The Communicators honour outstanding military communicators

The Worshipful Company of Communicators held its annual Military Communicator Awards at Stationers’ Hall on Friday 23rd October. Senior representatives from all three Services attended, along with leading figures from the communications industry. Among the guests was the Sheriff, Alderman Tim Levene.

The Guest of Honour and main speaker was General Dame Sharon Nesmith, Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. She presented the awards, which recognise outstanding communications work by military personnel and civil servants. Commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals in 1992, Dame Sharon was the first woman to hold the rank of lieutenant general in the British Army. She became Vice Chief of the Defence Staff in 2024. BAE Systems was the headline sponsor.

This year’s winners

Army: Lieutenant Colonel Jill Wildish, SO1 Comms & Engagement at Army Headquarters. Her award recognises three decades of communications work. She served as the Army’s first deployable Brigade Press Officer, and her operational postings have included Iraq, Bosnia and Ukraine. She is a CIPR Chartered Practitioner and a champion of professional development and of countering disinformation. She is also a Liveryman of the Communicators’ Company.

RAF: Becky Vobe, Head of Digital Content at RAF Media & Communications. She has improved the RAF’s website and social media, using insight and evaluation to sharpen the content. She deployed to RAF Akrotiri to support communications after a hostile drone strike. Under her leadership, a young team has reached record levels of engagement.

Royal Navy: Lieutenant Commander Craig Purvis, Media Operations Officer at RN Communications and Influence. He led the Royal Navy’s media response to events in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. He also found the human stories behind HMS ANSON’s historic visit to Australia, helping build public appreciation of AUKUS. In addition, he has reshaped how Royal Navy Reserve media support is organised.

Civil Service: Ranald Dinsdale, Chief Press Officer (Security) at the Ministry of Defence. During the Iran crisis, he led a combined civilian and military team. He also played a key role in exposing Russian submarine activity around UK waters, and he has led announcements on UK support for Ukraine.

Master Communicator Justine McGuinness said:

“Tonight’s awards celebrate communicators who deliver under extraordinary pressure, from operational theatres to the heart of government. In an age of disinformation, their work builds trust, tells the stories of those who serve and protects the reputation of our Armed Forces.”