Beyond the Brief: Maud Honner, Director, EMEA
In the latest installment of Beyond the Brief, we sit down with Wachsman Director Maud Honner, whose journey from Wicklow to strategic communications has been guided by resilience and an instinct for bringing important stories into focus. Drawing on eight years at Wachsman, Maud reflects on the value of fresh perspective, what earns trust in leadership, and how communications must evolve as AI increasingly shapes brand authority.
Where did you grow up and what do you think that environment gave you?
Wicklow, known as the Garden of Ireland, is where I call home. Famous for its mountain ranges and coastline, the best thing about life in Wicklow is being immersed in nature, sea swims, and hiking.
That said, it can be challenging growing up in a mountainous, rural area. You develop a strong sense of resilience and independence when the snow makes the roads inaccessible, so you have to walk 10km to buy groceries (and carry them home on your back).
What did you want to be when you were younger and what influenced that?
I’ve always been very sentimental about the passage of time and loved taking photographs as a way of trying to capture moments and memories.
From taking thousands of photos of my family and friends over the years, to being asked to take pictures of strangers in the street, you’ll often find me crouched on the ground or suspended in the air trying to find the perfect angle and show people in their best light.
In many ways, this same passion drove me to strategic communications and the desire to showcase the impact of pioneering leaders and organisations to the world.
What is the most unusual job or experience you had before Wachsman and what did it teach you?
During my Masters Degree, as part of a team with fellow Wachsman Director Emily Kielthy and Associate Director Alissa Karpick, I had the opportunity to pitch the Football Association of Ireland to help grow attendance at League of Ireland matches as well as supporting the communications and media relations ahead of the Irish Men’s National Team’s Euro 2016 campaign.
Despite being the least sports-literate team in the running, we won. We didn’t shy away from the fact that we were not football fans, but instead leaned into it. We recognised our value was not in our football expertise but our fresh perspective and clear communication strategy. This experience reinforced that expertise in a specific field is only part of the equation, strategic thinking, gumption, and creativity are vital.
What did you learn about yourself early in your career that you still rely on today?
Work ethic consistently outperforms intellect. In my experience, capability doesn’t always translate into disciplined execution but those who are kind to others and work hard go far. Success for me is about creating an environment where ambitious, collaborative people thrive.
Wachsman
What first drew you to Wachsman and what made you feel this was the right place?
My background was in consumer tech, entertainment and lifestyle PR, managing launch communications for new PlayStation consoles, to building awareness for the Flower Council of Holland. I was ready for a change and really enticed by the idea of helping build brand foundations from the ground up, combined with the appeal of a rapidly evolving and complex crypto and blockchain industry. From the outset, it was clear that I had joined a team of people with true verve and entrepreneurial spirit.
You have been at Wachsman for 8 years. What has changed most in how you think about the business day to day?
Change is part of life at Wachsman. We don’t rest on our laurels and are always looking at how we can offer more value to our clients. Artificial intelligence catalysed a shift in how we operate in 2019, and since then we have been delivering AI-enhanced analysis and counsel to our clients globally. Last year saw the formalisation of Wachsman’s dedicated AI services, curated to support brands in architecting brand authority and shaping adaptive identities for the AI era.
When you look across regions, where do you think Wachsman has a real edge right now?
Wachsman has top talent located in every major global media hub, and our edge is in being able to connect globally integrated teams. Maintaining a global outlook, combined with experience, fluency and insights from key markets across Europe and the Middle East, Wachsman is designed to support organisations in tapping into new markets and maximising regional impact.
What is the biggest opportunity for Wachsman in 2026?
2026 has seen an acceleration in our AI initiatives, developing more advanced insights and tools to advise clients on their approach to Generative Engine Optimisation. AI’s framing of information is increasingly becoming the lens through which audiences understand brands, so it is critical to embed AI perception analysis and AI authority best practices within brands’ overarching communications strategy.
What is a common misunderstanding clients have about the value of PR and strategic counsel?
Many organisations misunderstand the value of consistency, the need to establish a strong media footprint, and the impact of engaging with trade media. Research shows that 92% of earned media citations across leading LLMs come from trade and specialist outlets for B2B, in stark contrast with mainstream, national news media at just 8%. These engines also evaluate how consistently a brand is represented across sources they trust, so a punchy, consistent narrative is an important signal for retrieval.
Inspirational
What is a book, idea or conversation that has shaped how you think about leadership or life?
I’m a longtime listener of the Ted Radio Hour podcast, and one that comes to mind is a 2022 episode titled Humor Us. In short, part of the discussion addresses the use of humour in challenging preconceived notions, starting meaningful conversations, and exposing hard truths. Leadership is sometimes conflated with seriousness or solemnity. However, used thoughtfully, humour, curiosity, humility, and open-mindedness are the qualities that I believe earn real trust and loyalty.
What is something you have changed your mind about over the last few years?
Perfection is the enemy of good. While I have an innate eye for detail and still identify as a perfectionist, I have come to understand that you shouldn’t let high standards prevent timely progress.
What is something you are grateful you learned early rather than later?
Everyone self-edits, but I’ve learned not to confuse a first impression with the full story. We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. Passing judgement and jumping to conclusions does more harm than good, so always strive to lead with curiosity and seek to understand others’ intentions and alternative perspectives.