VFS Global has appointed Ellerton & Co. as its public relations agency for the ASEAN region.The mandate covers communications across Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.Under the partnership, Ellerton & Co. will support VFS Global in strengthening engagement with media and key stakeholders, while streamlining public communication related to visa and consular application processes. The remit also includes promoting verified information channels and assisting with traveller communication during peak travel periods.The agency will work to ensure that VFS Global’s communications remain clear, timely and relevant across local markets as travel demand rises in the region.Headquartered in Zurich and Dubai, VFS Global works with governments and diplomatic missions to manage administrative components of visa, passport and consular services. The company operates in 167 countries with more than 4,000 application centres worldwide and has processed over 533 million applications since its founding in 2001.Ellerton & Co. was selected based on its experience in Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem, where it has supported companies across different growth stages. The agency also has experience across finance and technology sectors, with clients including Nebius and Atome Finance.VFS Global joins Ellerton & Co.’s recent client additions, which include Ethiopian Airlines, ARCC Spaces and TADA, along with expanded mandates for existing clients such as BDx Data Centers, Kintone and Sansan.

Swatee Dobriyal has moved to VFS Global as Senior General Manager, bringing close to two decades of experience in corporate communications, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement.Before this role, she led communications for India and South Asia at Air India Limited. She has also held senior regional leadership positions at LIXIL, where she drove corporate communications, purpose led storytelling, ESG narratives, and stakeholder alignment across multiple Asian markets.Dobriyal’s career spans senior roles across leading communications consultancies including Edelman, Avian Media, Integral PR, Genesis Burson Marsteller, and Perfect Relations, where she managed large corporate and consumer accounts and led high impact communication programmes.At VFS Global, she joins at a time when strategic communications play a critical role in navigating scale, complexity, and global engagement.