The following is part of our LinkedIn article series, the Leadership Lens 

With AI transforming the agency landscape and M&A reshaping capabilities, RF|Binder President Rebecca Binder discusses how growth now depends as much on developing people as adopting technology and aligning with performance and impact.

As we look toward 2026, it’s clear that communications will play a more critical role than ever in driving business growth and trust. The rapid advances in technology and evolving client expectations seen over the past year have set the stage for continued transformation across our industry.

At RF|Binder, we see this as an opportunity to help organizations communicate with greater precision and measurable impact. More than ever, clients are seeking partners who can connect strategy and storytelling, bringing together creativity, data and accountability to achieve business results.

Under the leadership of President Rebecca Binder, RF|Binder has continued to evolve as an integrated communications and consulting firm that aligns communications directly with performance. Named a 2025 PRNEWS People of the Year honoree in the Agency Innovators category and recognized by PR Week 40 under 40, Rebecca brings a unique perspective shaped by her early career in business consulting at Innosight, the innovation consultancy founded by Clayton Christensen, and Booz Allen Hamilton, where she advised Fortune 500 companies on growth and organizational strategy. This foundation informs her approach today, which is based on combining business insight with creative and people first-driven leadership.

Over the past two years, RF|Binder has expanded through the acquisitions of Peaks Strategies and Taft Communications, deepening expertise across financial services, health and life sciences. Proprietary tools such as the Clarity Lens™ Framework and Clarity Index™ reflect an ongoing commitment to helping clients connect communications to tangible outcomes.

As we move into 2026, we’re focused on clarity, innovation and leadership, empowering our people and our clients to navigate change and build what’s next.

To explore how she’s positioning RF|Binder for the next phase of growth, we spoke with Rebecca Binder. What follows is an edited version of a conversation for our Leadership Lens series.

How has your leadership reshaped RF|Binder’s business model and expanded its offerings?

Rebecca Binder: I’ve brought a perspective that builds on what has always been core to RF|Binder, our sense of curiosity, entrepreneurial thinking and integrated communications, while drawing on my background in corporate strategy and business model innovation. My focus has been on how we evolve, pushing boundaries, introducing new capabilities and commercializing them to stay ahead and drive client impact.

That mindset now shapes everything we do, from advancing integrated services to how we approach learning, development and talent recruitment. For example, with our approach of leveraging all channels once we have the narrative in place, we tap every channel for our campaigns. As a result, our paid and digital business became one of our fastest-growing areas. My role has been to accelerate that momentum and ensure innovation is embedded across the organization.

What drives this culture of innovation?

Rebecca Binder: RF|Binder has always had an entrepreneurial spirit, but in recent years, we’ve codified it as part of our DNA. We’ve built the firm with team members who are solutions-oriented and inquisitive, creating an environment where anyone can raise an idea, test it and share results.

We encourage every employee to see themselves as leaders and innovators whose perspectives matter. Innovation isn’t confined to a department; it’s a way of thinking that drives every project.

How is RF|Binder using AI across its services and business model?

Rebecca Binder: AI is here to stay, so our goal is to integrate it thoughtfully, always through the lens of delivering more value for our clients. Our core strength remains our people. AI enhances our work but doesn’t replace the human touch, judgement or perspective that is critical in our industry.

We’ve identified areas where AI improves efficiency, such as résumé review for our associate program. The process is faster and more consistent, freeing our team to focus on higher-value engagement. We take a sandbox approach – testing, refining and defining what excellence looks like – to ensure tools enhance quality and ethics without replacing human insight.

Which leadership behaviors have the most significant impact on culture and performance?

Rebecca Binder: Leadership, to me, is about influence and example. I learn from our team every day, and that two-way exchange drives curiosity, collaboration and better client work. It’s about actions: motivating others, having a perspective and modeling the behavior we expect.

What investments are you making to attract, retain and grow the right talent?

