AmCham biz.hk Jan/Feb 2016 Supplement - Advertising, Marketing & Communication Services

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A M dv C ar er om ke tis i m ting ng, un & ic at io n Se rv ic es

Relevance, Reinvention and Reputation Lynne Anne Davis

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In a conversation with Lynne Anne Davis, President of FleishmanHillard Asia Pacific, Channy Lee finds out how two of the world’s biggest megatrends – the advent of the Internet and the rise of Asia as a dominant global force for business, brands and innovation – have dramatically changed the face of the public relations industry in the region

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biz.hk: With a background in journalism and advertising, what made you turn to – and stay in – PR as a career choice?

Davis: The University of Missouri’s internationally acclaimed School of Journalism prepared me for all kinds of pursuits in life. Writing and creativity are my passions and I relish account management – unlocking problems and setting strategies with clients. Each of these roles is distinct and separate in ad agencies, so I switched to PR early in my career to exercise everything I love to do.

It turned out to be more thrilling than I ever imagined. From meeting heads of state, advising game-changing companies, dealing with some of the trickiest issues and pivotal milestones in business, it’s been non-stop – especially in a region as dynamic as Asia. There is never a shortage of drama or diversity to feed an appetite for excitement. biz.hk: What are the game-changers in PR over the past few years?

Davis: Two of the world’s biggest megatrends have dramatically changed the face of our industry in the region: the advent of the Internet and the rise of Asia as a dominant global force for business, brands and innovation.

Like the discovery of electricity, the Internet has transformed life and the way we all live. At its most basic, the Internet is highly connective communications. So is PR. The impact and future potential it has unleashed for our industry is staggering, really. The Internet’s disintermediation of communications has led all marketing disciplines to embrace integration: marrying offline and online strategies across multiple platforms, with social firmly at the core.

PR is also central to the transformation of Asian multinationals into well-recognized, respected global leaders. Their overseas expansion has increased demand for PR and global PR networks to facilitate entry into new markets, which are typically crowded and highly competitive. Reputation plays a pivotal role. Building trust and exporting brand values are among the many hurdles that communications helps clear across a range of stakeholders – from regulators to investors to consumers. biz.hk: How should businesses utilize social media?

Davis: Businesses must position themselves for a

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social media-centric world, aligning communications across paid, earned, shared and owned media.

Market and audience insights chart that course, so research and analytics are critical.

To help, we’ve built sophisticated communications command centers for clients that not only listen and track online conversations but they feed and measure them as well. They have elevated the ability to gauge and engage in conversations that matter to their business. You don’t have to look far into the future to see a time when all companies will operate these in some form as a requisite of doing business. biz.hk: In a recent interview with the SCMP, you stated that “traditional ways of communication and crisis management are outdated; command and control is dead,” would you elaborate?

Davis: Reputation is everything. A digital world of radical transparency and higher consumer expectations requires vigilance to protect and defend reputations. They are more fragile than ever. The rise of consumer activism and cyber-attacks, for example, are part of a rapidly expanding universe of issues swirling around companies 24/7. Every citizen with a smartphone can amplify a major incident or a simple disappointment globally, on the spot, with just a few clicks.

Crises break at Tweet speed, which completely disrupts how organizations traditionally manage issues. Live response is now crucial, irrespective of time zones. We have developed a network of certified crisis experts helping companies prepare for and keep pace with this reality. It’s one of our fastest growing services in Asia. Re-engineering crisis and issues response is a priority; preparedness and plans must factor in completely new demands for acting fast. biz.hk: What did you learn as PR jury president of the 2015 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity?

Davis: There is clearly a significant shift toward combining the power of creativity with purpose to drive performance. The Shared Value innovators increasingly take center stage at the Cannes Lions for brilliantly aligning brand promise and product benefits with social benefits. Female empowerment, for example, was a major universal inspiration for many of 2015’s top campaigns globally.

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It’s been said that people care less about what a company does than why it does it. A brand has to assert its identity and clearly show where it stands in order to win hearts and minds. In a time when transparency, social responsibility, and sustainability have become key indicators of brand character, winning campaigns and companies must cater to the communication of these values. biz.hk: How does creativity play into it?

Davis: People today may be more accessible than ever, but they are also more distracted. The Internet has democratized creativity and hence campaigns today are co-created with the world. Engagement requires making an emotional connection that compels people to align with a common interest.

This tests every agency’s creative limits. It also plays to the strengths of PR, which has always engaged with audiences in creative, real-time ways rather than simply marketing at them. biz.hk: What values remain important for a PR firm?

What qualities help people succeed in PR? Davis: Entrusted with others’ reputations, a PR firm’s single most important value is ethics and upholding its highest standards. This requires cultivating a strong culture of integrity that is the foundation for ethical-decision making by every individual in the agency.

Beyond the basics, high situational awareness is the mark of a good communicator. Why? They always have their heads up. It pays to pay attention and be able to contextualize trends, from new technology and industrial shifts, to market and political forces.

Most importantly, they are actively plugged into the conversations and insatiably curious.

Over the years, I’ve found that generally, people who live life deeply, with diverse interests, do really well in this business. You’ve got to be in the thick of it to stay tapped into what people care about and why.

After all, they have to care before they share.

Share-ability is the litmus test for effective communications today. biz.hk: What is your motto in any given PR project?

