Four Points by Sheraton Surabaya, Tunjungan Plaza has appointed Renny Herwanto as its new Marketing Communications Manager, adding an experienced communications professional to the hotel's marketing team.In her new role, Herwanto will oversee a broad range of communications responsibilities, including media relations, corporate branding, storytelling, digital communications and events.She joins the Surabaya property following more than seven years with Philip Morris International, where she was involved in communications campaigns and media engagement in Indonesia.Herwanto's professional background spans marketing communications across multiple sectors, including tobacco, international education and hospitality. The hotel's LinkedIn profile currently identifies her as part of its team.The appointment comes as the hotel continues to position itself within Surabaya's competitive hospitality and business-events market. Four Points by Sheraton Surabaya, Tunjungan Plaza is located on Jalan Embong Malang and is directly connected to Tunjungan Plaza, a major shopping and entertainment complex in East Java. The property offers accommodation, dining, leisure facilities and meeting and event spaces.Herwanto's remit therefore covers communications activity across a property with both leisure and business audiences, including media engagement, brand storytelling and event-related communications.The appointment follows the hotel's 10th anniversary in 2026. (Source: telummedia.com)

Anchorpoint has appointed financial technology communications veteran Vivien Choi as its new Branding and Communications Lead in Hong Kong.In her new capacity, Choi will steer corporate communications, brand strategy, event management, and market positioning for the Hong Kong-licensed stablecoin issuer.Choi moves to Anchorpoint from digital asset custodian Hex Trust. Her professional background includes key marketing and communications roles at digital asset platforms OSL and OKX, as well as public relations agency experience with WE Communications."Great brands aren't built by talking about technology. They're built by helping people see possibility, understand value, and develop trust," Choi said regarding her appointment. "When innovation is communicated with clarity and purpose, adoption becomes a natural outcome."(Source: telummedia)

Strategic communications and public affairs consultancy The Sandpiper Group has announced the dual appointment of Aliyah Dar and Isabelle Trick to senior advisory positions based in Dubai and Singapore, respectively.Strengthening Public Affairs in the Middle EastOperating from Dubai, Aliyah Dar joins as Associate Director of Public Affairs to lead the expansion of Sandpiper's public affairs practice across the Middle East. Her remit focuses on guiding clients through the region’s sweeping national transformation agendas and strengthening their engagement with institutional and government stakeholders.Dar brings two decades of economic and policy advisory experience spanning Europe and the Middle East. Her background includes a senior strategy position at a Dubai-based investment firm, more than ten years within the UK government—highlighted by a tenure as Chief of Staff to His Majesty's Trade Commissioner for the Middle East and Pakistan—and most recently leading the UAE operations for Global Counsel.Commenting on her appointment, Dar noted: "The Middle East is undergoing extraordinary transformation, creating significant opportunities for organisations that can engage thoughtfully with government priorities and national visions. I'm excited to join Sandpiper and to help clients build the relationships and insight they need to succeed in the region."Expanding Capabilities Across Asia PacificBased in Singapore, Isabelle Trick steps into her new role as Associate Director of Public Affairs to drive the growth of Sandpiper’s capabilities across Southeast Asia and the wider Asia Pacific region. She will advise multinational corporations, institutional investors, and private equity firms on navigating regulatory shifts, policymaker engagement, and government relations.Trick brings extensive political risk expertise across emerging markets in Asia, Europe, and Africa, covering sectors such as technology, healthcare, financial services, and energy. She also joins Sandpiper from Global Counsel, where she directed Investor Services and Global Macro projects, following prior leadership experience running an international non-profit organization.Expressing enthusiasm for her new role, Trick said: "Singapore sits at the centre of the region's policy conversations, and clients increasingly need advisors who can connect the dots between regulation, reputation, and investment. I'm delighted to join Sandpiper and look forward to building on the firm's strong foundations across the region."Integrated Regional GrowthIn their respective capacities, both appointees will collaborate closely with Sandpiper's leadership teams across the Middle East and Asia Pacific. Their work will integrate public affairs, research, and strategic communications to help clients manage market entry, regulatory turbulence, and periods of intense public and political oversight.Kelly Johnston, Chief Operating Officer of Sandpiper, emphasized the strategic importance of the hires: "Public policy is now one of the defining factors shaping how businesses across Asia Pacific and the Middle East grow and protect their reputations. Isabelle and Aliyah bring deep expertise and strong relationships in two of the most important hubs in our network. Their appointments significantly strengthen our ability to help clients understand the policy landscape, engage constructively with governments, and turn regulatory complexity into strategic advantage."