Rebecca Binder: We invest heavily in our people because we’re a people business. Our talent team reports directly to me – that is intentional. Creating an engaged, motivated team that brings its best self to work is what drives excellent client outcomes.

Our development programs emphasize continuous learning, combining structured training, mentorship and individualized growth plans aligned to both personal strengths and business needs.

RF|Binder has been named a “Best Place to Work” by Crain’s four years in a row. What drives that consistency?

Rebecca Binder: This recognition is meaningful because it’s based mainly on employee feedback, which is a direct reflection of how our people feel about working here. Externally, it validates our culture. Internally, it builds pride and reinforces that everyone contributes to making RF|Binder a great place to work.

How has the post-COVID shift to hybrid work changed your view of collaboration?

Rebecca Binder: We’re intentional about hybrid work that creates space for connection and spontaneous problem-solving. Being in the same space allows for more organic collaboration – the kind that doesn’t always happen on Zoom. Brainstorming benefits, too; you can pick up on cues and jump into conversations more naturally. Those human connections deepen relationships and improve future work.

Tell us about the Clarity Lens. How does it align with business goals and communications?

Rebecca Binder: The Clarity Lens is our proprietary approach to aligning business and communications strategy. We start with the client’s business objectives, key messages and target audiences, and leverage our framework to build an integrated plan to achieve them.

Each engagement begins with a Clarity Lens Audit, which includes market analysis, stakeholder interviews and a detailed landscape review. From there, we build a foundational strategic positioning and messaging platform that becomes the blueprint and architecture for all communications and marketing efforts. It’s how we connect business strategy to corporate communication and brand storytelling in a meaningful way.

As tools, technology and communications channels evolve, what’s now a “must-have” for brands?

Rebecca Binder: Every brand needs to consider how it shows up across every channel from investors to customers to prospective employees, all who interact with you digitally. Fundamentals still matter most: who you are, what you do and what sets you apart. Once that’s clear, you can decide where to activate.

For most organizations today, LinkedIn, SEO and paid search are non-negotiables. With AI reshaping search, generative search optimization is becoming essential to visibility and relevance.

Entering 2026, what are the big bets you’re making to push the envelope at RF|Binder?

Rebecca Binder: We’re advising brands on how to navigate an issues-rich environment: deciding when to speak, when not to and how to do so authentically while supporting business goals. We’re expanding our digital and paid capabilities, including a generative search optimization offering and integrating it across services. And, we are deepening our sector expertise in financial services, professional services, food, beverage and nutrition, consumer, energy, and healthcare and life sciences.

You’ve described RF|Binder’s growth focus as “buy, build, partner.” What does that mean in practice?

Rebecca Binder: Each year we do a capabilities gap analysis, evaluating where we are today versus where we want to be according to our financial and strategic goals. As part of that assessment, we determine which gaps will be filled based on acquisition, organic growth or strategic partnership, all with the goal of how to deliver the most significant business impact for our clients.

Integration is often the most challenging part of M&A. How do you make 1 + 1 = 5?

Rebecca Binder: M&A complements our mission to empower our people and clients to make a positive impact. We look for entrepreneurial teams that share our values and want to grow within RF|Binder. The real value in an acquisition is in the integration, and integration is all about people. Finding organizations that will be a culture “add” and have shared values make partnerships work long term. We also test collaboration early, identifying joint opportunities before a deal closes, so both teams can gauge alignment. When it’s the right fit, those early wins accelerate growth.

How do AI, talent development and M&A come together in your long-term vision?

Rebecca Binder: They’re all part of one ecosystem. We’re seeking partners and teams with a point of view, an entrepreneurial mindset and a willingness to test and learn. Curiosity and agility define RF|Binder and what we look for in others.

We aim to be known as the best firm that aligns communications and corporate strategy to drive real business impact. Everything, from how we approach growth, leverage technology and engage our talent, builds toward that vision.