Davis: Every campaign, no matter how small, is deserving of a big idea that also makes the world a

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better place.

The new corporate mandate to drive profits and purpose comes with a new creative mandate for agencies, too. That’s why we have introduced SharedImpactLab to advise clients in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, considered “the world’s to-do list.”

We contribute further through pro bono work for organizations such as the Asian University for Women (AUW) in Bangladesh, which educates a new generation of leaders by finding extraordinary women from the most unexpected locations and teaching them not only to transform their own lives but also society.

In simple terms, it’s our power to change the world. That’s what excites me most about this business and the work we do. biz.hk: Where is the industry of PR headed next?

Davis: Looking ahead, areas of focus are relevance, reinvention and reputation.

Classic brands that have had time on their side to build leadership over decades must re-evaluate their relevance and, more often than not, reinvent to meet changing lifestyles and expectations. This is especially true in Asia where early adopters abound and younger generations prefer the latest, greatest and new. If your brand is a legend, it is likely time to refresh how it fits into everyday life today.

The answer to that may lie in how clearly a company and its brands communicate how they are creating “shared value.” It’s not a fad. Consumers demand more responsibility from companies.

Likewise, governments are partnering and regulating in the same spirit. Progressive enterprises are following suit in droves, rewarded by increased sales and share price, greater customer preference and loyalty, and higher employee satisfaction and retention, for example. These expectations will continue to intensify. Success is determined by the swift, the creative, and the relevant. That makes 2016 a year of great opportunity for PR. Lynne Anne Davis is President & Senior Partner, FleishmanHillard Asia Pacific, and Founding Board Member and Co-Chair of the Hong Kong Support Foundation of the Asian University for Women.

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Managing Online Reputation Author of Managing Online Reputation: How to Protect Your Company’s Reputation in Social Media, Charlie Pownall, presents an abstraction of the understanding drawn from his 20 years of experience in public relations and mass communications for management of brand and reputation in the digital age

By Channy Lee

“I

t’s a very complex topic,” Charlie Pownall stresses, in explaining how multiple job titles he holds all add value to his capacity as a consultant specializing in online reputation management.

Coming from an educational background in journalism and work history in public relations, government communications, advocacy and social media marketing, Pownall thoroughly understands the transformation of the social web for reputation management.

His recently published book titled Managing Online Reputation: How to Protect Your Company’s Reputation in Social Media is an abstraction of the understanding drawn from his twenty years of experience in relevant fields.

While currently focusing on delivering trainings and consultancy in reputational management, the managing

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director of CPC & Associates Communications and Online Reputation Consultancyhe states that his book aims to not only consolidate the training he offers into words but also reclaim the dearth of practical advice and strategies in the area.

According to Pownall, there are many existing services claiming to specialize in reputational management, but in reality they only sell “puffed-up search engine solutions.”

The author instead promises the first guide to where reputation and the Internet meet.

Reputation digitized Public relations and communications, technology, marketing, and law are the four pillars considered in the book when dealing with reputation in

the digital age. “Most existing guidance on the topic is written from one of these perspectives,” says Pownall. “But effective online reputation protection and defense is about all of these working together.”

Accordingly, a response to a reputational crisis online should not just be fitting to one of those categories but working in conjunction with another. His professional experiences that stretch across three out of the four areas to be considered are what invoked the writing of the book.

“What lies behind it is really classic risk management,” he explains. The book presents a systematic approach to the task, delineating different types of negative situations with a scale on which the type is defined, and exploring various options for online responses according to the type of issue presented.

“Forget the Internet for a minute. In

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Charlie Pownall

classic crisis management, it pays to be really well-prepared,” he points out. “So this is about knowing what your probabilities are, what your weaknesses are, and then making sure that you are tracking them so that if this issue or another actually escalates into a problem, you’ll know how to deal with it.”

But issues of classic crisis management amplify in the context of an age where everything is digitized. The formerly simple taxonomy of public relations, communications and reputation management has transformed with burgeoning prominence of the Internet, where company valuation does not just depend on how stakeholders evaluate the company but expectations from a wide range of audience on the Internet need to be wholly accounted for.

Compounding the challenge of satisfying the public eye, the increased

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amount of information inundating the web and the speed at which it travels have led to an environment where problems rise out of the blue, in forms that are not easy to predict.

Information in the social media domain, especially, has directly fuelled the growing significance of issues of this nature. In the words of the author, the tendency to see social media as “a business and marketing Holy Grail” while “overlooking the hazards of the conquest” has also made crisis management in the online domain particularly challenging.

The process Pownall describes his book as a book of common sense. “It is not rocket science. It’s just about thinking through the issue and having a good idea of the shape of the issue, why they have emerged, when they are likely to emerge, and then what the right shape of your response is.”

“There’s actually relatively little information out there that in any way kind of provides a systematic approach to this,” he says. “I think my book is a first in that prospect, but I think it could be a whole lot more detailed. I mention five scenarios in the book, but there are hundreds of them.”

Reflecting on the process of putting together a 65,000 words long book, he says it was a challenge he posed on himself. “You learn a lot just by writing about the topic. I have gone to see what my colleagues in this area, and it helped a lot.”

“I’m a PR guy but I wanted to give more of a broader view [with the book].