Social@Ogilvy, the unified social and influence division of Ogilvy Australia, has announced the appointment of seasoned international social strategist Cleber de Almeida as its new Social Strategy Director in Sydney. De Almeida joins the Australian team after spending more than 15 years with Ogilvy in Brazil. During his tenure, he served as the strategic and operational lead for major global clients and, more recently, managed Coca-Cola’s LATAM social capability. He brings extensive multi-disciplinary leadership expertise spanning creative strategy, data intelligence, community management, real-time activation, and the execution of unified regional roadmaps. An innovator in the digital space, de Almeida has pioneered the integration of artificial intelligence and social data into large-scale content production. Notably, he spearheaded the Game Time Loop for Coca-Cola during the FIFA World Cup, managing the global initiative for WPP’s dedicated OpenX unit. Ogilvy Network ANZ CEO Kirsty Muddle highlighted the strategic value of his hire in today's fast-paced media environment. "Social today sits at the intersection of creativity, data and speed," Muddle said. "It takes ideas strong enough to earn attention, the intelligence to know where and when they will matter, and the capability to act in real time. Cleber brings all three and knows how to use WPP Open to connect them."Daniel Young, Ogilvy’s Group Managing Director of Social and Influence, echoed these sentiments, praising de Almeida's legacy of modernization within the network. "Throughout his Ogilvy career, Cleber has been recognised as a beacon of innovation, creativity, and modernity," Young noted. "He brings a unique blend of global brand experience teamed with innovation and leading-edge social application. We’re excited to have this expertise both within the Australian and regional team."Reflecting on his transition to the Australian market, de Almeida expressed enthusiasm for continuing his long-standing journey with the global network. "Ogilvy has been my home for many years, and it’s been a privilege to be part of a global team that has developed what is now a world-leading social and influence capability," de Almeida said. "I’m looking forward to working within a new region that is clearly driven by constant innovation and an ability to apply both proven tools and approaches and develop new ways of thinking to drive growth."

Caleb Yap has been seconded to the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute, stepping into the role of Head, Communications & Public Education.In this leadership capacity, Yap will oversee all communications initiatives, spanning media relations, marketing communications, stakeholder engagement, and public education.Yap brings more than eight years of extensive communications experience within the government sector. Prior to this secondment, he served as Senior Deputy Director (Communications & Engagement Planning) at Singapore’s Ministry of Education.(Source: telummedia)

Emma Rogerson has joined Teach Us Consent as Communications Manager, moving in-house after a career in agency communications.Rogerson joins the organisation from Sling & Stone, where she was an Account Director. She previously worked agency-side at Adhesive.At Teach Us Consent, Rogerson will take on communications as the organisation continues to advocate for earlier and more comprehensive consent and sexuality education in schools.Her appointment marks a move from agency-side communications into an in-house role with an organisation focused on education, consent and social change.(Source: telummedia)

Corporate and financial communications firm FGS Global has appointed former BBC Director-General Tim Davie as a partner within its Strategy & Reputation practice. The move aims to strengthen the KKR-backed agency's C-suite and board-level advisory capabilities globally.Davie, who served as the 17th Director-General of the BBC from September 2020 to April 2026, brings extensive experience in crisis management, public policy, and corporate restructuring after leading the public broadcaster through years of heightened public and political scrutiny. Prior to his tenure as Director-General, Davie served as Chief Executive of BBC Studios, where he integrated the broadcaster's production and distribution operations to build a unit generating over £1.4 billion in annual revenue."Tim brings a depth of experience that is genuinely rare,” said Faeth Birch, UKMEA CEO at FGS Global. ”He has led one of the world's most complex and scrutinized institutions, navigated some of the most demanding moments in modern public life, and built lasting relationships across the U.K. and international business community.”Before entering public broadcasting as the BBC's Director of Marketing, Communications, and Audiences in 2005, Davie held corporate leadership roles in the fast-moving consumer goods sector, serving as Vice President of Marketing and Finance at PepsiCo Europe following an early career at Procter & Gamble.

Global hospitality company Hilton has elevated long-standing executive Erica Cary to Vice President, Internal Communications & Community Partnerships. Based in the Washington D.C.-Baltimore area, Cary will lead Hilton’s global internal communications strategy while also overseeing the company’s community initiatives, including efforts to maximise the impact of the Hilton Global Foundation.Announcing the move on LinkedIn, Cary said the new role brings together several areas she has been passionate about throughout her career, including people, purpose, partnerships and communications. She described the role as being about “building connective tissue” by turning purpose into action, partnerships into opportunity and communication into a business enabler.Cary has been with Hilton since 2016 and brings more than a decade of leadership experience across the organisation. She most recently served as Vice President, Global HR Business Partner. Earlier, she held senior roles including Vice President of HR Consulting, Vice President of HR Technology and Services and Senior Director of Digital Product Management.Before joining Hilton, Cary held roles across enterprise portfolio management, digital transformation and technical systems at organisations including Neiman Marcus, RadioShack, Target, IBM and Lockheed Martin.

Omnichannel eyewear retailer Lenskart.com has appointed communications strategist Abhishek Chauhan as Corporate Communications & PR Leader. Based in New Delhi, Chauhan will oversee the company’s corporate reputation, brand narrative, media relations and strategic communications as Lenskart continues to expand its retail presence in India and international markets.Chauhan announced the move on LinkedIn, writing, “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Corporate Communications & PR Leader at Lenskart.com!”Chauhan brings over a decade of experience in corporate reputation, crisis management and stakeholder engagement. He joins Lenskart after a four-and-a-half-year stint with Ola Group, where he progressed from Senior Manager to Director and led corporate communications and PR for Ola Electric, Ola Consumer and Ola Krutrim.Prior to Ola, Chauhan held agency leadership and client advisory roles, including Associate Vice President at Edelman and senior positions at 20:20 MSL, where he worked on mandates for brands such as Royal Enfield and Facebook.He also spent more than five years with Zeno Group, handling crisis communications, brand mandates and government relations for clients including Kia Motors, Boeing, McDonald’s, Ducati India, Hero Electric and Lenovo. Chauhan began his communications career with Boring Brands.

Leading global professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) India has announced the appointment of Aditya Priyadarshan as Managing Director within its Business Transformation Services practice. Based in Mumbai, he will focus on large-scale operating model and organization structure transformation programs, spanning AI-powered transformation, growth strategy and digital transformation across the automotive, industrial and retail sectors.Mr. Priyadarshan brings over 20 years of consulting experience, advising large organizations on operating and organizational design, front-end transformation and zero-based transformation. He has led programs focused on aligning enterprise structures with growth priorities, reducing complexity, streamlining governance and accelerating AI-powered and digital transformation to improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency.Prior to joining A&M, Mr. Priyadarshan spent 18 years with Accenture, where he most recently served as Managing Director and led the AI practice in India. Previously, he led the firm’s Retail practice, with responsibility for growing its consulting and digital business, and its Talent and Organization practice, supporting clients through large-scale transformation and organizational change.Himanshu Bajaj, Managing Director & Head – A&M India and GCC, said, “Indian businesses are increasingly looking to translate investments in AI and digital capabilities into tangible improvements in growth, productivity and organizational effectiveness. This requires bringing strategy, operating model and execution together rather than addressing them in isolation. Aditya’s experience across these areas adds further depth to our leadership team as we continue to strengthen A&M’s transformation capabilities in India.”Sameer Amte, Managing Director, Business Transformation Services, A&M India, said, “Transformation agendas across automotive, industrial and retail businesses are becoming increasingly interconnected, with operating model choices, organization design and technology adoption directly influencing competitiveness and performance. Aditya’s experience in leading complex transformation programs and applying AI to enterprise priorities complements our existing capabilities and strengthens our ability to support clients from strategy through execution.”Aditya Priyadarshan, Managing Director, A&M India, said, “Organizations today have a significant opportunity to use AI and digital technologies to rethink how they operate, organize and grow. Realizing that opportunity requires clarity on the operating model and disciplined execution across the enterprise. A&M’s hands-on, results-oriented approach provides a strong platform to help clients turn transformation priorities into measurable outcomes, and I look forward to working with the team and our clients in this next phase.”

FleishmanHillard has appointed communications industry leader Bibi Hilton as UK chair of brand impact and EMEA managing director of brand, further strengthening the agency's senior advisory team.In her new role, Hilton—who commenced her duties on September 1—will deliver senior strategic counsel to clients, help drive the future growth of FleishmanHillard’s brand business across the UK and EMEA, and serve on the agency’s global brand impact leadership team. She joins from Omnicom sister agency Golin Ketchum, where she most recently served as chief client officer overseeing six international markets and an affiliate network, following a tenure as managing director of Golin London.Hilton’s extensive industry background also includes serving as CEO of the diversity and inclusion social enterprise Creative Access, holding senior positions at MullenLowe and Interpublic Group, and acting as president of Women in PR. She is a recipient of the PRCA’s Trailblazer Award.Commenting on her appointment, Hilton said: “FleishmanHillard has a clear ambition for the future, exceptional talent across its network and a strong reputation for helping clients navigate increasingly complex challenges. The opportunity to shape our brand impact offer, while working alongside colleagues and clients who are pushing the industry forward, was incredibly compelling.”FleishmanHillard UK CEO Marshall Manson praised Hilton's credentials, noting her history of advising senior executives and driving agency transformation. “As we continue to invest in our leadership team, strengthen our advisory capabilities and build for the future, Bibi’s experience, ambition and perspective will be invaluable,” Manson added.

Even Healthcare, the vertically integrated healthcare company combining insurance, hospitals and comprehensive care, has elevated Vignesh PV to Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). In his new role, Vignesh will lead Even’s commercial growth across its insurance and B2B businesses, with a focus on expanding insurer and broker partnerships, growing the corporate client base and strengthening the integration between Even’s insurance and healthcare offerings.As CCO, Vignesh will work across Even’s insurance and hospital businesses to drive growth across OPD, wellness and managed-care offerings, while building deeper relationships across the insurer, broker and corporate ecosystem. A key focus will be scaling Even’s presence in Bengaluru, where the company aims to capture 20% of the relevant market.Even’s OPD and wellness business has seen strong momentum, with its corporate book growing 100% over the last year. The business now covers 200,000+ lives across 350+ corporates, more than doubling its corporate client base from approximately 150 over the past year. Its portfolio includes organisations such as Godrej Group, Tally Solutions, PayU, Ultrahuman, Hyundai, Fiat, Marriott, to name a few, with growth supported by an expanding network of insurer and broker partnerships, including Go Digit, Aditya Birla Health Insurance and Care Insurance, among others.At the heart of Even’s proposition is its vertically integrated “payvider” model, which brings insurance and healthcare delivery together through its hospital network. By controlling costs within its own hospitals, Even is able to offer competitive healthcare and OPD plans while creating a connected experience across preventive care, OPD, diagnostics and hospitalisation. The model also allows Even to identify and address health risks earlier, while building stronger relationships with members through more frequent healthcare touchpoints.Commenting on the appointment, Vignesh PV, Chief Commercial Officer, Even Healthcare said, “The opportunity is to move healthcare from a fragmented experience to one where insurance and care work together seamlessly. Even’s integrated model gives us a strong foundation to build deeper partnerships with insurers, brokers and employers, while delivering greater value to members. Our focus will be on scaling this model and making Even the preferred healthcare partner for more organisations and their employees.”Mayank Banerjee, Co-founder, Even Healthcare, added, “Our insurance business has grown significantly over the last year, and we see an even larger opportunity ahead. Vignesh’s elevation reflects the importance of this business to Even’s next phase of growth. His focus on strengthening our insurer and broker relationships, while bringing our insurance and hospital businesses closer together, will be critical as we scale.”Even will continue to invest in its insurance, hospital and healthcare ecosystem, using its integrated model to deliver better access, outcomes and value for members while building a differentiated healthcare platform at scale.

AI lab Anthropic has appointed communications veteran Antonia Sanda to lead its communications strategy across Australia and New Zealand, marking a key milestone in the company's regional expansion.Sanda most recently managed APAC communications for global workforce management unicorn Deel for over four years, prior to which she served as Meta’s head of communications for Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific from 2013 to 2022. During her tenure at Meta, she steered the tech giant through major crises, including the 2019 live streaming of the Christchurch mosque shootings and the 2021 news blackout response to the News Media Bargaining Code. Her extensive career also includes serving as head of communications at Australian internet portal Ninemsn.Reflecting on her transition to the AI sector following a company induction in San Francisco, Sanda shared on LinkedIn: "Just back from San Francisco, this week getting on the tools and finding my feet. There is so much to learn and I’m not yet across it all. What I have seen is that people are thoughtful and are asking the hard questions."The strategic hire follows a series of regional investments by Anthropic, which opened a Sydney office in April and appointed Theo Hourmouzis as general manager for Australia and New Zealand. Both Meta and Deel have given Sanda deep experience working with rapidly scaling digital entities; notably, Deel surpassed US$1 billion in revenue by 2025 and heavily invested in artificial intelligence.With over two decades of storytelling experience across global technology ecosystems, Sanda noted on her professional profile: "During this time, I’ve been lucky enough to work as a communications partner to some of the world’s most exciting companies and extraordinary minds. I’ve witnessed first hand the transformative good of technology and its challenges. I relish in telling positive narratives and finding fixes to the issues."

