Corporate communications is a changing discipline. What was once a support function is becoming a strategic tool that shapes perception, advises leadership, and builds trust across increasingly complex stakeholder landscapes.
This shift means companies need to own their narrative. In a media landscape where content is abundant and expectations around transparency are rising, those that communicate with clarity, speed, and purpose have a competitive advantage.
In order to better understand this shift, we sat down with Dr. Christiane Lesmeister, a corporate communications leader with over two decades of experience advising global brands through times of transformation, crisis, and strategic repositioning.
In this conversation with Brunni Corsato for Usercentrics, she explores how corporate communications can step into a more strategic, advisory role by balancing AI-driven insights with human empathy, adapting messaging in real time, and becoming trusted advisors at the leadership table.
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Brunni Corsato: What is the role of corporate communications in today’s marketing landscape?
Dr. Christiane: Having been a corporate communications leader for over 20 years, I see it as fundamental support function for organizations. For a lot of companies, it is a strategic asset to ensure business success, building bridges between the business and its stakeholders, both internally and externally.
The main role I see for this type of communication today is to shape the perception of a company. Marketers have to act as the reputation stewards and strategic advisors in corporate communications, especially in this fractured world we live in.
Brunni: How does trust factor into that process? Do you feel that corporate communication also impacts how the employees also see the company?
Dr. Christiane: Trust in corporate communication is crucial for building strong relationships with all the relevant stakeholders, be it employees, customers, partners, suppliers, the public, or the media.
Trust is the key factor in fostering a positive reputation. When corporate communication is rooted in transparency, honesty, authenticity and reliability, there is a good chance to build that trust within the company. When it comes to customers, they become more loyal to that brand.
Brunni: You mentioned transparency and authenticity. What are other fundamental elements to building trust, in your opinion?
Dr. Christiane: Those are very important pillars, of course, but I would even take a step back.
If we talk about reputation and the perception of a company, we are referring to corporate identity.
Corporate identity has three basic ingredients: communications, behavior — or culture, so how we act as a company — and, lastly, the corporate design. That’s not just about branding and colors, but it’s about the mission, vision and purpose of the company.
Why companies must own their narrative
Brunni: Why is owning the narrative more critical now than it was in the past? What’s changed that makes this a strategic imperative rather than a nice-to-have?
Dr. Christiane: One of the biggest challenges for companies today is gaining meaningful attention.Right now the overall environment is very challenging when it comes to emerging stakeholder demands and risks. Think of social media, for instance. All of a sudden, a lot of people are becoming spokespersons for their companies, basically. On the other hand, with GenAI, we’re flooded with content online — and a lot of times, it’s meaningless content competing for our attention.
Because of that competition, it becomes more and more important to own the narrative, to shape the narrative — at least on your own channels and in earned channels too, if that’s possible. In order to do that, marketers need to develop strategies that involve assessing the stakeholder perceptions, using data to engage proactively with them, as well as respond authentically to feedback.
Brunni: What do you mean by owning the narrative?
Dr. Christiane: We’re operating in a world with countless communicators, channels, and sources. That’s why owning the narrative means creating meaningful awareness with your target audiences and stakeholders — awareness that’s aligned with your business goals.
It’s about building a communication strategy that supports the overall business strategy and adapts as the landscape changes. Media habits have shifted and people now stay in their own bubbles, especially on social media. So we need targeted, hyper-personalized communication that still feels human and empathetic.
Owning the narrative also means making sure your messaging reflects your company’s values, mission, and vision and not just at a high level, but across functions. And that needs to come through clearly across all corporate communication channels.
“Trust is the key factor in fostering a positive reputation. When corporate communication is rooted in transparency, honesty, authenticity and reliability, there is a good chance to build that trust in and within the company. When it comes to customers, they become more loyal to that brand.”
Brunni: You also mentioned that staying flexible and adapting frequently is increasingly important, but how can corporations do that?
Christiane L: Agility is key. AI helps with speed and insights, but we need to combine that with the human factor. Communications now have the opportunity to move into a more strategic role, away from being seen as just a content provider, like it often was ten years ago.
To stay flexible, communication needs to be close to leadership, with a seat at the table. It should act as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert, fully aware of what’s happening in the business so it can respond quickly and effectively.
We have great tools now like monitoring systems, analytics, and even predictive models that help us spot potential issues early and react fast. Where we once relied on gut feeling, we now have data to support decisions and build more strategic communication.
In my experience, corporate communications teams are often lean, which means they need clear alignment and fast internal processes, like a four-eyes principle. When that’s in place, responses can be much faster — even faster than traditional marketing — especially in situations that require direct stakeholder communication or crisis response.
Brunni: Audiences are increasingly aware of how companies communicate, and are becoming more demanding in terms of trust and transparency too. How do you see corporate communications navigating this transformation?
Dr. Christiane: Sometimes, we simply don’t have all the information, so full transparency isn’t possible. But what we can do is enter into dialogue with stakeholders, show that we care, and be proactive.