With managers, security experts, cybersecurity people, IP lawyers, media lawyers, defamation experts, you name it, all sorts of different types of people, it gave me a much more rounded perspective, and it was a learning experience professionally for me as well.”

In exemplifying the kind of structured thinking discussed in the book,

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Pownall conceptualizes social media as a “trigger,” an “amplifier” and a “sustainer” to shaping reputation. As a trigger, a reputational problem begins online and begins with anything on the Internet that triggers people to express displeasure.

“And that can be a badly mishandled couple of service complaints, or it could be what is regarded as an inappropriate or even offensive marketing campaign or something,” he cautions. “This quickly escalates into a reputational problem. That’s why I think of it as a trigger.”

The amplifying effect of social media is described as the second way in which social media can have a large impact on reputation. “Maybe your company is polluting a river, or your management is seen as capable but possibly corrupt,” he explains. “Some aspects of your reputation – either positive or negative – will spread and be routinely lauded or castigated.”

Social media’s last role in the digital age of reputation management is as a sustainer, Pownall contends.

Following a crisis, a company would want information circulation regarding the crisis to abate, and the general course of development is that media coverage, online discussion and information circulation about the crisis subside overall.

But the information will remain on platforms like Facebook and other search engines, becoming a part of the depth of information online, “which means that this stuff kind of gets sustained, often in the low level, but because it’s there, certainly it can spike up again, just because the information is accessible.”

“Somehow the Internet and social media are regarded as separate, and it’s just plainly not the case,” he explains. With the perception that online and offline reputation are two separate entities, companies are bound to set reputation management programs that are not integrated enough.

The other aspect is the notion that responses are not as integral as the way threats have become. “Many organizations are still coming at this in a very stylized manner, so you’re not getting enough of PR or other parts of the organization working closely enough to tackle problems as they emerge,” Pownall says.

He foresees a focus on further integration in the approach to devising solutions. “You’re going to get lawyers, digital marketing people and PR people, and they need to be involved in working much more closely together.”

Planning instigates a stance that is proactive rather than reactive, which is how Pownall purports online reputation management should aim to be.

He notes one of the key takeaways from his book is that “despite big data, reputation defense remains more art than science.” Being unquantifiable by nature and driven by perception, there are no set rules in the process through which a reputation forms. It is an observation based on experience that every case needs to be handled differently.

“Fundamentally, the book should be read first by the general business manager because they are worried

about this area,” Pownall says, adding that it is a book ultimately meant for everyone interested in their reputation.

And, despite the emphasis on the complexity of issues involved, he makes no remarks to imply that reputation in the digital age is intractable.

“The book will serve as something practical, readable and something anyone can read, find interesting and use to start thinking about managing your reputation online in a more structured way.”

Integration Pownall predicts that the keyword to forthcoming changes in managing online and offline reputation is integration. There are two key aspects to this prediction: one is that “the ‘online’ bit of online reputation management is going to disappear” and that “it’ll just be ‘reputation management.’”

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Advertising, Marketing & Communication Services

The BlueCurrent Group Suite 1501, Cityplaza 4, 12 Taikoo Wan Road, Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong Website: www.bluecurrentgroup.com Tel: (852) 2967 6770 Fax: (852) 2586 7897 Email: chris.plowman@bluecurrentgroup.com / james.hacking@bluecurrentgroup.com Key Contacts: Year Established: 2011 Chris Plowman, SVP & Partner James Hacking, SVP Major Business: B2C and B2B Social Media Campaigns, Search Engine Marketing, SEO, Community Management, Social Advertising, Online & Digital Marketing, Monitoring Solutions, Digital Training, Branding/Marketing/Advertising, Website Development, Employer Branding/Recruitment Marketing, Employee Engagement Communications Major Awards / Projects • Gold Standard Awards, 2015 / Highly Commended, PublicAffairsAsia • Employee Communications Campaign of the Year, 2014 / Gold Award PRWeek • Best Employee Engagement /Internal Communications, 2014 / Gold Award Marketing Magazine PR Awards HK • Stakeholder Communications. 2014 / Silver Award HK PR Awards

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Company Activities: The BlueCurrent Group is a network of agencies, wholly owned by Omnicom Group and a sister of global communications company, FleishmanHillard. BlueCurrent Hong Kong is a creative agency that delivers to companies and brands effective communications solutions across digital, social and media channels. Since its establishment, BlueCurrent Hong Kong has worked with many businesses in Hong Kong and across Asia Pacific providing fully integrated brand building, social media, digital communications and media/influencer services.

The business leverages the experience and expertise of FleishmanHillard’s global network to take a modern and innovative perspective on approaches to publicity and relationships in the digital era.