Ogilvy Thailand has appointed Mettipapan Tongton as its new market lead, succeeding retiring CEO Jiravara Virayavardhana following a tenure of more than 31 years.Taking up the role this month, Tongton steps in as WPP advances efforts to streamline and integrate operations across its agency network. With over 18 years of experience in marketing communications, Tongton has ascended through the ranks to serve on Ogilvy's executive board, most recently managing T&PM—a WPP agency collaborating with Ogilvy across APAC—and serving as managing director of Ogilvy One. Her expertise encompasses brand management, O2O communications strategy, customer experience, and martech-enabled CRM.In her new capacity, Tongton will partner with Ogilvy Thailand Chief Creative Officer Pete Thasorn Boonyanate and network leadership to drive creative growth and innovation via WPP Open, scaling integrated capabilities across brand strategy, communications, experience design, and public relations."I am deeply honoured to step into this leadership role," Tongton said. "While the agency landscape is changing faster than ever, Ogilvy Thailand's mission remains constant: to deliver creative excellence and drive growth for our clients."The transition marks the conclusion of a three-decade career for Virayavardhana, who reflected on her time with the agency as a privilege. Ogilvy Global CEO Laurent Ezekiel lauded Virayavardhana’s extraordinary tenure while praising Tongton as the ideal leader to guide the agency into its next chapter under WPP's borderless creativity framework.The leadership change coincides with broader integration efforts across Ogilvy’s advertising, PR, experience, consulting, and health divisions. Within Asia-Pacific, the network has expanded its earned media, social, and creator offerings under its Connected Impact strategy, deploying tools like Generative Impact, CompassAI, CultureBot, and its Believability Diagnostic Tool. Ogilvy Thailand continues to serve as a creative anchor in Southeast Asia, recognized for notable campaigns such as the Thailand Capital Market Development Fund's “Check, Check and then Check Before Investing” and Burger King's “The Real Burger”.

Current Global MENAT, part of Middle East Communications Network (MCN), has appointed Sim Devgun as Senior Account Director, as the agency continues to invest in its growing team and client portfolio.Sim brings close to a decade of PR experience across Dubai and London, specialising in creative consumer communications across travel, hospitality, F&B, entertainment and FMCG. Most recently at Umami Comms, she led communications for brands including talabat UAE, Diageo MENA and Rosewood Hotels across integrated campaigns, experiential launches, partnerships and reputation management.Peter Jacob, Managing Director, Current Global MENAT, said: “The last few months have been challenging for many across the region, so we’re especially proud to be continuing to be able to bring in fresh talent, energy and ideas. Sim brings strong international experience, brilliant strategic instincts and a real understanding of what makes work cut through in the region.”Sim said: “I wanted my next move to challenge me creatively and give me the opportunity to work on brands that genuinely shape the city and wider region. Current Global is without doubt one of the best agencies to be at with the calibre of the work, human-first culture and brilliant people right across the team. I’m super excited to get stuck in.”Now in its fourth year of operations in the region, the agency has continued to expand its team and client roster across the UAE and wider GCC, working with brands including Dubai Airports, Global Village, Dubai Tourism, OURA, Uber, New Balance, Heinz and Puck.(Source: telummedia)

Airbus has appointed Kate Millar as Head of Communications, Asia-Pacific, with the communications executive relocating to Singapore from Melbourne to take up the role.Millar joins Airbus after nearly a decade with Jetstar Airways and the Qantas Group, where she most recently served as Head of Communications.In a LinkedIn post announcing her move, Millar said the new role would give her an opportunity to remain connected to the aviation industry while gaining a different perspective from within the aerospace sector.Based in Singapore, Millar will oversee communications across 26 countries and territories in the Asia-Pacific region. Her remit will span Airbus’ businesses in APAC, while working closely with teams in Toulouse and other locations worldwide.“After almost a decade with Jetstar Airways and the Qantas Group, I’ve relocated to Singapore with my family to join Airbus as Head of Communications, Asia-Pacific,” Millar said.She added that her first few days at Airbus had involved meeting the team and gaining a firsthand view of the scale of the company and the innovation taking place across the region.Millar will also work alongside her predecessor, Sean Lee, during the remainder of the year as part of the transition. Lee is set to retire at the end of the year.Reflecting on her departure from the Qantas Group, Millar thanked Luke Enright for bringing her into the aviation industry and acknowledged the colleagues she had worked with during her career in the sector.Her appointment comes with Millar bringing close to a decade of aviation communications experience at Jetstar to Airbus, as the company continues to strengthen its communications operations across the diverse and strategically important APAC market.

