Karena Crerar

Karena has over 25 years' communications experience across a variety of business sectors and disciplines, in both an agency and corporate environment. Karena joined Edelman as Advisory Practice Lead where she oversaw a multi-sectoral client base focused on strategic reputation management programmes that impacted organisations' stakeholder engagement effectiveness, executive visibility, employee experience, financial communications, and risk & crisis resilience. Karena was promoted to Managing Director of Edelman South Africa at the beginning of 2021 and then to CEO of Edelman Africa in May 2022. Prior to joining Edelman, Karena led the External Communications team at Absa Corporate and Investment Bank (formerly Barclays Africa), serving on the Group Communications Management Committee. From 2006, Karena led Corporate and Consumer teams at Magna Carta and Ogilvy PR respectively, in the role of Business Unit Head and member of the Executive Committee. Karena has been privileged to work with a number of diverse organisations in achieving their business and communication objectives, many of which have resulted in award winning campaigns both locally and abroad. Karena holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration.