Global communications consultancy APCO Worldwide has announced a leadership change in Southeast Asia. JJ Lee, who served as Managing Director since 2022, has departed the firm, per media reports.An APCO spokesperson has said that over the past five years, JJ played a valuable role in driving APCO’s growth across the region.” This announcement coincides with the appointment of Ian Rumsby as Chief Client Officer for Southeast Asia. Rumsby brings extensive experience to the role and will be responsible for leading and managing the regional team.“APCO boasts a team of exceptionally talented professionals across Southeast Asia,” the spokesperson continued. “We’re confident that Ian, working closely with APCO Asia Chairman Masayo Nagai, will further strengthen our Southeast Asia leadership team for the long term.”Lee joined APCO in 2019, while her former spouse, James Yi, left the firm last year.

Chris Torrens, a veteran risk and compliance expert with more than two decades of experience providing strategic advice for multinational clients across industries, joined APCO as the managing director of Greater China, Chairman of the Asia Region Masayo Nagai announced today.“With decades of experience and a proven track record of helping global clients navigate risks, enter new markets and seize critical opportunities, Chris brings deep knowledge of crucial geopolitical and regulatory considerations for businesses operating across China, as well as in emerging markets in the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia,” Nagai said.Prior to joining APCO, Torrens was a partner at Control Risks, where he led the geopolitical risk and compliance teams in EMEA and Greater China for 18 years. Prior to Control Risks, Torrens served as a Shanghai-based associate director in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ advisory practice and as the Hong Kong-based head of research at Batey Burn, a UK government relations and public affairs consultancy, which was acquired by APCO in 1999.“I have always loved working in China, especially helping companies to understand and succeed in this complex market. To have the opportunity to join APCO’s hugely experienced local team and be a part of one of the most reputable advisory and advocacy firms worldwide is a privilege: I look forward to serving as a trusted advisor to our clients during this fast-changing period in global geopolitical and trade relations.”Torrens has lived in Greater China for nearly 25 years. He holds an MBA from the China-Europe International Business School and a BA Honours degree in Modern Chinese Studies from Leeds University. His book, “Doing Business in China,” was published by The Economist in 2010.Torrens joins APCO during a milestone moment for the firm. In celebration of its 40th anniversary, APCO recently launched a new brand identity, looking to the future built on its continued effort to provide advisory and advocacy services that help clients navigate global complexities through building un/common ground? to achieve progress. APCO began as a single-person operation with the idea that clients need to have the freedom to look across the spectrum and not have the solution be defined by the kind of firm they approached. Now, with over 1,200 employees in more than 30 offices worldwide, APCO’s global team works together across borders and functions to help clients face the unknown.

 Ian Rumsby, one of Australia’s most experienced corporate communications advisors, joins APCO as a chief client officer for the Southeast Asia region, based in Sydney, Australia, announced Masayo Nagai, chairman of APCO’s Asia region.Rumsby brings deep knowledge and expertise based on more than 20 years of experience helping the world’s leading organizations navigate complex engagement assignments in markets across the region.“Ian is an exceptional professional and we are excited to have him join our team. His expertise and deep ties in Southeast Asia will elevate APCO’s ongoing dedication to our clients and help our company continue to grow in the region,” Nagai said. “In an ever-changing industry we are always working on transcending ourselves for the benefit of our clients and Ian will elevate our corporate communications offering.”Prior to joining APCO, Rumsby served as a managing partner at Stonehaven, a strategy and communications consultancy, where he has worked closely with APCO to provide support and representation in the Australian market on selective assignments. Rumsby previously worked for a large communications firm, where he held many roles—he chaired operations in Australia, served as the chief strategy officer, lead the firm’s social impact service and worked as the regional head of the organization’s culture transformation and change management business.The Southeast Asia region is an extremely diverse and competitive region that sits at the center of trade, people, information and capital from around the world. Led by Southeast Asia Managing Director JJ Lee, APCO has established expansive expertise in the communications, energy, education, finance, food, consumer products and retail, health care, philanthropy and technology sectors in the region.“Ian further augments APCO’s market-leading expertise and capabilities—supporting leading clients from multinational companies and international organizations to governments and NGOs—and with our offices in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, we offer valuable insights to help clients navigate the dynamic challenges and opportunities across the region,” Lee said.Rumsby joins APCO in a milestone year, with the upcoming 40th anniversary of its founding. Founded by Margery Kraus as a single-person operation in 1984, APCO has grown to a global advisory and advocacy consultancy with more than 30 offices worldwide.