In this episode of Navigating Disruption, hosts Mike Klein and Janet Hitchen welcome Giedrė Simanauskaitė and Vija Valentukonyte Urbanaviciene, co-founders of Partners in Comms and pioneers in internal communication in Lithuania. They discuss the evolution of internal communication, their journey in writing the first Lithuanian IC book, and the challenges of translating global communication models to fit local markets.

Key Takeaways:

✅ The shift from newsletters to strategic internal communication

✅ How companies can adapt communication for diverse, multilingual teams

✅ Practical approaches to embedding company culture across global organizations

✅ The challenges and opportunities of integrating internal comms with leadership

If you're a leader, communicator, or working in an international organization, this episode will provide insights into how communication strategies are shifting to be more impactful, inclusive, and aligned with business goals.

About our guests:

Giedrė Simanauskaitė

- Over 13 years of experience in internal and change communication.

- 4 years spent as an internal communications manager and 9 years as a freelance consultant.

- Co-authored a book on internal communications and employer reputation building.

- Associate professor at Vytautas Magnus University.

- Speaker at international and local conferences, podcasts, and events.

- Trainer and consultant on internal communications, shaping company culture, and leadership communication.

- Host of the Internal Communicators Club in Lithuania (2,800+ members).

Vija Valentukonyte Urbanaviciene:

- Strategist, internal communication expert, and practitioner for over 15

- Experience in four sectors, former in-house communicator at ING Bank, Lithuanian Energy Company, Barclays, and Telia.

- Expertise in internal and change communication strategies and employer reputation building.

- Winner of several significant awards: IABC’s Gold Quills (Washington, USA) and the PR Impact and Best Personnel Practices - for successful change and culture programs.

- Certified trainer, has trained audiences in 4 different continents

- Speaker at national and international conferences, host fo the first in Lithuania Unconference event.

Connect with Us:

Host Mike Klein:

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mklein818/

Website:

https://changingtheterms.com/

Host Janet Hitchen:

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janethitchen/

Website:

https://www.janco.uk/

Guest information:

Website: partnersincomms.com/en/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/partners-in-comms

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