Singapore – Edelman has announced that Rakesh Thukral will succeed Warren Fernandez as CEO for the firm’s operations in Asia-Pacific (APAC). Fernandez will be stepping down from the role to pursue a new opportunity and will remain with the firm until the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition.  

Thukral has a long-standing career with Edelman. As the current APAC chief operating officer and managing director of India, he has championed growth through a relentless focus on the firm’s clients, people and diversification of specialties and offerings across its portfolio. 

Speaking on his new role, Thukra said.“We have a strong team across the region and great client relationships across sectors and markets. I look forward to working with our teams and clients to continue elevating our work, and ensuring our clients receive solutions that help them evolve and grow their businesses in these complex times.”  

Meanwhile Ed Williams, Edelman’s President for International, spoke on the recent development stating, “I am grateful for everything that Warren has done for the firm, and for his leadership both regionally and globally. He has broadened and sharpened the firm’s capabilities in APAC, and his decades of experience in the news and media sector has been hugely important to many of our clients. We sincerely wish him all the best with his next move. 

“The APAC region continues to present significant opportunity for Edelman and our clients, and therefore remains a key focus for us. Rakesh’s experience of partnering with global companies to enter the Indian market, and for Indian businesses to expand globally, will be invaluable to our clients across the whole region. He has a deep understanding of the business, political, and societal dynamics of the region, and I have confidence that under his leadership, our business will be well positioned”, continues Williams. 

Lastly, Fernandez says, “I am grateful for having been part of the Edelman team and to have worked with some of the industry’s most talented and committed colleagues. A new opportunity has arisen which is hard to say no to; it is a role that plays to my longstanding interests in public policy, and where I will have the opportunity to engage on some of the significant political and geopolitical issues of the day.” 

Thukral will report into Williams in his new role, and the appointment is effective immediately. 

Singapore – Global communications firm Edelman has announced that Yuliani Setiadi, most recently the head of digital for Hong Kong and Taiwan, will be relocating to Singapore as she takes on the new role of head of digital for Southeast Asia

In an exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, Setiadi details how her primary responsibility will be to lead Edelman’s digital strategy for client solutions across Southeast Asia, ensuring that their approach not only aligns with the fast-paced evolution of the market but also places trust at the core of everything the organisation does.

“I will be focusing on integrating digital innovation with Edelman’s deep commitment to building trust between brands and their audiences. This means driving data-driven strategies that respect privacy, creating Active Social content that resonates authentically, and fostering transparent communication that builds long-term relationships. By anchoring our work in trust, we can drive not just engagement but meaningful action and sustained growth for our clients,” she said.

Setiadi continues to report to Jamshed Wadia, vice chair of digital for Edelman Asia Pacific.

“Yuliani’s ability to integrate trust into every aspect of her work is what sets her apart,” comments Wadia. “She brings a well-rounded perspective, with deep experience not only in digital but also in integrated marketing across a wide range of industries—from CPG, retail, and automotive to B2B and healthcare. Her creative and human-centric approach, combined with her extensive regional expertise, will be crucial as we continue to scale our digital capabilities in Southeast Asia.”

What is up for priority at new Edelman role

For Setiadi, her new role priority is strategies that combine creativity with trust-building, adding that in the digital space, it’s not just about reaching audiences but about connecting with them in genuine and impactful ways.

“I plan to focus on developing digital strategies that are transparent, data-driven, and rooted in a deep understanding of human behaviour. By prioritising trust, we can create digital experiences that not only capture attention but also inspire loyalty and advocacy,” she said.

She also added that she want to explore how the industry can use emerging technologies, like AI and immersive experiences, in ways that enhance trust by providing value and transparency to consumers.

Over the course of an extensive 18-year career in brand planning, digital and integrated marketing, Setiadi has worked in both Asia and the Netherlands. Prior to joining Edelman in 2022, she held various leadership roles at Ogilvy that saw her lead significant client relationships and expand the agency’s digital offerings in both Indonesia and Hong Kong.

In her previous role as head of digital for Edelman in Hong Kong and Taiwan, Setiadi demonstrated a strong commitment to merging creativity with data-driven insights, while building impactful relationships between brands and their audiences. In SEA, she plans to prioritise a holistic approach to digital transformation, ensuring that digital strategies continue to elevate the level of trust an organisation holds amongst its consumers.

“My time at Ogilvy taught me the importance of adaptability and innovation. In today’s digital landscape, standing still is not an option. I learned that the best strategies are those that are flexible and can pivot quickly in response to new trends or unexpected challenges,” she said.

Setiadi added, “Additionally, I’ve seen firsthand the power of integrated thinking—where digital isn’t just a channel but a core component of an overall strategy that includes PR, branding, and customer experience. I’m bringing with me a deep appreciation for collaboration across disciplines and a strong belief in the power of creativity to solve even the most complex business challenges.”

How Edelman will ride the future of digital experiences 

One of the challenges that Setiadi notes on the status quo of digital experiences in Southeast Asia is how there are varying levels of digital maturity across markets, meaning strategies must be tailored rather than one-size-fits-all. This is despite Southeast Asia being a region of incredible diversity which poses a great opportunity for growth of digital experiences.

“However, this diversity also offers a unique opportunity to experiment and innovate, as consumer behaviours and digital adoption rates differ widely. The rapid growth of e-commerce and mobile-first behaviours is another key area where brands can create more personalised and impactful digital experiences. Additionally, as data privacy becomes a growing concern globally, there’s an opportunity for brands in Southeast Asia to lead by building trust through transparent and ethical data practices,” she said.

Speaking of trends this year, she says that there will be a stronger focus on hyper-personalisation, where brands use data to create tailored experiences that resonate on an individual level. Moreover, there will also be continued growth in adopting AI and machine learning, particularly in automating and optimising digital campaigns. Lastly, there will also be a rise of immersive technologies, such as AR and VR, which will transform how brands engage with consumers.

“Edelman will expand and improve by investing in these areas, ensuring that our teams are proficient in the latest technologies and understand how to apply them creatively. We’ll also continue to emphasise the importance of trust in the digital space, helping our clients navigate challenges like data privacy and misinformation. By staying ahead of these trends and focusing on delivering impactful, trustworthy digital experiences, we’ll ensure that Edelman remains a leader in the industry,” she concluded.

Singapore – At a global scale, viral hepatitis has become a global healthcare nightmare: the second leading infectious cause of death globally, infecting more than 320 million, and taking the lives of 1.3 million annually. The WHO has sounded the alarm on the crisis, reporting that deaths continue to rise despite testing and treatment being made more accessible.

While hepatitis testing globally is already a thing, recent data also shows that 9 in 10 of some global markets believe that people “reap what they sow” and deserve hepatitis as a result of their high-risk behaviours such as promiscuity and drug use. These societal attitudes and taboos not only discourage individuals from seeking testing but also perpetuate a harmful culture of silence and blame surrounding the disease.

Given this status quo on hepatitis testing, global healthcare company Roche Diagnostics has launched a regional campaign titled ‘Everyone Deserves to Get Tested’ which aims to change this narrative. The campaign, done alongside Edelman, also aims to encourage people to not let silence come in the way of getting screened–and that the reality is anybody can get hepatitis, but nobody deserves it.

To better understand the company’s approach to this campaign, we recently spoke with Amy Ho, head of disease areas at Roche Diagnostics Asia Pacific to better understand the company’s driving force for this campaign, and why advocacy matters for brands like them to solve the world’s most pressing health issues.

Dispelling society stereotypes on hepatitis

For Amy, she notes that the uncomfortable truth about hepatitis is that, in many societies, it is stigmatised due to its perceived causes – high-risk behaviours such as promiscuity and drug use. This has its roots in historical healthcare campaigns highlighting these “unhelpful” stereotypes. 

“These stereotypes, compounded by societal pressure to be a model citizen, have resulted in many remaining silent about hepatitis, contributing to 4.5 million preventable deaths each year,” she explained.

Moreover, she also notes that societal attitudes and taboos not only discourage individuals from seeking testing, but also perpetuate a harmful culture of silence and blame surrounding the disease. 

“Many people are reluctant to get screened for the fear of being labeled as someone ‘who deserves it’. Roche Diagnostic’s ‘Everyone Deserves to Get Tested’ campaign aims to change this narrative. The reality is anybody can get hepatitis, but nobody deserves it. We believe everyone deserves to get tested. 

It is also worth noting that many of hepatitis cases in the world are concentrated in Asia-Pacific, with about 94.6 million infected individual. Moreover, viral hepatitis, particularly Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C (HCV), remains the primary cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and APAC contributes 80% of all HCC cases globally. 

Despite all of this, testing remains a grey area for many in APAC, with a study conduced by Roche alongside GWI notes that over 50% of the population have a basic awareness of hepatitis, but over 30% have not tested, not planning on booking a test and/or unsure. Moreover over 1 in 2 presume nothing is wrong and do not undergo testing, and that 58% of respondents believe people with a history of IV drug use, high-risk sexual behaviours and needle usage from tattoos – deserve hepatitis.

Hence, Amy notes that it is thus of critical importance to identify, diagnose and treat patients at the early stage possible to prevent disease progression. 

“The need for action is more urgent than ever and diagnosing viral hepatitis is a critical first step in limiting the harmful impact of the disease. Increased testing can significantly bring the world closer to achieving the World Health Organisation’s Hepatitis Elimination goal by 2030,” she says.

Amy added, “By shining a light on the disease, we can move closer to achieving the 2030 hepatitis elimination goals and achieve better patient outcomes by eliminating social and systemic barriers to care, tackling key unmet needs along the liver patient journey, and developing integrated solutions and partnerships with key stakeholders.”

“Advocacy is movement-driven”

One of the things that Amy highlighted is that advocacy is movement-driven, meaning making waves in perception, giving voice to issues that need speaking about, and creating actionable change. 

“Likewise, ‘Everyone Deserves to Get Tested’ pushes beyond awareness with its call to action framed within the campaign title itself,” she says.

She added, “With diseases such as Hepatitis, the barriers are manifold. This campaign goes far beyond awareness, breaking deep-seated stigmas, shifting perception and instigating action to get tested.”

For this specific campaign, Amy says that they launched it regionally, and are also following up with targeted versions of the campaign for local rollout, with a specific focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that have a higher incidence rate and disease burden of hepatitis. 

“With these in-market rollouts, we will partner with local organisations to ensure that the campaign reaches its maximum effectiveness in terms of reach, awareness and messaging that converts into longer-term action, with these local partners ensuring that action can take shape and root in each specific local landscape,” she added.

What’s next for Roche’s advocacy-driven campaigns

The global healthcare company is no stranger to these types of campaigns, evident in their ongoing ‘#FreedomtoBe; campaign for women’s health. In this initiative, Roche aimed to inspire and empower women to take care of their health with tangible steps such as getting checked related to cervical cancer.

Amy notes that any of their campaigns, including this one, is centred on awareness and advocacy–but it is just one part of our multi-sectoral strategy to increase healthcare access to patients. Moreover, this campaign is also backed by collaborative efforts from various stakeholders, including policy stakeholders, patient advocacy groups, clinicians, and laboratories to shape practices.

“Diagnostics form the foundation of healthcare; you can’t know how to treat an illness until and unless you know what it is. And it’s not just about identifying a disease, it is also about preventing it from worsening or, more importantly, detecting it before it manifests. Having efficient and effective diagnostics not only supports patients and governments in saving lives but also reduces healthcare expenditure by intervening at crucial junctures, preventing global healthcare crises and stopping millions of preventable deaths right in their tracks,” she explains.

She also highlights that given how the healthcare ecosystem is a complex web, they need to ensure that life-changing innovation reaches those who need it, and that they need a multi-faceted approach to ensure that those in need are impacted directly by their advocacies.

“This campaign is part of Roche Diagnostic’s long-term commitment to drive meaningful change in various ways, from raising awareness to forming partnerships, and channelling action. In that same vein, many of our campaigns wear multiple hats, from being awareness and advocacy-centric to action-oriented,” she concluded.

China – Edelman China has named Xiaoyan Wang as its new health lead. In her new role, Wang will spearhead the development of the firm’s health sector vision, uniting teams across various disciplines to deliver specialised and strategic solutions for client challenges.

