May is a time when momentum builds and ideas begin to take shape, making it a natural moment to reflect on how communications continues to evolve alongside business and society. For this month’s In Conversation With blog series, we connected with Emilija Businskas, Vice President, Communications at Mastercard Canada. With a focus on enterprise communications strategy, reputation and leadership advisory, Emilija brings a business-first lens to the role communications plays in driving impact and building long-term trust.
We spoke with Emilija about how communications has shifted from storytelling to a core business function, the growing importance of trust in a fast-moving information environment, and why communicators need to be deeply embedded in decision-making. From navigating real-time complexity to shaping strategy at the leadership level, here is what she had to share.
How has your role as a PR practitioner evolved in recent years?
The role of communications has fundamentally shifted from storytelling to enterprise leadership. Today, communications sits much closer to the business, helping to shape strategy, not simply explain it. That requires a deep understanding of commercial priorities, risk, culture and stakeholder expectations, and the ability to provide clear counsel at moments of complexity.
For me, this means embedding communications into core business priorities, helping advance them, deliver impact and ensure our actions and messaging move in lockstep. It also means balancing speed with judgment and responding decisively in real time while protecting trust and reputation as the business evolves.
In my role, I’m focused on connecting communications to broader priorities like enabling the digital economy, supporting small businesses and helping shape emerging areas like agentic commerce. It requires moving quickly and thoughtfully, especially as issues emerge in real time, while maintaining a long-term view on reputation and trust.
What major shifts have you seen in the PR profession, and how are they shaping your work today?
Trust has become the defining currency of communications. Audiences expect transparency, consistency and accountability, not just in messaging but in behavior. Organizations are judged as much by how they act as by what they say, which places communications at the center of corporate credibility.
At the same time, the velocity of information and misinformation has increased dramatically. This requires communicators to engage earlier, think more critically and bring greater discipline to clarity and tone. As technology and AI increasingly shape how information is created, amplified and interpreted, my role has shifted toward stewardship: ensuring credibility, relevance and integrity in an increasingly crowded information environment.
Looking ahead, what trends or changes do you think will define the role of PR practitioners in the future?
Communications has moved beyond campaign-style storytelling to enterprise leadership. Today, it is embedded within the business, contributing to decision-making rather than reacting to it. That requires a deep understanding of enterprise priorities, risk, culture and stakeholder expectations, and the ability to provide clear counsel at moments of complexity.
The role of communicators will be defined by their ability to operate as enterprise leaders, not functional specialists. The most effective communicators will be those who are embedded early in decision-making, helping leaders assess risk, shape strategy and understand stakeholder impact before decisions are finalized.
In practice, that might mean advising leadership on how a business decision will land with employees or customers before it’s announced, or helping frame complex innovation, regulatory change or market disruption in a way that is clear, credible and grounded in what the organization is actually delivering.
What is your biggest piece of advice for PR practitioners moving forward?
Invest in understanding the business as deeply as your leadership team does. Take the time to learn what drives decisions, where the pressure points are and what success looks like for your organization. The more context you have behind the “why” of decision-making, the more credible and useful your perspective becomes.
The strongest communicators are those who can navigate ambiguity, anticipate risk and offer grounded, strategic perspective in moments that matter most. By combining a deep understanding of the business with the ability to operate in a complex digital and social environment, you become the connective tissue that helps safeguard an organization’s credibility and long-term resilience.
About CPRS Toronto’s In Conversation With blog series
Once a month, the In Conversation With series spotlights voices from across the communications field, featuring leaders and rising professionals who share their perspectives on industry trends, the future of the profession, and their own career journeys. These conversations aim to inspire, inform, and highlight the diverse experiences shaping the future of public relations.
If you would like to share your story or nominate a colleague, please contact us at communications@cprstoronto.com.