Chief Guest Owek. Alhaji Osman Noor Ahmed (4th left), PRAU President Irene Nakasiita (5th left), judges and Pearl Bank officials pose with the inaugural PR Crown Jewel

By : Editor

Pearl Bank won five awards at the 10th Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU) Excellence Awards, including the inaugural PR Crown Jewel Award, for its communication campaigns and social impact initiatives.

The awards ceremony was held at the Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja on Friday, October 23, 2026, as part of PRAU’s Golden Jubilee celebrations marking 50 years of public relations practice in Uganda.

Pearl Bank received the PR Crown Jewel Award for its rebranding journey from PostBank Uganda and the communication strategy that supported the transition. The award was introduced during PRAU’s 50th anniversary celebrations, and Pearl Bank became its first recipient.

The bank also won gold awards in Media Relations, Corporate Storytellers and Impact Beyond Profit, as well as a silver award in Culture Champions.

In Media Relations, Pearl Bank was recognised for addressing customer concerns during the rebranding through media engagement, leadership interviews and consistent messaging. Figures submitted in its awards entry show that media coverage increased from 353 stories in 2024 to 498 in 2025, a 41 per cent rise. Its share of voice in banking coverage reached 10.2 per cent in 2025 and 12 per cent in 2026 reporting, while its ranking improved to second place in 2026.

The Corporate Storytellers award recognised the campaign, “The Trust Transition: The Name Changed. The Trust Didn’t,” which emphasised continuity in customer relationships and services despite the change of name.

The silver award in Culture Champions recognised the “We Are the Pearl” campaign, which involved employees in the rebranding process and prepared staff to answer customer questions about the new identity.

Under Impact Beyond Profit, Pearl Bank was recognised for its partnership with the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) to support the development of Uganda’s bone marrow transplant capacity. The bank contributed Shs200 million towards the project and supported public engagement efforts to mobilise additional contributions.

Pearl Bank Head of Marketing and Communications, Priscilla Akora, said the recognition came as the bank marked one year since changing its name from PostBank Uganda.

Akora said communication goes beyond publicity, playing a strategic role in engaging stakeholders and delivering the right messages to audiences.

“For Pearl Bank, it was about communicating the transition to its new identity and how this was aimed at fostering prosperity for Ugandans, which aligns with the bank’s ongoing campaign, ‘When You Grow, Uganda Prospers’,” Akora said.

The awards were presented by the chief guest, Owek. Alhaji Osman Noor Ahmed, the Second Deputy Prime Minister of Obwa Kyabazinga Bwa Busoga. He commended the winners and participants for promoting excellence in public relations.

The awards were held under the theme, “Celebrating 50 Years of Professional Excellence, Shaping the Future of Public Relations,” bringing together public relations practitioners and industry stakeholders to recognise excellence in strategic communication.