Joel Chacha

Joel Chacha is a strategic communications leader with more than 17 years of experience advising organisations on reputation, influence, stakeholder engagement, and strategic communications across Africa and globally. He serves as Managing Director at Pastel and Communications Director, Africa at Eastrise Group, a strategy and intelligence firm working across Africa and Europe. Guided by the belief that strong institutions are built on trust, Eastrise helps businesses become ready to grow, trusted to lead, and credible to back. Through his leadership roles, Joel advises senior executives, boards, multinational corporations, development institutions, and high-growth businesses on corporate reputation, crisis management, stakeholder engagement, and integrated communications strategy. He helps organisations navigate complex political, regulatory, and media landscapes, enabling them to build trust, shape influential narratives, and strengthen their licence to operate. Prior to his roles at Pastel and Eastrise Group, Joel led strategy and business development for Portland Communications across Africa. His expertise spans corporate affairs, public affairs, global health, sustainability, philanthropy, governance, and strategic communications. A respected industry leader, Joel is a four-time jury member for the PRWeek Global Awards and has also served as a juror for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and the SABRE Africa Awards. He was named PR Personality of the Year by Marketing World in 2024, recognised among the Top 30 Men in PR by PRSK, and ranked among Kenya’s Top 52 PR Practitioners. Joel began his career in journalism, developing a deep appreciation for credible storytelling and the power of strategic communication. He holds a Master of Arts in Communication Studies (Strategic Corporate Communication) from the United States International University Africa and is pursuing Chartered Practitioner status with the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), United Kingdom.