Spilling the not so secret corporate affairs

There is a growing demand for candidates who can successfully navigate this volatile business environment and guide companies and their leaders through today's unchartered waters.

Over the time, corporate affairs officers rose up to be one of the most influential in the organisation. Yet, the role hovers around a preconceived notion, perhaps a misconception, of it being a sophisticated and silent facilitator of stakeholder engagements that prefers candidates only from well-networked reputed family backgrounds.

Due to the lack of self-made role models from the Corporate Affairs world, this niche yet dynamic career track is yet to be actively explored and desired by the freshers in opposed to the much chased sales, marketing or finance jobs. Debunking the myth around corporate affairs, let us explore how this sector can be a great choice for a fast tracking and powerful career for fresh graduates.

Everyone's a stakeholder

With the greater proliferation of social channels, today, everyone in the world is a stakeholder. Everyone has a voice and everyone has a platform for their views, in their pocket, all of the time. Reputations could now be brought down in an instant, and became vastly more complex to manage.

As a result, there is a growing demand for candidates who can successfully navigate this volatile business environment and guide companies and their leaders through today's unchartered waters.

You're a thought leader

The role goes beyond simple corporate communication to creating and nurturing long lasting bonds with multiple, diverse and hard to reach governments stakeholders, regulators, law enforcement agencies, key opinion leaders, media outlets. Moreover, the ones who truly thrive are the corporate affairs officers who understand that the role is not just safeguarding the corporate reputation, but can also emerge as the strategists for the whole industry by reforming and redefining guidelines, policies for a favourable business environment.

Take deep interest in the business and regulatory environment

Thriving in the corporate affairs world requires a clear understanding of business, financial and political issues for being able to influence every type of stakeholder. Be highly attuned to the nuances and impact of local legislative, regulatory and policy issues with a global perspective.

Give no surprises

Setting yourself as a helpful resource to your organisation is more important now than ever. The role requires you to be informed of the unforeseen business, national, international issues before anyone else in the company.

Take the leadership when other's hesitate

There will be occasions when issues will arise with no one willing to take responsibility. Don't wait, be a leader to collaboratively work through the issue. Better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission.

Be the outside-in agent

Whether setting corporate strategy, making investment decisions, designing products or planning projects, every process must include consideration of the impact on stakeholders and the consequences for the business.

Have a bold voice

A bold voice is crucial for negotiating with diverse stakeholders. You need to look at issues through both the lens of stakeholders and management which requires the courage to state potentially challenging views. You have to be calm, resilient, and courageous to take risks and actively engage in debate and dialogue with logic.

Posses strong negotiating and influencing skills

Be adept at influencing a policy analysis with a regulatory body, negotiating with law enforcement agencies or personal persuasion with a factory worker. However, always aim for a win-win situation.

Take quick but rational judgement

You should have the ability to provide rigorous analysis and metrics on stakeholder risks and opportunities supported by data/analytics moving away from the traditional "institutionalised instinct". Since all decisions have an immediate effect on the business projective, a clear roadmap with targets is a must despite all the ambiguity in the formation of bureaucratic resolutions.