Hamilton Advisors

Suite 1501, Cityplaza 4, 12 Taikoo Wan Road, Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2530 0228 Fax: (852) 2845 0363 Email: fhhk@fleishman.com Website: www.fleishman.com.hk Year Established: 1996 Key Contacts: Professional Associations: Rachel Catanach, MD Member of the CPRFHK Geoff Bilbrough, Deputy GM Major Business: Public Relations, Reputation Management, Public Affairs, Brand Marketing, Media Relations, Investor Relations, Crisis Management, Internal Communications, Social Media Management, Content Development, Influencer Relations Major Awards / Projects:

In-Country Consultancy of the Year, 2015/ PublicAffairs Asia Asia-Pacific PR Campaign of the Year, 2015/ PRWeek Asia Global Agency of the Year, 2014 / PRWeek Asia-Pacific Network of the Year, 2014 / PRWeek Large Agency of the Year, 2014 / PRWeek

Company Overview: FleishmanHillard strives to be the world’s most complete global communications firm, specializing in public relations, public affairs, marketing, paid media, and transmedia and social content. FleishmanHillard delivers on the power of true, reflecting the firm’s high values, and unique ability to guide clients through a world demanding unprecedented authenticity and transparency. FleishmanHillard is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc., and has 88 offices in 30 countries, plus affiliates in 43 countries. Visit www.fleishman.com.hk for more information.

Information Express (Asia-Pacific) Ltd

901A, 9/F, Kinwick Centre, 32 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong

7/F, 705-07 China Merchants Bldg, 303-307 Des Voeux Rd, Central, HK, China

Tel: (852) 2488 8866 Email: info@hamiltonadvisorsltd.com Website: www.hamiltonadvisorsltd.com

Tel: (852) 2818 9475 / (852) 8108 0805 Fax: (852) 2817 1556 Email: news@clipping.com.hk Website: www.clipping.com.hk

Key Contact: Robert Grieves, Chairman & CEO Year Established: 2009 Major Business: Public Relations, Media Relations, Investor Relations, Brand Building, Crisis Management, Digital and Social Media, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Executive Training, Media Training Professional Associations: American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Council of Public Relations Firms of Hong Kong (CPRFHK), The Foreign Correspondents’ Club HK (FCC) Company Activities: Hamilton Advisors is a Hong Kong-based consultancy providing premium strategic communications services to financial institutions, listed and privately-held companies, and professional associations. We help clients build brand and reputation, strengthen stakeholder relationships and achieve business objectives. Our team includes multicultural public relations experts with extensive experience in media relations, investor relations, brand building, crisis preparedness and management, digital and social media, and CSR program development.

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FleishmanHillard Hong Kong

Key Contacts: Joanna Leung, Customer Service Mgr Eliza Leung, Mktg Mgr Year Established: 1988 Staff Size: 30 Major Business: We provide professional News Monitoring and Clipping Services Company Activities: InformExpress (Est 1988) is a professional News Monitor & Press Clipping Service provider, which provides tailor-made clipping services for advertising agencies, public relations consultancies, research houses and corporate bodies. We specialize in Press Clipping, Online Website Monitoring, Corporate Data Search, Advertising Value Calculation Service and Monthly Clipping Report.

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FutureBrand 8/F Oxford House, Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2501 7977 E-mail: hongkong@futurebrand.com Website: futurebrandchina.com Key contacts: Lucien Harrington, Managing Director Company Activities: A member of the Interpublic Group (IPG), FutureBrand is the leading global branding consultancy specializing in brand strategy and brand experience. Our passion is discovering inspiring ideas that will make your business successful. We use an array of tools – most innovative and proprietary, some traditional – to understand your objectives, gain insights, and create ideas that bring your brand to life.

We are the creative future company. Our job is to help you create the future for your brand and business. We believe brands have the power to help create a better future, and base our ideas on future forces and how people make decisions in a way you can act on right now. Our mission as the world’s leading creative consultancy for future brand expertise is what helps us focus our efforts and be the best partner possible for our clients in creating a more positive future.

We are proud to work with some of the largest, most dynamic and future-focused companies in the world to create future brands such as Merck, Fiji Airways, Nespresso, Cadillac, Tahiti and the London Olympic Games 2012. Notable clients in Greater China in 2015 included: Alibaba, Ant Financial, MGM, Qantas, HK Arts Centre, British Council, Ayala Group, Swire, sav Hospitality, China Everbright and Haitong International.

Major Recent Awards: Marketing Magazine’s Agency of the year awards 2015 Brand Consultancy of the year 2015 Design Agency of the year 2015

RED DOT Award 2015 Corporate Identity – Best of the best Corporate Identity – Winner Corporate Identity – Winner

Transform Awards APAC 2015

Graphis Design Annual 2016

Best Creative Strategy Graphis Design Annual – Winner Best Brand Experience Best Visual Identity – Travel & Leisure sector Best Visual Identity – Education sector Best Visual Identity – Financial sector Best Brand Experience – Financial sector Best Corporate Rebrand – Following a merger or acquisition Best visual identity – Professional services sector Best Visual Identity – Retail sector

Golin 8/F Oxford Hse, Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, HK Tel: (852) 2522 6475 Fax: (852) 2810 4780

Email: hk@golin.com Website: golin.asia

Key Contacts: Mr. Jeremy Walker, Managing Director Year Established: 1993 Practice Specialties: Golin is a full service communications agency with specialty practice areas and capabilities including: Corporate, Financial, Public Affairs, Consumer, Hospitality, Technology and Digital. Notable clients include: Airport Authority Hong Kong, Canon, China Everbright, China Light and Power, Galaxy Macau, Hongkong Land, Jardine Matheson, Jardine OneSolution, Li & Fung, L'Oreal, Power Assets, Soul Electronics, Visa Worldwide and VTech.

