Rising Chamber star up for new honour

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Press and PR executive Feron Jayawardene (pictured) is a rising star – and that’s now official.

The Birmingham City University graduate, who joined the Chambers in the autumn of 2022, is one of just three people shortlisted in the Rising Star of the Year category in next month’s Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) DARE Awards.

Feron, 26, will battle it out for the top accolade at a black tie dinner at Fazeley Studios on June 13 against rivals Gideon Casey of WPR and Leah Elston-Thompson of Stone Junction PR.

The Rising Star of the Year category was open to contenders under 30 years old from both PR consultancies and in-house teams in the region. The ultimate winner will be recognised for an outstanding performance within their organisation and to the wider PR industry.

Feron, who last summer picked up the Chambers’ star accolade awarded internally for work achievements, said: “I am both honoured and grateful to be selected as a finalist for this prestigious award.

“It has been a great journey with the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce where I have learnt and honed many skills, met amazing colleagues and built connections with some of the best industry leaders in Birmingham.

“Birmingham has a big workforce of international students that often get overlooked. Being an international student myself, I urge the many organisations in the city to give them a chance and see how the workforce will impact the business landscape of Birmingham.

“I am also grateful for the support and encouragement of Dan Harrison, head of communications at GBCC, whose guidance has been a constant source of inspiration for me.”