Even when we can’t share everything, especially when we’re close to executive discussions, we can still communicate thoughtfully, step by step. It’s important to consider the timing and emotional impact, because too much information at the wrong time can overwhelm people.
We also need to tailor our communication to each audience. For example, in media relations, it can be helpful to share behind-the-scenes context or long-term strategy. That way, if something happens, journalists understand the broader picture.
Internally, it’s about creating space for employees to ask questions, express concerns, and feel heard. Posting a simple Q&A can go a long way. This is where corporate communications plays a key role, not just in messaging but in relationship-building too.
Communications leaders usually bring deep experience in stakeholder management, whether it’s engaging with the C-suite or the media. That ability to build trust across different groups is incredibly valuable, even if it’s not always easy to measure.
Brunni: So what I’m hearing is that marketers need to tailor their communication strategy depending on the stakeholder and the channel; and that what counts as “authentic” or “transparent” might look a bit different depending on who you’re talking to. Is that right?
Dr. Christiane: Being genuine and truthful is key to becoming a trusted organization. The way you communicate, how transparent or authentic you can be, really depends on the audience and the channel. If you’re speaking off the record, say at a dinner with trusted journalists, there’s more room to share long-term strategies and be candid. But if it’s a one-on-one interview that will be published immediately, especially without a chance to review it, or during something like a media call after an investor meeting, you have to be very careful. You need to be clear, concise, and only share what is appropriate and relevant at that specific point in time.
So corporate communications is often walking a tightrope between being authentic and transparent, and staying compliant with legal and regulatory requirements. That’s part of the job. And of course, it’s a completely different dynamic if you’re working with a privately owned or family-run business. There, you have much more freedom in how and what you communicate.
The balancing act of transparency
Brunni Corsato: What trends do you see in the space and what are the challenges and opportunities in corporate comms?
Christiane L: One of the biggest trends shaping corporate communications right now is generative AI. It’s transforming not just what we create or how we create it, but the full value chain across communications, PR, and marketing. AI can be a catalyst for efficiency, but it also requires us to rethink our roles as communication leaders and how we approach reputation management.
We’re also seeing a stronger focus on data-driven decision-making. I’m not a fan of the term “KPIs,” but data does give us a stronger foundation, especially when working with functions like sales, marketing, or the C-suite. CEOs love proof, and data helps us back up our strategic choices.
I see the future of reputation management in something more dynamic: real-time, authentic engagement. It’s about being able to adapt quickly in a rapidly changing environment, while still acting with responsibility and intention. Especially when it comes to using AI, we’re still in a legal gray area with a lot of open questions around ethics, ownership, and content rights. So internal guidelines are essential.
In the end, the ones who embrace AI as a corporate communications department, as a brand, as a company and prioritize this technical upskilling for the different areas will generate long-term value.
Brunni: Have you already seen this done properly?
Dr. Christiane: Yes, I’ve seen it done well. It always requires a joint approach. In big organizations, there are clearly defined risk owners for certain areas, so it’s not just communications making decisions in isolation. Legal, strategy, IT, and the executive teams all need to be aligned, especially when it comes to AI.
Because we’re still operating without a clear legal framework, it’s essential that companies proactively define their own standards for AI use, including how to ensure transparency and what internal guidelines to follow.
The key is training the system properly. If you feed AI with the right inputs — your strategy, your values, your tone of voice — you’ll get better, more aligned outputs. But it’s not a hands-off process. Think of it like onboarding a new team member: if you don’t give proper direction, you can’t expect the right results. That’s why human oversight remains so important.
AI can absolutely increase efficiency, but its real potential is in freeing communicators to focus on strategic work. Used well, it can elevate the role of corporate communications — turning it into a more trusted, consultative function within the business. But to get there, we need to combine the speed and support of AI with human judgment, empathy, and a strong sense of responsibility.
Brunni: There’s a lot of promise as well as anxiety around AI. If communicators start using it to handle things like press releases, what’s left for the humans? Where do you see the irreplaceable value of people in corporate comms?
Dr. Christiane: I think it’s empathy, strategic thinking, and storytelling. AI can support us, it can help spark creativity or challenge our ideas, but it’s not a replacement for human judgment or connection.
When used well, AI frees up time. And that time can go into what really matters: being the bridge between the company and external stakeholders, having space to build strong media relationships, or collaborating more closely with other departments.
The real opportunity is shifting how we see our role. If we embrace innovation and use AI in a transparent, ethical way, we don’t lose authenticity, we actually strengthen it. We gain speed and insight, but we also gain more time to focus on the strategic, human side of our work. That’s where we make the real difference.
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Dr. Christiane Leismeister is the founder of LESMEISTER Communications & Consulting, helping organizations turn communication into a strategic driver of trust, reputation, and business success. She advises clients across industries on building effective communication strategies, structures, and processes, whether in transformation, crisis, or day-to-day operations.