Public Relations has long been an elusive and mysterious industry for most people. Portayals of the industry in media and popular culture, although fleeting, have largely focused only on the lifestyle/luxury/fashion areas of the industry (see: Absolutely Fabulous). That is, however, until the unveiling of what would become one of the most popular television shows produced in modern times: Succession.

The show explores the workings behind the Waystar Royco media conglomerate and dives into themes of decision-making, strategy, corporate law, corporate politics and the influence of media on political outcomes.  

More poignantly though, the show also shines a light on one of the most impactful but least known facets of the PR world: corporate communications. Let’s delve into the portrayal of the world of corporate communications on Succession and explore the role of one of the most integral characters on the show: Waystar Royco’s Head of PR, Karolina Novotney.

She Was Always in the Room

Karolina was rarely the focus of a scene, but she was always in the room when it most mattered: managing optics out of the spotlight, behind the camera ahead of a press conference, on the tarmac with the Roys, seated just off-center at board meetings and shareholder calls. That’s not just for show; it translates into good business.

The key takeaway here is that PR should never be an afterthought. Karolina’s presence ensured that every move was filtered through the lens of public perception, media risk, and strategic positioning. She anticipated the fallout before it happened, always on the front foot and never behind the narrative.

Lesson: If your Head of Communications or Head of PR isn’t in the room during pivotal decisions, you’re not thinking strategically about reputation, and therefore, you’re not thinking strategically about the going concern of your organisation.

She Knew How to Manage Ego and Optics

Karolina’s true genius was her ability to manage volatile personalities without making herself the main story. With Logan, she was deferential but firm. With Kendall, she balanced concern with control. And with the media? Absolute professionalism.

She wasn’t there to tell the Roys what they wanted to hear, she was there to counsel them on what the public perception would be. That role requires strategic finesse, political intelligence, and the emotional discipline to navigate delicate egos while defending the integrity of the company’s image and reputation.

Lesson: Great communicators know how to manage internal stakeholders just as well as they manage external ones.

She Never Played the Game, but She Understood It Perfectly

Unlike Tom, Greg, or the Roy siblings, Karolina never plotted or schemed. But she knew how the game worked, and how to survive it. She wasn’t seduced by power, but she understood how it moved. When the company was facing one of its many crises, especially in the public domain (scandal, shareholder revolt, hostile media coverage), Karolina stayed professional, laser-focused, and deeply attuned to the public mood.

Lesson: You don’t need to be the loudest voice in the room to be the most valuable one. Influence in corporate communications is often quiet, yet powerful.

She Understood That Reputation Is a Valuable Asset, Not an Outcome

Karolina never treated PR as damage control or corporate spin. She used it to manage long-term brand protection. Her job wasn’t to cover up scandals, it was to safeguard the public perception of credibility and trust (what little there was at times) and preserve institutional integrity in a media ecosystem that never sleeps.

Lesson: PR isn’t just what you say when things go wrong, it’s more how you build credibility when things are going right as a way to bolster reputations when things go wrong.

Ultimately, Succession showed us a corporate world driven by ego, shifting power dynamics, wealth, and chaos. But it also gave us Karolina: a rare reminder that behind every powerful company is someone calmly managing the noise, staying the course on messaging, shielding the brand, and preparing the external message for when it all went sideways.

At Pearscroft Communications, we champion the Karolinas of the business world. Book a discovery session here to better understand how we can safeguard your corporate reputation.