Major Awards / Projects: 2013 Agency of the Year, Holmes Report 2013 Large Firm of the Year, PR News 2012 International Consultancy of the Year, PRWeek 2011 and 2009 PR Consultancy of the Year, Asia Pacific PR Awards Professional Associations: Council of Public Relations Firms of Hong Kong Company Activities: Golin is one of the world’s leading public relations firms. We are a full-service communications firm integrating the deepest insight, boldest ideas and broadest engagement into real-time conversations that connect in a complex world.

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Advertising, Marketing & Communication Services

Hill +Knowlton Strategies Hong Kong 36/F, PCCW Tower, Taikoo Place, 979 King's Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2894 6321

Fax: (852) 2576 3551

Email: kw.lam@hkstrategies.com

Website: www.hkstrategies.com

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Key Contacts: K W Lam, Managing Director, Hong Kong Year Established: 1962 Staff Size: 100 Major Business: Corporate communications, marketing communications, financial communications, public affairs, risk management and crisis communications, training and digital communications Notable clients: McDonald’s, Ping An Insurance, PetroChina, HSBC, Ford, CNOOC, Alibaba, China Resources Enterprise, Facebook, KKR, Rolex, Coach, Indosuez Wealth Management, Tata Communications, Microsoft, Swire Properties, Korean Air, Hong Kong Airlines, Jones Lang LaSalle, Man Investments, BUPA, UnionPay, Bulgari, Dalian Wanda, Instagram.

Recent Major Awards: Hill+Knowlton Strategies Hong Kong has, in recent years, been nominated and won notable awards which recognise excellence in expertise and services. Most recently, H+K Strategies was nominated at the Asia-Pacific SABRE Awards 2013 in the categories of Business-to-Business Marketing, Restaurants and Food Service Sector Campaign, and Associations Sector Campaign. H+K Strategies was also previously awarded the Asia-Pacific Consultancy of the Year and Asia-Pacific Public Affairs Consultancy of the Year by The Holmes Report, Best Financial PR Company in Asia at the Asian Excellence Recognition Awards, and recognised for Excellence in Launch Marketing at Marketing Magazine's Marketing Excellence Awards.

Professional Associations: Council of Public Relations Firms of Hong Kong, American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

Company Activities: For more than 80 years, Hill+Knowlton Strategies has brought extensive technical expertise and strategic wisdom to help strengthen our clients’ brands, reputations and bottom lines. Whether it is corporate communications, financial communications, risk management and crisis communications, research insights, digital communications, media relations, marketing communications or public affairs, H+K Strategies leads this new digital era in strategic communications and business advice, across our global network of 87 offices in 50 countries. Together with its digital arm Rice5, H+K Strategies in Hong Kong offers innovative marketing solutions blending data and insights-driven strategic communications with multidisciplinary digital creativity and production. Our fully integrated campaigns deliver disruptive, agile, shareable content, bold brand narratives and evolving audience conversations that cut cross all channels.

Ketchum Hong Kong Unit 3305 -09, 33/F, Two Chinachem Exchange Square, 338 King’s Road, North Point Tel: (852) 2566 1311 Fax: (852) 2510 8199

Email: neelesh.hotwani@ketchum.com Website: www.ketchum.com/greaterchina

Key Contacts: Bruce Shu – Managing Director, Greater China Neelesh Hotwani – Deputy General Manager, Hong Kong Year Established: 1980

Staff Size: 30

Major Business: Public Relations

Professional Associations: Accredited by the Council of PR Firms of Hong Kong Industry Recognition for our work in HK includes: Hong Kong PR Awards -2015 Asia Pacific SABRE Awards -2015 Gold Multi-Market, Marketing to Consumers Best in Show – Agency Best in Show – Brand In2 Best Use of Social Media Gold Best Consumer Campaign In2 Best Use of Social Video Gold Best Lifestyle Campaign Silver Best Use of Social Media The Gold Standard Awards-2015 Silver Best Engagement Mass Community Winner – Stakeholder Engagement Company Activities: Ketchum is a leading global communications consultancy with 35 years of experience in Hong Kong and a network extending over 70 countries and six continents. Ketchum builds brands and reputations by partnering with its clients to deliver breakthrough creative, strategic programming and measurable results. Its award winning campaigns – integrating media relations, social, digital and experiential – have made Ketchum one of the most decorated agencies in Hong Kong. Areas of expertise include consumer engagement, corporate communications, reputation management, issues and crisis management, media relations, social media management, integrated digital programming, communications training.

International Offices: Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East

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International New York Times 1201 K Wah Ctr 191 Java Rd, North Point, HK Tel: (852) 2922 1188 Fax: (852) 2922 1190

Rm 03-04, 13/F, Valley Centre, 80-82 Morrison Hill Road, Happy Valley, HK Email: inytsubs@nytimes.com Website: www.INYT.com

Key Contacts: Helena Phua, Executive Vice President, Asia / Pacific & Philip P. Pan, Asia Editor, The New York Times Year Established: 1980

Staff Size: 90

Major Business: Newspaper Publishers Major Awards / Projects: 4 Awards for Editorial Excellence 2015 from SOPA: Digital News, Human Rights Reporting, Business Reporting and Feature Photography Professional Associations: SOPA, PATA, WAN-IFRA Company Activities: International New York Times is a leading international news source for opinion leaders and decision-makers around the globe.

