Dear communicators,

We are pleased to invite you to our next Geneva Communicators Network (GCN) lunch event, to be held on 6 October 2026:

““Actually, I Am Not a Hostage Negotiator” – What high-stakes rooms have taught me about communication and influence”

Dr Susan Laverick is not a hostage negotiator. She would like that cleared up early. How that particular rumour started, and what it revealed about the way messages actually travel once we lose control of them, is where this talk begins.

As a speechwriter and communication adviser, Susan works in rooms most of us never see: helping former combatants articulate a future beyond conflict and helping Ukrainian diplomats carry a message the world seemed to have tired of hearing. Drawing on four very different consultancy projects, she explores what really happens when careful messaging meets real people, real egos and real pressure.

For anyone whose job is to advise a leader, speak for someone else or help someone else speak, this is a candid, occasionally irreverent look at influence, authority and the gap between what we intend and what lands.

Dr Susan Laverick is a strategic communication adviser, speechwriter and Guest Lecturer in Applied Rhetoric at the Université de Genève and the Geneva Graduate Institute. Her clients include diplomats, international organisations and corporate leaders. Her assignments have ranged from dissecting failed pitches and preparing speakers for UN podiums to pitching senior candidates to international electorates. She is a UN-accredited expert adviser in communication and holds a doctorate in English literature, completed with the support of an Australian Government scholarship. Before moving to Geneva in 1997, she worked for the BBC in London. Her work brings together narrative, applied rhetoric and a candid understanding that the most carefully prepared message is never the only force in the room.

Date: 6 October 2026

Time: 12h30 to 14h00

The Swiss Press Club, Domaine de Penthes, Chem. de l’Impératrice 18, 1292, Pregny-Chambésy, Geneva 

Fee: CHF 35.- per person includes drinks and snacks

Register here>> (Book soon as places are limited due to venue size)

We are pleased to announce our next Geneva Communicators Network (GCN) lunch event, to be held on 16 April 2026.

Join this dynamic session with Claire Doole and learn how to turn your idea into a pitch that gets attention, buy-in, and results. In this session, you’ll learn how to:

• Prepare and structure a clear, compelling pitch

• Combine evidence and emotion to persuade your audience

• Deliver your message with confidence and impact

Expect practical techniques, real examples, and quick exercises you can use immediately—whether you’re pitching an idea, a project, or funding.

Date: Thursday 16 April 2026

Time: 12h30 to 14h00

The Swiss Press Club, Domaine de Penthes, Chem. de l’Impératrice 18, 1292, Pregny-Chambésy, Geneva

Fee: CHF 35.- per person includes drinks and snacks

 Please register online >>

Claire Doole is a former BBC correspondent who reported from Berlin, Brussels, Geneva, and London, and later served as a spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency, the International Federation of the Red Cross, and WWF International.

Since 2006, she has coached senior leaders in major companies and international organizations on media communication, public speaking, pitching, speechwriting,  storytelling and panel moderating.

Having pitched countless stories to the media herself, Claire now teaches professionals how to communicate ideas with clarity, brevity, and impact. She is also a highly sought-after conference moderator, guiding discussions with Presidents, Ministers, and CEOs. A British-Swiss national based in Geneva, Claire works in both English and French.

Dear Communicators,

We are pleased to announce our next Geneva Communicators Network (GCN) lunch event, to be held on 17 June 2025.

In light of the growing challenges faced by Geneva’s international community, we are adapting our traditional speaker format in favour of a dynamic, crowdsourcing discussion. As communication professionals, we are navigating an increasingly complex global environment marked by budget cuts, public skepticism, the rapid evolution of AI, and geopolitical instability—often compounded by widespread misinformation. In such a context, effective communication has never been more essential, or more difficult.

This interactive lunchtime seminar will explore how communicators can best support their organisations in maintaining trust, relevance, and clarity in their messaging—despite limited resources and mounting external pressures. Through a lively group exchange, participants will contribute ideas and share experiences in response to real-time challenges.

The session will be facilitated by Alissa Reindel, an experienced communications professional with expertise in developing strategic communications campaigns, content creation, and team leadership.

We look forward to an engaging and collaborative discussion with all of you.

Register here>>

Date: Tuesday 17 June 2025

Time: 12h30 to 14h00

The Swiss Press Club, Domaine de Penthes, Chem. de l’Impératrice 18, 1292, Pregny-Chambésy, Geneva

Fee: CHF 35.- per person includes drinks and snacks

From static publications to interactive content: the experience of the International Trade Centre

How do organisations make the leap from static publications content to dynamic content online? Natalie Domeisen will explain how the International Trade Centre has created engaging content on trade and development integrating text, video, animations and more. Natalie will share her experiences, focusing on opportunities and challenges for people looking to expand their organization’s multimedia capacity and impact.

The presentation will be followed by working groups to discuss challenges and opportunities. Please feel free to send examples of multimedia publications in advance (genevacom@gmail.com) – we’ll be happy to compile them for those attending the lunchtime presentation.

Date: Friday 8 December 2023
Time: 12h30 to 14h00
The Swiss Press Club, Domaine de Penthes, Chem. de l’Impératrice 18, 1292 Pregny-Chambésy, Geneva
Fee: CHF 30.- per person includes drinks and snacks

Please register online

About the speaker: Natalie Domeisen is the Head of Corporate Events and Publishing Programmes at the International Trade Centre. Natalie has extensive experience as a public affairs and communications professional in the international trade and development sectors, working across a range of areas including strategic communications, community outreach, publishing, pitch training and media relations.