Global Business Leaders Congratulate Maxim Behar for the PR Week Award as Best PR Professional in Europe for 2022
December, 2022
David Gallagher
Founder, DG Advisory
Former President, Omnicom PR
Former President, ICCO
UK
Hey, Maxim, for as long as I have been in the world of PR, you have been at the center of it. Thank you so much for all your positive energy, leadership, and goodwill. Congratulations on your much recent award, I’m sure that there will be many more to come.
Thabisile Phumo
SVP and Head of Stakeholder Relations, Sibanye-Stillwater
South Africa
Dear Maxim, congratulations on your achievement. It is well-deserved. You’re an inspiration to all of us in this industry and your contribution is immeasurable. As we say in South Africa „Phambili Amandla!”
Paul Holmes
Founder, Provoke Media
ICCO Hall of Fame Entrant
USA
Congratulations, Max, on adding “PR Professional of the year” to your already impressive list of accolades and honors. I have to say that having known you as long as I have, running to you in as many places as I have over the years, I think this honor is not only well-deserved, but probably overdue. Our industry continues to suffer from a lack of visible leadership. Many of the people running the world’s biggest agencies are almost invisible on the global stage. And so, for somebody from a Bulgarian firm, a market that is not among the recognized leaders around the world, to take such an impressive leadership role in our industry, it is, I think, truly remarkable. What you do for this business – elevating the profile of Public Relations around the world and, more importantly, spreading the message of Public Relations as it should be – as a management discipline, as means of communicating honesty and integrity and ethics, for being an ambassador for our profession to the corporate world, the non-profit world, and the developing world. I think every honor you’ve received has just ben so, so much deserved and I’m sure this won’t be the last of them. Congratulations! Well done! And I hope you enjoy this celebration!
Andras Rado
Senior Cabin Crew and Recruitment Manager, Wizz Air
Hungary
I congratulate you once again for this fantastic achievement and hope to see you soon and congratulate you in person too. Bye bye!
Poly Genova
Singer and Eurovision Finalist 2016
Bulgaria
Hi, Maxim! I am very proud of you! First, congratulations on the award - Best PR Professional! That is a great success. I'm sure you've been incredible. I love working with you and with M3 Communications Group, Inc. I think you are unique, and I am so grateful for everything you do for me and my team. Sending you kisses from sunny London, and I wish your next award to involve the UK as well.
Dr. Solomon Passy
Bulgarian former Minister of Foreign Affairs
Security Council Chairman, United nations
Founding President, Atlantic Club of Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Maxim Behar, the only person in the universe, who is capable to win any continental, global or universal award for PR. The only award, which Maxim Behar cannot win, this is the award which he himself would establish, because Maxim Behar never gives the award to himself. Cheers!
Nitin Mantri
Group CEO, AvianWE
President, ICCO
India
Congratulations, Maxim, on this so well-deserved achievement. It is incredible. I’ve had the honor of working with you on ICCO and WCFA and many other projects. And I must say your passion and commitment to grow this profession is absolutely inspirational. You set an example for everyone in this industry, and I wish you many, many successes. Congratulations once again!
Juergen Gangoly
CEO, The Skills Group
Former European President, ICCO
Austria
Hello, Maxim! We know each other for almost 15 years now, have done numerous projects together within the International PR Organization ICCO, have met several times in Austria and in Bulgaria. And I still envy you so much. You are one of the strongest persons that we have in the international PR business. It is always such a pleasure meeting you. I still don’t know all your secrets, particularly on how to become so popular amongst media, amongst your clients, among the different award teams in your home country and on international level. And what always impresses me most is how much your employees love you. This is what I can see every time when I visit your great agency in Sofia. All the best and congratulations! You very much deserve this award. See you soon!
Dima Tutar
Sales and Traffic Representative, Turkish Airlines
Bulgaria
Dear Maxim, on behalf of Turkish Airlines, we would like to congratulate you on winning the Best PR professional in Europe. We are glad to work with you and your dedicated team. All the best!
John Sanders
President and CEO, Fleishman Hillard
USA
Hi Maxim! Congratulations on this latest award on this occasion coming from PRWeek. It’s a great, great accolade and very well-deserved.
Kamelia Slaveykova
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Shell
Bulgaria
I have known Maxim Behar for many years, but we have been actively working with him and his team for the past few years, as M3 Communications Group, Inc. serves Shell Bulgaria. I would like to congratulate Maxim Behar on this prestigious award and admit that this announcement did not surprise me, mainly for two reasons. Firstly, this is not the first prestigious award that Maxim Behar has recently received. And secondly, for me, this award is well deserved, as it truthfully reflects his aim for continuous development and improvement, both for himself and his team. Maxim's drive for constant improvement in his work is infectious, which he skillfully passes on with his experience and knowledge to his employees. Once again, I congratulate him and wish him continued success.
