International British media and crisis communications coach Dr David Kirkham will be a guest speaker at Campuskini’s media relations and press release writing workshop this Saturday, April 1.

Kirkham (top photo), who is currently visiting Malaysia, has worked in 38 countries in most industrial and commercial sectors and advises governments on risk and crisis.

He has taught at Liverpool, Ulster and Sheffield Universities, for Laureate Education, the Fire Service College and for professional institutes.

Kirkham’s portfolio includes managing adverse events, communication strategies, strategic decision making and scenario planning.

He has prepared executives to face the media in the UK, Russia, China, Malaysia, Australia, Japan, Latin America, Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and the Gulf States.

He has developed crisis communications teams for multinational corporations and practised them in simulated crisis scenarios.

Kirkham, with media coach M Krishnamoorthy, will help participants in improving press release writing skills.

Malaysiakini’s editor-in-chief Steven Gan will also brief participants on how to make their press release newsworthy.

As part of Campuskini’s corporate social responsibility, it is offering one-tenth the market price of what corporate trainers offer.

Yes. Campuskini is offering it at RM288, compared with RM2,500 normally charged by corporate trainers. Go here for more information on the media workshop.

The course fee is also claimable under the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF).

Participants will also get a complimentary book (worth RM45) which covers ‘MH370’s Lessons on Crisis Communications’ and how to write press releases. The book was co-authored by Kirkham and Krishnamoorthy.

“Through the writing of effective press releases, you will gain a professional insight into writing,” said Kirkham.

Past participants of the 'Writing, PR and Media Relations' workshop have described it as “unorthodox, unique and enlightening”.

“I particularly liked how Krishnamoorthy guided and even made us write four press releases in the workshop itself, in a news story style,” said one participant.

With more than 30 years of experience as news and feature writer, Krishnamoorthy was also an investigative reporter with The Star.

He has highlighted society’s concerns and has gone undercover as a beggar, security guard, blind man, handicapped, salesman, Member of Parliament and an executive catching taxi touts at the KL International Airport.

In addition to teaching in a university, he currently freelances as a fixer/coordinator for CNN, BBC, German and Australian TV networks and the New York Times.

He is also a certified HRDF professional trainer.