International New York Times includes the journalism of The New York Times, tailored for a global audience, and launched in print and online on October 15, 2013, with dedicated newsrooms in Paris, London, Hong Kong and New York. International New York Times succeeds the International Herald Tribune, a publication based in Paris since 1887. For more information, visit www.NYTCo.com.

Racepoint Global Level 8, The Broadway, 54-62 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3111 9988 Email: lpincott@racepointglobal.com Website: www.racepointglobal.com Key Contacts: Tony Turner, Chairman, Asia Andrew Laxton, EVP & Managing Director, Europe & Asia Vicky Neill, Vice President Mark Lee, Vice President Lauren Pincott, Senior Manager, Global Marketing & New Business Activities: Racepoint Global is an intelligence-driven, full-service marketing firm that delivers results for the accountability economy. Our combination features the best in digital marketing, strategy, public relations and stakeholder communications. We start with a powerful story, then create, distribute, and activate content in places people naturally engage, affecting opinion, shaping perception, and driving decisions. To do this, we draw on a network of earned and paid influencers, a deep partner network, and self-published, wholly-owned, and unbranded communities.

Clients in technology, healthcare, life sciences, consumer, public policy and public affairs depend on Racepoint Global’s unique approach to impact key outcomes. Time again, our approach drives better results for our clients.

Other Locations: Beijing, Shanghai, Boston, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Detroit & London

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Madison Communications Limited

Tel: (852) 2881 8612 Fax: (852) 2881 8716 Email: info@madison.asia Website: www.madison.asia Facebook: www.facebook.com/madison.asia Key Contacts: Mr Samuel Mak, CEO Year Established: 2004 Staff Size: 8 Major Business: advertising, public relations, public affairs, event marketing and digital marketing Company Activities: Madison Communications is a creative agency offering integrated communications services: advertising, public relations, public affairs, event marketing and digital marketing. We offer innovative and powerful solutions that help client’s objectives: enhance brand values, product launches, gain stakeholders’ support, restore consumer confidence or rectify rumors.

Thomson Reuters Hong Kong Ltd 42/F, Gloucester Tower, The Landmark, Central, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2843 6363 Fax: (852) 2154 6463 Email: sanjeev.chatrath@thomsonreuters.com Website: www.thomsonreuters.com Member since: October 1994 Nature of business: Information, Technology and Expertise Awards and Recognition:

•Best Reference Data Provider, Waters Rankings 2015 •Best Corporate Actions Solution Provider, Waters Rankings 2015 •Silver Risk Management Provider, Structured Products Technology Rankings 2015 •Risk Technology Provider, Risk Technology Rankings 2014 •2015 Best Pricing & Analytics for Commodities, Structured Products Technology Rankings •2015 Best Data Provider for Derivatives, Insider Reference Data •2015 Best Evaluated Prices Service Provider, Insider Reference Data •Innovator 2015, GRC Innovation Award •Best Counterparty Data Provider, Inside Reference Data 2014 •Best Data Provider to the Sell Side, Sell-Side Technology, Waters Technology 2014 •Technology Innovation of the Year, Structured Products 2014 •Best Trading & Reference Data Provider of the Year, The Asian Banker Financial Markets 2014 •Silver Pricing Provider, Structured Products Technology Rankings 2014

Company Activities: “Thomson Reuters is the world’s leading source of news and information for professional markets. Our customers rely on us to deliver the intelligence, technology and expertise they need to find trusted answers. The business has operated in more than 100 countries for more than 100 years. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges (symbol: TRI). For more information, visit www.thomsonreuters.com”

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Advertising, Marketing & Communication Services

New Narrative Ltd. 21/F, 23 Luard Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 8192 7768 E-mail: info@new-narrative.com Fax: (852) 3568 6342 Website: www.new-narrative.com Key contacts: Joseph Chaney, Partner Jonathan Hopfner, Partner David Line, Partner Year Established: 2013

Staff Size: 6

Major Business: Tailor-made content marketing and thought leadership strategy for financial institutions and corporations active in Asia, the Middle East and beyond Professional Associations: Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong Columbia University Alumni Association New York University Alumni Association Oxford University Alumni Association British Chamber of Commerce Beta Gamma Sigma

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Company Activities: New Narrative Ltd. (n/n) is a Hong Kong-based corporate communications advisory firm founded by professionals from the world’s top media agencies. The firm conceptualizes and creates tailor-made written and multimedia content for a range of leading companies engaged in Asia and the Middle East. n/n does this by working with companies to develop compelling voices in the marketplace using differentiated content campaigns that in turn drive business growth for its clients.

Our consultants and project managers come from the world’s top media organizations, including Reuters and The Economist Group.