Simon Shaw has concluded his tenure as Chief Communications & Marketing Officer at King Salman Park Foundation in Riyadh, marking the end of an in-house leadership role he took up after several years of consulting across the Middle East.Shaw announced his departure in a LinkedIn post, describing his time with the foundation as an important professional chapter and an opportunity to contribute to one of the major projects associated with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme.During his tenure, Shaw said he helped shape the organisation's brand direction and strengthen its marketing and communications capabilities, while building a team to support the next phase of King Salman Park's development.The role also represented a move from regional consulting into a full-time leadership position in Riyadh. Shaw said the experience deepened his understanding of Saudi Arabia, its culture and the scale of the transformation underway in the Kingdom.With a professional background spanning strategy, creativity and architecture, Shaw said the opportunity to contribute to a project bringing together nature, culture and community was particularly significant.Reflecting on his departure, he said he was proud of the direction established for the King Salman Park brand, the development of its marketing and communications capabilities and the team assembled to support the project's future.He also thanked colleagues and partners involved during his tenure and said he looked forward to seeing the park's vision develop for the people of Riyadh.Shaw is now working as an independent adviser as he considers his next professional chapter. He said his advisory work will draw on his international consulting experience and in-house leadership background.His areas of focus will include strategy, brand development, corporate reputation, creative transformation, communications and marketing.The departure comes as Saudi Arabia continues to invest heavily in large-scale cultural, tourism, entertainment and urban-development projects under Vision 2030, creating demand for senior expertise across branding, communications and reputation management.King Salman Park is one of Riyadh's major urban-development projects and is designed to create a large-scale destination combining green spaces, cultural facilities, recreational attractions and community infrastructure.Shaw's departure leaves his next permanent leadership move open, with the communications and marketing executive indicating that he will initially focus on independent advisory work.Simon Shaw has concluded his tenure as Chief Communications & Marketing Officer at King Salman Park Foundation in Riyadh, marking the end of an in-house leadership role he took up after several years of consulting across the Middle East.Shaw announced his departure in a LinkedIn post, describing his time with the foundation as an important professional chapter and an opportunity to contribute to one of the major projects associated with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme.During his tenure, Shaw said he helped shape the organisation's brand direction and strengthen its marketing and communications capabilities, while building a team to support the next phase of King Salman Park's development.The role also represented a move from regional consulting into a full-time leadership position in Riyadh. Shaw said the experience deepened his understanding of Saudi Arabia, its culture and the scale of the transformation underway in the Kingdom.With a professional background spanning strategy, creativity and architecture, Shaw said the opportunity to contribute to a project bringing together nature, culture and community was particularly significant.Reflecting on his departure, he said he was proud of the direction established for the King Salman Park brand, the development of its marketing and communications capabilities and the team assembled to support the project's future.He also thanked colleagues and partners involved during his tenure and said he looked forward to seeing the park's vision develop for the people of Riyadh.Shaw is now working as an independent adviser as he considers his next professional chapter. He said his advisory work will draw on his international consulting experience and in-house leadership background.His areas of focus will include strategy, brand development, corporate reputation, creative transformation, communications and marketing.The departure comes as Saudi Arabia continues to invest heavily in large-scale cultural, tourism, entertainment and urban-development projects under Vision 2030, creating demand for senior expertise across branding, communications and reputation management.Prior to King Salman Park Foundation, he had worked with Burson as Global Chief Creative Officer.

Michael Macfarlane Associates (MMA) has appointed Joe Wallen as Partner and Head of India, as the London-headquartered global reputation strategy firm expands its presence across India and the wider Asian region.Wallen joins MMA after more than a decade working across media, strategic communications and strategic consulting in India. He was previously Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Montfort South Asia, The Daily Telegraph’s multi-award-winning South Asia Bureau Chief, Co-Founder and Host of The Diplomat's Beyond the Indus podcast and South Asia Consultant at Teneo.Based in Mumbai, Wallen will lead MMA’s South Asia business, advising founders, business families, investors, corporates and institutions, while also supporting international clients operating in the market.Michael Macfarlane, Founder of MMA, said: “Our clients are building businesses, investment platforms, institutions and legacies of consequence on a global scale.""India is central to the future of what we are building. Joe brings the experience, relationships and cultural fluency to help Indian founders, families and organisations operate globally, and to help international capital engage with India properly."Wallen is also Chairman of the British Business Group in India; the UK Government's on-ground networking and business arm.MMA operates across eight international offices and advises private families, capital holders, businesses and institutions on reputation strategy and communications.