Wang brings nearly 25 years of experience in pharmaceuticals and marketing, encompassing consumer health, medical communications, branding, advertising, and digital innovation. Her extensive and diverse background makes her a valuable asset to Edelman China.

With a strong personal interest in public health, Wang believes that effective and empathetic communication is a key driver in improving health outcomes for all. She has collaborated with numerous leading life sciences companies, and in her previous agency roles, she successfully built high-performing teams from the ground up, achieving rapid revenue growth and establishing best-in-class healthcare solutions in China.

Speaking on her appointment, Wang said, “The healthcare industry is currently undergoing a period of great change, as we face challenges and opportunities such as pressure on drug prices, increased regulation, and accelerated innovation. In this period of transition, I’m delighted to join Edelman and provide health clients with strategic solutions that enhance health outcomes. I also look forward to contributing to Edelman’s continuous development of the health sector.”

Also commenting on the appointment, Will Collie, vice chair of health in Asia Pacific at Edelman, stated, “Xiaoyan has solid business management skills and market development capabilities, and her joining is undoubtedly a great addition to Edelman. Importantly, Xiaoyan’s track record of working with international health brands will be of significant importance to clients in China.” 

“Edelman’s internationally connected business and communications consulting teams will be a key differentiator in Edelman’s approach to serving clients in the health sector. Xiaoyan completes our efforts to have senior leaders in every major market across Asia and the Pacific. We believe she will continue to bring her professional strengths into full play in the future and strive to enhance Edelman’s integrated communication capabilities in the healthcare field, expanding business possibilities,” Collie added. 

Jakarta, Indonesia – Global integrated communications firm, Edelman appointed Nia Pratiwi as managing director for its operations in Indonesia, poised to partner with the firm’s clients to navigate and enhance their organisational and brand reputations in today’s increasingly complex environment, signifying a strategic step towards growth and expansion. 

Pratiwi is a seasoned industry specialist with over 20 years of experience in corporate communications, public affairs, and government relations. Having held leadership positions at renowned firms such as Burson Cohn & Wolfe, Burson Marsteller, Fleishmann Hillard, and Pfizer, she will now steer Edelman Indonesia’s next stage of strategic business growth in the rapidly growing, vibrant socio-economic climate of Indonesia.

Commenting on the appointment Warren Fernandez, CEO, Edelman APAC, said, “Indonesia’s economic growth story continues to draw interest around the world and remains core to Edelman’s growth for the region. We are excited about the many inspiring Asian hero business stories coming out of Indonesia.”

Speaking on her own appointment Pratiwi commented, “I am truly excited to be a part of Edelman Indonesia,” she stated. “With the group’s industry-leading position, Edelman is well-positioned to provide clients with exceptional results and continue to stay ahead of the industry.”

In her remarks she commended Edelman’s consecutive wins of the Campaign ‘PR Agency of the Year’ award for three years, underscoring the team’s dedication to excellence.“I’m amazed at how the firm continues to retain its Campaign ‘PR Agency of the Year’ title now three years in a row, a true testament to the team’s determination and resolve to be the best-in-class.

Edelman is credited for over two decades of industry leading research on public trust in societal institutions with the Edelman Trust Barometer Pratiwi’s appointment is effective immediately, signalling Edelman’s commitment to strengthening its presence and capabilities in Indonesia’s vibrant market.

Singapore – Edelman has announced the appointment of Alyssa Soh to head of influencer marketing in APAC, and the elevation of Simon Murphy to the role of head of business marketing. Soh will report to Tyler Vaught, global head of influencer marketing at Edelman while Murphy will report to Joe Kingsbury, global chair of B2B marketing at Edelman.

Soh joins Edelman after a decade in the tech sector, most recently as head of branded content and creators for X (formerly Twitter) JAPAC. In her previous roles, Soh led multi-functional teams across the region, working hand-in-hand with X’s top advertisers to create consistently exceptional creative work, driving optimal performance on the platform. 

In the newly created role, Soh is tasked with scaling Edelman’s influencer marketing offering across the region, establishing an exemplary body of work, and fortifying Edelman’s position as a market leader.

