PRecious Communications has expanded its regional leadership team with two key appointments as it aims to fast-track its growth across Asia Pacific. The agency has named seasoned communications professional Joanna Ong (pictured right) as its first Regional Chief Operations Officer, while Sunita Kanapathy (pictured left), currently Regional Vice President of Corporate and Brands, will take on additional responsibilities as Malaysia Market Lead.In her new role, Ong will oversee operations across PRecious’ core markets—Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Her focus will be on enhancing operational efficiency, client service delivery, and talent development across the region. She will report directly to Lars Voedisch, Group CEO of PRecious Communications, and work alongside him to advance strategic business goals and ensure sustainable regional growth.With over 25 years of experience in communications and marketing, Ong has held senior leadership positions at Hilton and Radisson, and consultancy roles at Burson, Ogilvy, and MSL. She also founded a regional PR agency and most recently served as Managing Director of MSL Singapore, before moving into a regional communications leadership position at Publicis Groupe Asia Pacific.Sharing her excitement about the new role, Ong said,“I am incredibly excited to join PRecious as it embarks on its next stage of growth in the region. I look forward to working with the talented team across markets to further build on PRecious’ success to achieve its strategic vision in delivering the best business outcomes for clients and growth opportunities for the team.”Meanwhile, Kanapathy’s expanded role comes six months after joining PRecious. Alongside her regional remit, she will now lead the Malaysia business—strengthening client partnerships, nurturing talent, and driving business growth. She will report to Ong.Kanapathy brings over 25 years of experience to the role, including leadership positions at Ogilvy Malaysia. Her expertise spans integrated communications for multinational and regional brands across sectors such as financial services, healthcare, and travel, coupled with a strong understanding of Southeast Asian markets.Her appointment follows the departure of Joey Gan, who previously led Malaysia operations and served as Regional VP for Integrated Marketing Communications. Gan, who joined PRecious in 2022, announced a career break on LinkedIn a few weeks ago.Voedisch said the appointments reflect the agency’s next phase of expansion.“Joanna brings a proven track record of transforming organisations and building high-performing teams while Sunita has demonstrated exceptional leadership, driving impact across our corporate and brands businesses. Their strategic vision and deep regional experience will be invaluable as we continue to scale and solidify PRecious’ position as a leading communications powerhouse in Asia, and one day beyond.”Commenting on her new mandate, Kanapathy said,“Malaysia is a key market with tremendous potential, and my focus will be on ensuring we continue delivering meaningful, results-driven work for our clients while building a strong, connected team.”

Ellerton & Co., a Southeast Asia-focused PR and marketing agency, has named Prayaank Gupta as its new Executive Director. Gupta will spearhead the agency's overall growth strategy, leveraging his extensive experience in the region.In his new role, Gupta brings over 12 years of expertise from fast-growing PR agencies across Southeast Asia. His focus is twofold: driving revenue and headcount growth.This means hiring talented individuals to support new business, enhance client satisfaction, and fuel market expansion, Gupta explained. He added that the agency is already experiencing a surge in new clients across branding, social media, and PR services.Gupta plans to improve profitability by implementing best practices and fostering a work environment that attracts and retains top talent. "We want to create a space where employees can contribute meaningfully, enjoy a positive culture, and maintain a healthy work-life balance," he said.Prior to joining Ellerton & Co., Gupta served as Vice President, Growth and Innovation at PRecious Communications. He steadily climbed the ranks, starting as Head of Growth and Innovation in 2016. Previously, he held positions at Litmus PR (Manager, Senior Consultant Lead) and worked with agencies like Ruder Finn and Blue Communications."We're thrilled to welcome Prayaank during this exciting chapter," said Oliver Ellerton, Director at Ellerton & Co., to whom Gupta will report. "With offices in Singapore and Vietnam, we plan to expand further into Southeast Asia to meet client needs. Prayaank's expertise is crucial to this strategy, and we look forward to sharing our success stories in the coming months."Ellerton & Co. caters to a diverse range of clients in consumer goods, hospitality, corporate and sustainability, technology, startups, and financial services. Beyond traditional PR, they offer social media management, branding and design, and investor relations services."We're excited to collaborate with Prayaank to drive growth across Southeast Asia, venturing beyond Singapore and Vietnam," said Michael de Waal-Montgomery, Director at Ellerton & Co. "With Prayaank's support, we aim to expand our teams in the Philippines and Indonesia, while solidifying our presence in Vietnam during the latter half of 2024.""I'm honoured to join Ellerton & Co.'s talented team," said Gupta. "They've built a strong foundation of client trust, and I'm eager to help the agency evolve from a boutique firm to a mid-sized and eventually, a major regional player. My experience in growing agencies within the APAC region positions me well to support this transition."