The annual list of our 10 most-read stories usually provides a pretty good barometer of the issues that mattered for the global PR industry. Here is the top 10 ranking for 2012.

Our 2012 Review also includes: Top 10 Blogposts Top 10 analysis & features

Hill + Knowlton's Dave Robinson Passes Away In Dubai Tragedy strikes as H+K Middle East chief Dave Robinson, a popular and highly respected figure in the PR industry, passes away at the age of just 41. Weber Shandwick Brings Legal Action Against Hill + Knowlton Duo Proving that well known adage: You can bang on about strategic PR, but what people really want to read about is a good old-fashioned agency lawsuit (see MSLGroup, below). Edelman Unveils New Firms Krispr For Kellogg Business  By the time this soap opera of a story finally concluded, after two pitches, two agency appointments and one resignation, I would probably have believed anything. Which may explain why I didn't bat an eyelid at the name 'Krispr'. Frank PR Launches In New York I'd love to say that this story ranks so high because it was such a well-investigated, hard-hitting exclusive. But I think it's probably because Alan Sugar decided to share it with his 2.5m Twitter followers. Our thanks go to his lordship. Qatar's First Lady Seeks Social Media Strategy  Hey, don't we all need a social media strategy? Although, perhaps some of us can't afford to hire entire global PR networks to oversee them. Mark Penn Exits Burson-Marsteller For Strategy Role At Microsoft Probably our biggest scoop of the year, this story had pretty much everything, as the Mark Penn era came to a close at Burson amid a fair amount of intrigue. Edelman Russia Layoffs Draw Trade Union Opposition  Edelman ran into considerable trouble in Russia, bringing us our first sighting of the 'Solidarity' trade union, and several 'colourful' story comments that required us to re-acquaint ourselves with relevant libel laws. Shift Launches ESOP For All Staff And Restructures Management  Shift opts for the road less-travelled, eschewing a holding company sale in favour of a staff shareholding plan. CEO Todd Defren is, no doubt, aware of how independent agencies continue to outperform publicly-owned ones. 33 Female Execs To Take Part In MSLGroup Lawsuit The numbers for this are fairly astonishing, given that it only ran last week. A story that is likely to keep on engrossing readers in 2013. India's Flipkart Calls In New PR Support Amid Media Criticism India's answer to Amazon found itself on the wrong end of a fascinating Forbes expose by Rohin Dharmakumar. Enter Genesis Burson-Marsteller to handle a brand that is revolutionising e-commerce in India.