Francis Ingham
Director General, PRCA
Chief Executive, ICCO
UK
Maxim, a message from Vienna at the AMEC Summit from Francis Ingham. Congratulations on your PRWeek award. It’s a great recognition of all the work you’ve done over the years. Thoroughly well-deserved. It’s been a pleasure working with you for the last 10 years and I look forward to the next ten. Congratulations!
Stefan Ivanov
World Record Holder – rowed across the Atlantic in support of donor transplantation
Managing Partner, Challenger Capital Management
Bulgaria
Dear Maxim, congratulations for your PR Award! I want to congratulate you for your professional PR pro-bono work. That’s what I know you for. I’ve had the pleasure of serving on the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement with you for years. And you were always the most active, enthusiastic, and full of ideas Board Member. And that’s why I reached out to you when my son, Maxim and I decided to row across the Atlantic. And we wanted to do it for a cause. And we wanted this cause to reach millions of Bulgarians and that’s why we reached for you. You helped us do that. And now millions of Bulgarians know that if they donate their organs after death, they can save our fellow country people, who need a transplantation. That’s what you are – a savior!
Zsofia Lakatos
Managing Director, Emerald PR
Hungary
Dear Maxim, I would like to express my big congratulations to you receiving The Best PR Professional in Europe Award!
Christophe Ginisty
Communications Specialist
Past President, IPRA
UAE
Warm congratulations, Maxim, for this very, very, very, very well-deserved award. “Felicitations!” as we say in French. And I want to say that you are one of the most creative, one of the most energetic person, PR person, I’ve met in my life, and I’ve met you several times. And I had the good chance to evaluate your campaigns, the campaigns of your agency, because I was invited to be a jury of the BAPRA Awards, and I can say that you’ve been extremely creative and that you really deserve what you have today. I wish you all the best for you, for your team, for your family. I know that you care a lot about your family. I wish you all the best, sincerely from the Middle East, where I live now! And I… I hope that we will meet again soon, very soon. Thank you very much! Enjoy!
Alan Odgen
Former Manager, Hill+Knowton Strategies
UK
Congratulations on this award, Max, very well-deserved. You and I have worked together for 25 years and I’m sure our late friend Terence Billing will be equally proud of you as I am. Well done!
Alexander Dourchev
CEO, All Channels Communication Group
Bulgaria
Dear Max, it’s always so exciting when someone from Bulgaria has an award. And being announced Best professional in Europe is really incredible and well-deserved. Congratulations on your success! You set an example for everyone in this market and your achievement is really nothing but inspiring. Congratulations once again!
Justin Green
President and CEO, Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management
CEO, Wide Awake Communications
Ireland
On behalf of Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management, representing over 320 000 practitioners and academics across 126 countries worldwide, I want to congratulate Maxim on this great achievement which is truly deserved. Equally, I also want to congratulate everyone at M3 brilliant team of hardworking staff, that every agency around the word is so jealous of. Anyway, back to the award. What was is again?! “Best PR professional in Europe”? This can’t be true, because to me Max has always been the best PR professional in the world and has been for many years! Have a great evening and take care! God Bless!
Prof. Lyubomir Stoykov
Journalist
PR Manager and Media Expert
Bulgaria
The news that Maxim Behar has been recognized as the Best PR Professional in Europe, outside the UK, is wonderful, but also logical. Mr. Behar is a perfect communications manager of an innovative and integrative type. We are all proud of him because he is an outstanding example. Congratulations. Max! Be blessed.
Sanja Burg:
Communications and Engagement Director, L’Oreal Adria-Balkan
Serbia
Hi, Max! Congratulations on the award! It’s an honor to cooperate with the Best PR professional in Europe. It’s been a real pleasure to work with you and your amazing team for more than a decade and… what to say more. All the best from me, from our team and greetings from Belgrade!
Mai Anh Le
Regional country Manager, Global PR Hub
Vietnam
Congratulations, Maxim Behar! And again, wishing you all the best for your “Best PR Professional in Europe 2022”! Thank you so much for your leadership, for your engagement, for your inspiring! I’m so happy to join WCFA and I’m looking forward to work with you and to team further in the future. Hope to see you soon in Davos next year! Congratulation again, Maxim!
Milen Tzanov
Manager, Red Devil Catering
Bulgaria
I’m sincerely happy for your success which you have definitely earned in the international professional arena. I wish you to be healthy, strong, and be The Change. To lead us as you have always led us to new bright heights.