“I believe leveraging Edelman’s established and trusted position in the global communications industry, as well as its comprehensive suite of solutions, will allow us to innovate in this market – enhancing our work with both Brands and Creators to create meaningful content and trusted connections with their audiences across owned, paid and earned channels,” Soh shared.

Meanwhile, Murphy has been with Edelman for 6 years, having joined the firm in Hong Kong as head of corporate in 2017, before relocating to Melbourne in 2022 to take up the role of EVP and head of corporate innovation for APAC and global client lead. He possesses over 25 years of international experience in corporate affairs and communications, having worked in Australia, Hong Kong, India and the UK. 

In his new role, he will lead Edelman’s specialized B2B offering, focused on driving reputation, business demand and revenue growth for B2B clients, across the APAC region.

“Business has always been about trust and relationships. At Edelman we earn trust to drive growth. We make meaningful connections and sustain conversations. Which drives bigger, better, long-term impact,” Murphy said.

London – Grace Blue, the global executive search firm, has appointed Mark Wang as its new senior consultant. Wang will be supporting APAC CEO, Helen Duffy, in expanding and developing further the Grace Blue business offering in China.

Based in Beijing, Wang will support Grace Blue’s clients in the market and lead new business efforts as part of Grace Blue APAC’s expansion plans and wider global strategy. 

Wang joins Grace Blue with a wealth of both client-side and agency experience. Most recently, he was CEO of Edelman in China, and formerly, the MD of Ogilvy One Beijing. Before entering the agency world, he spent 17 years on the brand side in technology with HP, Dell, and IBM. 

Duffy commented, “The constant evolution of the unique digital ecosystem in China, and the skills needed for that, coupled with a greater domestic focus has meant the departure of much international talent over the past 18 months given the challenges of COVID-19. This means an increased focus on hiring the best domestic talent from within the China market. Mark’s extensive experience and authority in the market will be a huge asset in helping our clients navigate these changes in the talent landscape, and he is wonderfully placed to find the best senior talent to take advantage of the new and very different opportunities ahead.”

Wang said, “China is never short of business opportunities, but it is always in need of strong leaders who can capture and convert those opportunities, especially in fast-evolving market dynamics and through present uncertainties amid global tensions. I am honoured and fortunate to join Grace Blue, helping clients across sectors to find the right leaders to drive new growth in China.”

Sarah Skinner, Global MD and CEO for EMEA at Grace Blue, added, “We are thrilled to welcome Mark and the invaluable insight that he will bring our global clients for whom China is a critical market.”

Singapore – Edelman Global Advisory (EGA), a boutique firm providing government affairs and business advisory services as part of Daniel J. Edelman, Inc. (Edelman), has announced that it will be expanding its capabilities and geographic reach through the acquisition of Landmark Public Affairs (Landmark), a global public affairs and strategic communications agency. 

Landmark helps clients engage effectively with decision-makers, stakeholders, opinion formers, and the media to achieve strategic business objectives. It boasts a team of experienced consultants that come from over 20 countries, speaking more than 20 languages and bringing a broad range of talent, capabilities, and reach throughout APAC markets. 

According to EGA, the acquisition will build upon its strong capabilities in APAC by combining EGA’s global vision and best-in-class government affairs and business advisory capabilities with Landmark’s regulatory insights and policy expertise. EGA’s APAC network spans Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Mainland China, Australia, India, Indonesia, and Singapore. 

“This acquisition adds to the strong bench of senior public affairs and government relations regulatory analysts that EGA has assembled in the Asia Pacific region. It enables us to expand our presence into the regional hub of Singapore, where Landmark based its Asia headquarters for over a decade and where clients are increasingly engaging us for our advisory support in the Southeast Asia sub-region and the wider Asia Pacific region,” said Leigh Wedell, chief operating officer of EGA. 

Meanwhile, Richard Andrew, Landmark’s managing director for Asia, who will serve as EGA Co-Chair of Asia Pacific, commented, “We are thrilled to be entering this partnership with EGA, which will enhance our pan-APAC work with clients, bringing them expanded offerings, broader networks of regional and global expertise, and even greater success.” 

“This move will also provide our talented teams with expanded opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work across new sectors and challenges in Asia – home to three of the world’s top five economies,” he added. 