NorthStar Insights, the senior-led, AI-powered PR and communications advisory firm, has appointed Stefano Hesse as Senior Advisor. Based in London, Hesse joins to strengthen the firm's reputation management practice, bringing more than three decades of in-house communications experience across some of the world's most consequential technology companies and the high-stakes transactions that defined them.The appointment comes as the demands on corporate communications during high-stakes moments continue to intensify. For companies navigating IPOs, acquisitions, and periods of acute regulatory and reputational scrutiny, the narrative a business builds around a transaction have become as consequential as the transaction itself. Fewer advisers can draw on direct, in-house experience of steering that narrative through moments of this scale. Hesse's career sits precisely at that intersection.Over the course of his career, Hesse built and executed global strategic communications programmes for large, complex organisations, including through the Google and Meta IPOs and a series of major acquisitions pursued by both. His experience spans the operational reality of leading communications from inside the business, where reputation is tested quickly and publicly, and where the quality of counsel in the room determines how a company is understood by investors, regulators, and the wider market.The appointment reflects where NorthStar's own growth is heading. As the firm deepens its reputation management practice for clients navigating IPOs, M&A, and complex cross-border situations, embedding senior practitioners with direct, in-house experience of those moments is central to how it delivers for boards and leadership teams.Arth Malani, Founder and CEO of NorthStar Insights, said: "The moments that carry the most risk for a business that is an IPO, an acquisition, a reputational challenge are the moments where senior judgment matters most. Stefano has sat inside some of the most scrutinised companies in the world and steered their communications through exactly these situations. That is a rare perspective, and it is precisely the counsel our clients need in the room. His joining strengthens our reputation management practice and reflects the seniority we are building into every engagement." Stefano Hesse, Senior Advisor at NorthStar Insights, added: "I'm delighted to be joining forces with NorthStar Insights as Senior Advisor. Over three decades in communications, including at Google, Facebook and eBay, I've built and executed global strategic communications plans for large, complex organisations, including through high-stakes IPOs and M&A, where the story a company tells is as critical as the transaction itself. That's exactly the lens NorthStar brings to its clients, and I'm looking forward to helping organisations build the resilient, credible narratives they need to navigate high-stakes markets and moments with confidence."The appointment marks the latest step in NorthStar's growth, strengthening the firm's reputation management and financial communications capabilities for clients across global markets. Stefano continues to lead Stefano Hesse advisory while working alongside us to strengthen our capabilities.

Vodafone Egypt has elevated May Yassin as Head of Corporate Affairs, bringing more than 16 years of experience across communications, marketing and development roles.She joined Vodafon in 2014 as marketing communication and peop engagement manager.Yassin’s professional background spans several large corporations and industries, with experience covering external communications, sustainable development, strategic planning and budgeting, and creative initiatives.Yassin describes herself as a communications leader driven by purpose and focused on creating a positive impact on society.Based in Egypt, Yassin has built her career across multiple functions, combining corporate communications with marketing and development experience. Her current role at Vodafone Egypt places her at the intersection of corporate reputation, stakeholder engagement and communications for one of the country’s major telecommunications companies.

PRecious Communications has strengthened its Singapore leadership team with the appointment of Sarah Cavanaugh as Director, as the agency expands its capabilities across corporate reputation, healthcare communications and AI.Cavanaugh will be based in the agency’s Singapore office and will lead client initiatives spanning Southeast Asia. Her remit will include corporate reputation, healthcare innovation and the application of AI-driven strategies to communications.Working under PRecious Communications’ “ONE PRecious” model, she will advise regional and global brands, with a focus on translating innovation into measurable business outcomes.Cavanaugh brings more than 10 years of experience working with multinational organisations across the Asia-Pacific region. Her expertise covers corporate reputation, public affairs, stakeholder engagement and issues management, alongside senior experience in corporate affairs and healthcare communications.Her previous client portfolio includes LinkedIn, AWS, Money20/20, Organon, Takeda and Visa.Lars Voedisch, Founder and Group CEO of PRecious Communications, said Cavanaugh’s appointment strengthens the agency’s ability to provide strategic counsel as communications continues to evolve around AI and other emerging technologies.He highlighted her experience in corporate reputation and healthcare, as well as her approach to the intersection of AI and communications, adding that she would help lead client initiatives and develop measurable solutions.Cavanaugh said she was drawn to PRecious Communications’ combination of data-led strategy and authentic storytelling.She added that the agency provides an opportunity to further develop its capabilities around areas such as AI visibility and strategic reputation, while delivering practical value for clients.The appointment comes as communications agencies across Southeast Asia increasingly integrate AI into reputation management, stakeholder engagement and broader corporate communications strategies.(Source: Telummedia)

