic, Nee-Joo Teh, Jon Waboso Barrow & Danielle Geddes (all pictured) for all your work and support on the project!    If you're working in innovation and curious about how research-driven learning can strengthen strategy, partnerships and real-world outcomes, let’s connect!