Andrew, based in Singapore, leads a team serving multinational clients across diverse issues and sectors in Asia. He and his team advise several highly regarded pan-Asia industry and trade associations. 

With experience that spans 2 decades, Andrew has worked at Asia’s intersection of business, government, and civil society. For the new leadership arrangement, Andrew will be joining EGA’s Gracie Sun, who will serve as co-chair of Asia Pacific, and EGA’s Ian McCabe, who will serve as executive chair for the Asia region. 

In the past months, the flagship Edelman agency has also made a few fresh appointments for APAC. 

Ex-Straits Times Warren Fernandez was named as Edelman’s new CEO for the region, whilst the company has newly appointed Jenny Granger as its APAC head of strategy for the health-focused practice. 

Singapore – Edelman has appointed Jenny Granger as the head of strategy for health in Asia-Pacific, which reflects the firm’s strategic focus on handling clients in the pharmaceutical, medical technology and consumer wellness space.

At Edelman, Granger will work closely with client leaders, creative teams and clients themselves to help address some of the most pressing challenges currently facing the sector, in order to provide cut-through communications and marketing strategies. 

Her appointment will further build the foundation Edelman’s health business has built around cross-regional expertise, with teams working across the region to service clients. Granger will focus on integrating creative and strategy with Edelman’s health teams across Asia.

A senior communications strategist and market researcher with more than 20 years of experience in integrated marcoms strategy for prescription and OTC brands, Granger joins Edelman after leading her own strategy and research consultancy with a focus on go-to-market and growth strategies across health and wellness, pharmaceuticals, beverage industries and not-for-profits.

Speaking on her appointment, Granger says, “Edelman’s attraction is its unique set of strengths for knowing how to build ‘Trust through Action’. I’m looking forward to working with some great minds in technology, strategy, and creativity across the APAC region to create impactful health communications for our clients, who themselves are doing extraordinary work for their customers and patients.”

Meanwhile, Will Collie, vice chair of health for Edelman in APAC, commented, “As expectations of the communications and marketing function become more focused on driving real business outcomes, Edelman’s health clients need to know that we are putting strategy expertise at the centre of our consulting. The communications and marketing environment has become complex, so we are deliberately building teams that think broadly around the entire health business ecosystem, providing a focused and strategic perspective to the issues our clients face.”

Collie adds, “We’re building teams with no boundaries, bringing the best minds to our clients regardless of where they’re based. Our integrated approach, coupling data, insights and health expertise to deliver high-impact creative engagement, sets us apart. The addition of these deep-rooted Health experts, with their knowledge of the region and insights at the local level, strengthens our capabilities both across APAC as a region as well as in local markets where clients are operating on the ground.”

Singapore – Edelman in Singapore has appointed Amanda Koh as its newest head of technology. In her new role, she will be building on the agency’s strong technology sector capability and expertise. She will report to Julia Wei, CEO of Edelman Singapore.

Koh returns to Edelman after seven years in-house, and most recently comes from being the Asia Pacific & Middle East Head of Marketing and Communications at Vodafone. She had previously spent nine years at Edelman – both in Singapore and Sydney. In this time, she was responsible for leading key client relationships across Edelman’s spectrum of offerings, from media relations to content and digital.

Speaking on her appointment, she said, “Edelman was the place where I fostered my love of technology, especially its far-reaching impact on societies, workplaces and business. It is therefore incredibly exciting to get the opportunity to return and lead the growth of Edelman’s technology sector, working technology companies and leaders to deliver on people’s expectations for societal impact and responsible leadership.”

Meanwhile, Wei commented, “I am thrilled to have Amanda return to Edelman to lead our teams in a very pivotal moment in time for the technology sector, amidst increased expectations for technology leaders to communicate the societal impact of innovation and address concerns on issues like data privacy and automation to build trust.”

She added, “Amanda will be instrumental in Edelman Singapore’s next chapter of growth and innovation – both for our culture and our capabilities, as we continue to bolster sector specialism in areas like technology.”

Recent Edelman appointments in the APAC region include those in the integrated creative team in Hong Kong, health leadership appointments in APAC, and the appointment of Warren Fernandez as CEO for APAC.