Ruder Finn Asia Ltd 24/F Neich Tower, 128 Gloucester Road, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2521 0800 Fax: (852) 2521 7088

Email: hkoffice@ruderfinnasia.com Website: www.ruderfinnasia.com

Key Contacts: Anne Geronimi, Vice President and General Manager, Hong Kong Charles Lankester, Senior Vice President, Reputation Management, Asia Pacific Year Established: 1989

Staff Size: 300

Professional Associations: CPRF, American Chamber, British Chamber Major Business: Reputation management, luxury sector communications, digital and social media marketing strategy & services, corporate, brand and crisis communications Company Activities: Founded in 1989, Ruder Finn Asia is the Asia-Pacific subsidiary of New York-based Ruder Finn (www.ruderfinn.com), the leading independent global public relations consulting firm. Growing at an average of 25 percent every year since 2000, Ruder Finn Asia today employs close to 300 consultants in Asia-Pacific and has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore. The firm is represented across all other regional markets through a network of high quality affiliates. Ruder Finn Asia’s business centres on four strategic pillars: Corporate & Public Trust, Global Connectivity, Health & Wellness and Life+Style. The firm offers expertise in reputation management, luxury sector communications, digital and social media marketing strategy & services, corporate, brand and crisis communications. Ruder Finn has dedicated teams for digital strategy, sustainability, luxury, arts&culture and activation, providing insights and counsel into market trends, including annual research reports including the China Luxury Forecast, Physicians Digital Outlook Survey and other publications. Delivering award-winning innovative, strategic public relations campaigns, Ruder Finn Asia’s key clients include Emirates, Jumeirah, Cartier, Volkswagen Group, Sanofi, Daiichi Sankyo, L’Oréal, Omron, Hermès, GSK, Cotton Inc, Bang & Olufsen, Michelin and leading brands from the Kering, LVMH and Richemont Groups.

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biz.hk 1-2 • 2016

Strategic Public Relations Group Room 2402 & 29A, Admiralty Centre I, 18 Harcourt Road, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2527 0490 Fax: (852) 2114 4948 Email: enquiry@sprg.com.hk Website: www.sprg.com.hk / www.sprg.asia Key Contacts: Richard Tsang, Chairman of SPRG Eveline Wan, Senior Director – Asia Year Established: 1995 Staff Size: 300 Major Business: Integrated PR consultancy provides IPO, investor relations and corporate marketing communications Major Clients: AEON Stores, ASM Pacific Technology, Bank J. Safra Sarasin, CFA Institute, China Mengniu Dairy, Coolpad, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Fairwood, Fortune REIT, HNA Group, Hong Kong Deposit Protection Board, K. Wah International, KFC, Kingsoft, Lenovo, Melco Crown Entertainment, Microsoft Hong Kong, Procter & Gamble, Sinomax Group, The Hong Kong Institute of Director, TravelSky Technology, Tsui Wah, UC Rusal, ZTE Professional Association: Partner of PROI Worldwide Company Activities: Established in 1995, Strategic Public Relations Group (SPRG) is one of the largest public relations networks in Asia and Hong Kong’s largest public relations consultancy.

With 300 professionals working from nine offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia, SPRG is currently advising over 300 MNC and local clients on a retainer basis in Asia.

In the past few years, SPRG has been accredited with the following recognitions: • Public Relations Agency of the Year in Asia Pacific 2014 & 2015 – the Stevie Awards • Public Relations Agency of the Year in Asia 2013, 2014 & 2015 – the Stevie Awards • Grand Stevie Award Winner 2013 – the Stevie Awards • Greater China Independent Agency of the Year (Silver) 2012 – Campaign • Local Hero – Public Relations Agency of the Year 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013 – Marketing Magazine • Asia Pacific Financial Consultancy of the Year 2011 – the Holmes Report • Asia Pacific Network of the Year 2010 – Campaign • Local Hero – Media Relations Agency of the Year 2010 – Marketing Magazine • Hong Kong Consultancy of the Year 2009 – the Holmes Report

Turner International Asia Pacific Limited 34/F Oxford House, Taikoo Place, 979 King's Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3128 3333

Website: asiapacific.turner.com

About Turner Asia Pacific Turner creates and distributes award-winning brands throughout Asia Pacific.

In the region, Turner runs 64 channels in 13 languages in 38 countries, including CNN International, CNNj, CNN, HLN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang, POGO, Toonami, World Heritage Channel, Warner TV, Oh!K, TCM Turner Classic Movies, truTV, WB, MondoTV, TABI Channel and HBO in South Asia. Turner also manages distribution for HBO Defined and HBO Hits in India.

Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.

Turner in the Region Turner Asia Pacific has a presence in: Bangkok, Bangalore, Beijing, Hong Kong, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Mumbai, New Delhi, Seoul, Singapore, Shanghai, Sydney, Taipei and Tokyo.

Turner in Hong Kong Turner’s channels in Hong Kong include CNN International, HLN, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Toonami, Warner TV, TCM Turner Classic Movies and a newcomer for 2016, Oh!K.

biz.hk 1-2 • 2016

About Oh!K Now available on now TV in Hong Kong, Oh!K offers viewers the ultimate Korean entertainment, including premium drama series, as well as variety and music programming. A brand powered by MBC, Korea’s leading broadcaster and content provider, Oh!K is for everyone who loves drama – packaging iconic and awardwinning hit series from an unrivalled catalogue of content.

The channel is available in Southeast Asia and provides local audiences access to first-runs and exclusives. High-profile drama series such as She Was Pretty and hit variety shows such as Infinite Challenge are delivered almost immediately after their transmission debut in Korea.

Who’s Who at Turner President: Ricky Ow SVP & MD, North & Southeast Asia Pacific: Phil Nelson SVP & MD, South Asia: Siddharth Jain SVP, Finance: Shitiz Jain SVP, Business Development: Clément Schwebig SVP & Managing Editor, CNN International: Ellana Lee SVP – Content, Kids Networks: Mark Eyers VP – Content, General Entertainment: Marianne Lee VP – Corporate Communication & Marketing: Gregory Ho

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR Feb TPP and the Apparel & Footwear Industry.