Suman Hughes has been promoted to senior vice president and head of communications for Europe at Mastercard, succeeding Jim Issokson, who recently retired after two decades with the company.Hughes will lead Mastercard’s communications team across Europe, overseeing corporate affairs, reputation, issues management, product communications, brand, employee communications and social media. Mastercard employs around 9,000 people across 30 offices in the region.She will report to Jennifer Erickson, Mastercard’s global head of communications, based at the company’s headquarters in Purchase, New York.Hughes joined Mastercard in 2019 as director of communications for the UK and most recently served as vice president of communications for Europe. Earlier in her career, she spent seven years at HSBC and held agency roles at Instinctif Partners, FTI Consulting and Consolidated.Issokson began his career in political campaigns before moving into the agency sector, working at Edelman and Shift Communications. He joined Mastercard in 2006 as vice president of reputation management and public affairs communications and was appointed to lead communications for Europe in 2021.Reflecting on his retirement in a LinkedIn post, Issokson said his communications career had brought new challenges and opportunities, including managing media issues, adding that he had taken pride in serving as the company’s voice.

Legal agentic operating system company, Legora, has appointed Marko Zitko (right) as Director, Communications, APJ and Jocelyn Bukal (left) as Marketing Director, APJ, with immediate effect.Based in Sydney, the pair will lead Legora's marketing and communications function across APAC and Japan, following the company’s growth across the region.Marko joins after spending the past year consulting enterprise technology companies, following his role as Director of Marketing and Communications at Freelancer.com, where he led brand marketing, communications, and investor relations. He previously spent four years at WE Communications, managing campaigns for clients including Adobe, Sony, and UiPath.Jocelyn brings more than 15 years of B2B technology marketing experience across the APAC region, most recently as Regional Marketing Director APJ at Snyk. Prior to that, she held regional marketing leadership roles at Elastic and Instructure, following earlier positions at Bottomline Technologies, Carnival Corporation, and Symantec.“Legal teams across APJ are moving from evaluating AI to adopting it, and how we show up in each of these markets matters,” said Heather Paterson, VP APJ at Legora.“Jocelyn has spent her career building marketing engines for enterprise software companies scaling across this region. Marko has been working with us on our APAC communications for the past ten months, and we’ve seen firsthand how he builds trust in the market. Together they give us a regional team that matches the opportunity in front of us.”(Source: telummedia)

Australian PR agency, SPEAK Communications, has strengthened its senior team with the appointment of Jason Evans as Senior Account Manager. Jason brings more than 15 years of communications experience across entertainment, sport, and technology, having worked with brands including Channel 9, Stan, Netflix, and Microsoft. His experience spans both in-house and agency roles, covering creative strategy, media relations, and reputation management. SPEAK Communications Founder and Director, Snezana Hay, said: “There’s a really nice full-circle element to Jason joining SPEAK. Jason was actually an intern when we first worked together at 2K Games many years ago, so to now have him joining SPEAK as a Senior Account Manager is pretty special. “We’re thrilled to welcome him as a fellow SPEAK-er. Jason brings an incredible depth of experience across entertainment, sport and technology, strong media relationships and the ability to think creatively and strategically for clients. “As SPEAK continues to grow, having experienced senior people who can lead accounts and be trusted partners to our clients is incredibly important. Jason ticks all those boxes and most importantly, he’s a genuinely great human who fits perfectly into the culture we’ve built.”(Source: Telummedia)

MathCo has appointed Rohini Sharma as Head – Marketing & Communications, as the data and analytics company looks to strengthen its brand, market positioning and global communications.Sharma will lead the company’s marketing and communications function, overseeing brand strategy, demand generation, corporate communications and customer engagement initiatives aligned with MathCo’s growth plans.She brings more than 15 years of experience across brand strategy, product marketing, go-to-market strategy, demand generation, digital marketing, corporate communications and customer marketing.Before joining MathCo, Sharma held leadership roles at AGS Health, Aezion and Infosys, where she worked across brand building, go-to-market programmes, product marketing, demand generation and corporate communications.Aditya Kumbakonam, Co-Founder and COO, MathCo, said Sharma’s experience across marketing leadership, brand building and communications would help strengthen the company’s market presence and support its next phase of growth.