Edelman strengthens public, government affairs capabilities in SEA with new leadership appointments

Singapore – Edelman has strengthened its Public and Government Affairs capability in Southeast Asia, expanding its senior advisory support for corporate leaders operating across the region. The move comes under the leadership of Wai Leong Tang, who has been appointed as Head of Public and Government Affairs, leading the practice from Singapore.

The agency’s Public and Government Affairs offering focuses on the intersection of corporate reputation, public affairs, and policy. It advises multinational and regional organisations on how political context, regulatory changes, and evolving public expectations can influence corporate reputation, business outcomes, and companies’ licence to operate.

Tang joins the firm from H/Advisors, where he served as head of public affairs for the region. In his new role as head of public and government affairs for Southeast Asia, he reports to Delicia Tan, CEO for Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan at Edelman.

Speaking on the appointment, Tan said, “As the cost of getting politics wrong rises, leaders need partners who understand how government works across this region. This expanded capability strengthens our ability to help CEOs stay ahead of risk, not just respond to it. Wai Leong brings a clear regional perspective on how these dynamics play out market by market, and how leaders can engage governments with confidence and credibility.”

Based in Singapore, Tang will work with Edelman’s market teams across Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. His remit includes helping organisations align regional decision-making with locally credible government engagement while navigating differing political, regulatory, and stakeholder environments across markets.

The development reflects increasing challenges for business leaders in the region, as decisions taken at regional headquarters intersect more frequently with national policy priorities, domestic political considerations, and evolving regulatory frameworks. As a result, public affairs is increasingly seen as a strategic function rather than a reactive one.

Under Tang’s leadership, Edelman aims to integrate government engagement, policy intelligence, and policy communications into broader business strategies to help organisations anticipate potential risks and manage regulatory scrutiny.

Commenting on his appointment, Tang said, “Across Southeast Asia, politics and policy are no longer peripheral issues; they are core drivers of business risk, trust and growth. Leaders today must balance regional strategy with local political realities, while demonstrating credibility with governments, regulators and the public. Our role at Edelman is to help them do that with clarity and confidence.”

Supporting the expanded capability is Kenn Yee, Senior Program Manager, who brings experience in areas including technology policy, artificial intelligence, data governance, cybersecurity, and critical information infrastructure across the Asia-Pacific region.

Based in Singapore, Yee advises organisations navigating complex regulatory environments, particularly as governments increase oversight of data, technology, and digital infrastructure. His role includes helping clients understand policy risks and develop engagement strategies with regulators.

The firm said his appointment strengthens its ability to translate complex policy, technology, and security issues into guidance for senior leadership teams.

Tang and Yee form part of Edelman’s expanded Southeast Asia Public and Government Affairs team, which the firm said is designed to support CEOs, boards, and strategy leaders in aligning government engagement with long-term business strategy and building trust with stakeholders in a more politically complex environment.

SB Jang, Senior Regional Advisor for Public and Government Affairs for Asia-Pacific at Edelman, said, “We are delighted to welcome Wai Leong to Edelman. His leadership will be critical as organisations across Southeast Asia navigate a business environment increasingly shaped by geopolitical dynamics, trade considerations and government decision-making.”