Assoc. Prof. Georgi Lozanov
Journalist and Media Expert
Bulgaria
And one knows who has chosen the right path only when you see how far he has gone on it. Congratulations, Maxim!
Dimitris Roulias
Managing Partner, Out of the Box PR
Greece
Dear friend, congratulations on this unique, exceptional, well-deserved distinction. I know you, I know that this award will be an inspiration for you for more creative, more innovative, more influential PR work.
Cesare Valli
Co-Founder, Create Value
Former President and CEO Eastern and South Europe, Hill+Knowton Strategies
Italy
Dear Maxim, we got this fantastic news, which, I think, is very well-deserved. It has been a great honor to accompany you in your growth and your professional carrier. You are a star! Many, many compliments!
Arturas Jonkus
Managing Director, Agency 1323
Lithuania
Hi Maxim! Best regards from Vilnius! And I was so glad to hear about your nomination and really, I knew all the time that you are the best in our industry. So, I hope you enjoy this summer and let’s keep in touch. Have a nice day and good start of the week, of this week.
Rayna Stoyanova
Co-Founder and Endocrinologist, Regina Life Clinic
Bulgaria
Dear Mr. Behar, I greet you and congratulate you from the bottom of my heart on the award you have won. We are honored to work with your PR company. The marketing which you do is a true work of art and working with you is a great pleasure. We are very happy for you, and we salute you from this wonderful place. Greetings from the entire team of Regina Life Clinic. Enjoy your awards, and hopefully, we will follow your example, so that you can be proud of our awards someday as well.
Flavio Oliviera
Senior Communications Manager, EIT Urban Mobility
Netherlands
Maxim is truly a PR legend, which I’m very happy to call my friend and my colleague. He is truly ahead of his time and an inspiration for the global PR community, which I’m very happy to be part of. Amazing leader in all the functions occupied in ICCO, in the WCFA and in the many other organizations that have the luck to have him on board. Thank you, Maxim, thank you for existing and for being this reference in the Public Relations worldwide!
Lars Wolf
Managing Director, C2 Capital
Sweden
On behalf of C2Capital, I would like to congratulate you, Maxim, to this so well-deserved achievement. You and I, we have been working together since 1999 in different projects. And I’ve seen you grow into global PR professional, leading M3 to be a world-class organization in the area of PR and Marketing Communications. It’s a pleasure to work with such a professional like you, Maxim. Wish you and M3 best luck for the future!
Mina Nazari
PR and Communications Researcher
Iran
This is Mina Nazari. Dear Maxim Behar, I see you were recognized as the Best PR professional in Europe. Please accept my special congratulations from Iran. It’s my proud to work with you in World Communication Forum Association. I hope we will meet each other in Davos as soon as possible. Thank you very much! Best regards.
Stuart Bruce
PR Futurist
UK
This is the UK Jury. Congratulations, Maxim, on this well-deserved award from PRWeek. You’ve done so much for the Public Relations and communications industry in Europe and around the world. So, congratulations, jubilations, and felicitations from the United Kingdom!
Catalina Rousseau
President and CEO, BDR Associates Strategic Communication Group
Romania
Hi Maxim! Congratulations for your new achievement, an impressive one. A new impressive one, actually. I wish you a lot of success in your career and I wish you to find a new house. I think the one you are living in now, it’s not enough for so many awards already gathered and for the rest to come. Start searching! Very best from Catalina!
Pinar Alkan
Key Account Manager, SPI International
Turkey
Hello, it’s me, Pinar! Greetings from SPI International! We’re so happy to hear that Maxim is one of the Best PR professionals in Europe. A real pleasure working with Maxim, because he is so supportive, and we are enjoying together while we are working. So, we are sure that we will have so many successful projects in the future with Maxim as SPI International. Thank you for everything Maxim ang congratulations again!
Alison Clarke
Former President, Chartered Institute of PR
Former Chairman, PR Consultants Association
UK
Hi Maxim! Congratulations on your reward! It is so richly deserved. Thank you from me and all of the community at large for all that you do to promote what we do and to encourage people to come to our profession. And a big thank you also for the incredible work you do with ICCO. So, enjoy your success and many congratulations!
Georgi Petkov:
CEO, BTL Industries
Bulgaria
Hi, Max! I'm not addressing you as a person who received another award for his efforts for so many years in the PR. I’m rather addressing you as a person, who I would boldly call a friend, that I have known for so many years. By working together and by always being amazed by your energy and creativity, I would just like to wish you to be healthy, very happy, and never lose your childlike energy and fighting spirit. Congratulations and I hope to see you soon, so, we can celebrate!