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An audience with Steve Lamar from the AAFA

Stephen E Lamar, Executive Vice President, American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is an ambitious, 21st century trade agreement between the United States and 11 other countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region. If and when it comes into force it will have a significant impact on our industry and global trade.

Steve Lamar is the Executive Vice President of the AAFA, and is the liaison to AAFA’s Government Contracts Committee, he is an expert on TPP and how it will impact our industry.

Feb Storytelling – The 5 Secrets

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To Telling Simple Stories That Make People Act

Andrew Pickup, Senior Director of Communications, Microsoft Asia Storytelling is a recognised and growing leadership capability; written about by financial and business authors, taught on MBA courses, used by business leaders and project managers to make their points come alive in a human, authentic and truly compelling way. But can storytelling be taught? Is it a repeatable technique? And is there a secret formula?

Andrew Pickup is an award-winning Marketing and Communications leader, who is responsible for promoting, protecting and defending the image and reputation of Microsoft in Asia, including Japan, India, China and Asia-Pacific. Andy and his team identify, curate and publish rich and compelling human stories about Microsoft and the business and societal impact of its technology on sites such as Microsoft Asia Stories.

Feb Made in China 2025:

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The Future of Manufacturing and Sourcing

Dr Neale O'Connor, FCPA (Aust), Managing Director, Ricebox, Hong Kong “Made in China 2025” is an initiative to comprehensively upgrade Chinese industry. The initiative draws intelligent manufacturing, i.e., applying the tools of information technology to production. Its guiding principles are to have manufacturing be innovation-driven, emphasize quality over quantity, achieve green development, optimize the structure of Chinese industry, and nurture human talent.

Following a brief overview of the Made in China 2025 plan, we will look at the current state of manufacturing in the Pearl River Delta and assess the opportunities/implications for MNCs and what role Hong Kong can play in its transition.

Professor Neale O’Connor will integrate his experience in the field based on 1000 interviews with Chinese manufacturers with recent data gained from over 15 factory visits in the region during the past three months.

For information, see website: www.amcham.org.hk

Tel: (852) 2530 6900

Venue: The American Chamber of Commerce in HK 1904 Bank of America Tower 12 Harcourt Road Central, Hong Kong Time: 3:00 - 5:00pm (Light refreshment included) Fee(s): Member: HK$200 Non-member: HK$300

Venue: The American Chamber of Commerce in HK 1904 Bank of America Tower 12 Harcourt Road Central, Hong Kong Time: 12:00 - 1:45pm (Sandwiches & beverages included) Fee(s): Member: HK$280 Non-member: HK$400

Venue: The American Chamber of Commerce in HK 1904 Bank of America Tower 12 Harcourt Road Central, Hong Kong Time: 12:00 - 1:45pm (Sandwiches & beverages included) Fee(s): Member: HK$280 Non-member: HK$400

Fax: (852) 2810 1289

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Email: byau@amcham.org.hk

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HKU-Ivey Executive Leadership Program in Data Analytics and Big Data (DABD) Many organizations and executives find they have access to vast amount of data but lack the skills and knowledge to leverage this data to create value. The HKU-Ivey Executive Leadership Program in Data Analytics and Big Data (DABD) will enable executives to use data to drive their operational and strategic decision-making and create more value for their businesses.

Participants will Gain Insight in

Target Audience

methods to analyze data to improve understanding of complex business issues. the role of data in acquisition of customers to create competitive advantage. recognition of opportunities where achieving an understanding of data can lead to enhanced performance or profitability.

Middle to senior executives who are: seasoned with technical backgrounds such as finance, actuary, revenue management. heading a team of technical experts with mandate to use data analytics for business success. leading departmental heads with technical background as direct reports.

Program Dates and Fees Modules

Date*

Fee**

Module 1 - Analytics and Competitive Advantage

March 3 - 5, 2016

USD 2,500

Module 2 - Big Data Analytics and Mining

April 7 - 9, 2016

USD 2,500

Module 3 - Simultaneous Decision Making and Strategic Optimization

May 19 - 21, 2016

USD 2,500

Module 4 - Analytics and Decision Making with Uncertainty

July 7 - 9, 2016

USD 2,500

Participants will be conferred a certificate jointly issued by HKU and Ivey upon completing all 4 modules of the program. * Each module is 2.5 days. ** Special 5% discount on program fees for HKU/Ivey alumni.

Please contact us for more information:

Faculty of Business and Economics The University of Hong Kong Name: Mr. Liang Song Tel.: +852-3962-1472 Email: slsong@hku.hk

Faculty of Business and Economics The University of Hong Kong Room 304, Block B, Cyberport 4 100 Cyberport Road, Hong Kong Phone: +852-3962-1297 | www.fbe.hku.hk

Ivey Business School Western University, Canada Name: Ms. Carol Zheng Tel.: +852-2135-2242 Email: executives@ivey.com.hk

Ivey Business School at Western University, Canada Cheng Yu Tung Management Institute Level 3, Phase 1, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong Phone: +852-2808-4488 | www.ivey.com.hk