Tatevik Simonyan
Co-Founder, SPRING PR Company
Armenia
You embody the best model of modern communications professional, my dear friend, keep reaching new heights. I send you a big hug from Armenia with the hope that we will meet soon
Stefan Dimtrov
Group Managing Partner, Matrix Relocations
Bulgaria
Hey, Max! Congratulations on being selected the “Best PR Professional for the year 2022”! I remember 25-30 years ago, when we were all starting the business, how enthusiastic we were. And, you know what, man? You made it! I’m so happy about you! I know about your everyday efforts to become a better and better person, to build up your great company. And, you know what? Well deserved! Congratulations!
Jan Broman
Partner, Boman Communications PRNetwork
Denmark
PRWeek is by far the most authoritative media in our industry and the prize you were given shows also your position your contribution to the industry. You are probably the person who was authentic in PR respect, before being authentic became the “new black” of the PR. So, this prize is really good deserved and again, my congratulations and my best wishes from very sunny Ontario
Christina Forsgard
Ethics Chair, ICCO
Founder, Netprofile Finland
Finland
Max, what can I say? You are a star! You have been an amazing professional within ICCO, and I’ve been truly honored to be working with you on many many occasions. So, I truly congratulate you for being nominated the “Best PR Professional in Europe”. All my best wishes to you from Finland.
Hristo Hristov
President and CEO, Discordia
Bulgaria
Max, special congratulations on the prestigious award! Personally, this is no surprise to me. Considering the passion and energy you put in, combined with your incredible professionalism, such an award seems rather natural. Keep it up! This boosts the image of the Bulgarian business community. Max, I’m proud to know you and I’m happy to be able to benefit from your outstanding professionalism in my work.
Zofia Bugajna
Founding Partner, Sec Newgate CEE
Poland
Dear Maxim, Kudos! You are a great leader and absolutely amazing inspiration for our industry and World Communications Forum Association! Congratulations!
Jason Frayne
Senior Vice-president EMEA, Hill+Knowton Strategies
On behalf of H+K, we salute you and we are really happy that you’ve won this award. It’s very well-deserved and we look forward to working with you again later the year. Take care!
Alexander Christov
Chairman, BAPRA
Managing Partner, Paragraph 42
Bulgaria
Congratulations, Max! I wish you all the best and let's keep proving that PR in Bulgaria is on a global level. Cheers!
Ciro Dias dos Reis
ICCO Board Member
Brazil
Congratulations, Maxim, on the PR Week Award. It’s a great recognition and well-deserved. I hope you all the best, my friend!
Stanislava Stratieva:
Marketing Manager, Cash Credit
Bulgaria
I record this video as I’m walking to the office, and I put symbolism in it, because Maxim is a professional, who makes companies and people move forward as well as towards their ideas and their realization. Maxim, congratulations on this recognition! We can't wait to see the new things that lie ahead.
Dimitar Dimitrov:
Rector, UNWE
Bulgaria
I’ve known you since 2011 and I’m always excited by your continuous effort and your enthusiasm during these years. Please continue that way!
George Ruitchev
Executive Director, BBLF
Bulgaria
Hi, Max! Congratulations on the huge recognition from PR Week, which named you The Best PR Professional in Europe in their annual awards! You are our pride and we, at BBLF, always rely on your ideas, creativity, and eternal energy. Many of our projects were started by you, and we are happy to continue them. So, keep up the good work! Keep being creative, energetic, healthy, and active. Congratulations from the whole BBLF team!
Amanda Coleman
FCIPR, FPRCA
Crisis Communications Author
UK
Maxim, congratulations on this really richly deserved award. I hope you take some time to really enjoy the fact that you received it and to reflect on the reasons why. I’ve always enjoyed really working with you and the WCFA. And I’m really grateful for the support you’ve given me throughout my career, but particularly with my two books and the support you’ve given to those. Good luck and really enjoy this moment!
Nikolay Nedelchev
Investor, Former Executive Chairmen, Publicis Group Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Congratulation, Maxim, for the PR Week Award for “Best PR Professional in Europe”! Max, this is an amazing achievement and knowing you and you company for almost 25 years, I find it very much a logical one. You make me proud to have been in the same industry, man. Max, enjoy this award to the max! Cheers!
Vlad Bazikalov
Sales Director, Cision Group
UK
Dear Maxim, greeting from London and congratulations on winning PR Week’s Award. It’s been a pleasure working with you and knowing you for many years. Very well-deserved!
