Singapore – Weber Shandwick has announced the appointment of Robert Magyar as its new senior advisor to enhance strategic growth in the APAC region. 

Magyar brings over 20 years of experience in healthcare, public affairs, and government relations. Based in Beijing, he has been advising senior executives and industry leaders worldwide, with extensive expertise in China, Indonesia, Japan, Switzerland, and the US. Last year, he was honoured with the Public Affairs Asia/PRCA Gold Standard Award for Professional Excellence.

He also served in senior roles at the Weber Shandwick Tokyo and Beijing offices from 2003 until 2011. 

In his new role, Magyar will collaborate closely with Tyler Kim, APAC CEO, to enhance the agency’s market positioning and client experiences, with a strong focus on healthcare and corporate affairs. 

Kim said, “We are happy to have Robert onboard. His appointment is a step forward in our commitment to delivering superior strategic solutions and accelerating our growth in the region. His extensive leadership experience and strategic vision will be invaluable as we navigate the next phase of our growth across all sectors, with a focus on healthcare and corporate affairs.” 

Speaking on his appointment, Magyar also commented, “The communications industry is going through an accelerated expansion in the APAC region, and strategic solutions are becoming increasingly crucial in shaping reputation and stakeholder perceptions. Weber Shandwick is well aware of these opportunities, and I am excited to support them in building strong relationships and staying ahead of the curve.” 

Singapore – The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) has appointed media veteran Gregory Ho as its senior advisor. Ho was most recently the vice president of corporate communications and marketing for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).

In his new role, Ho will support AVIA CEO Louis Boswell and work closely with the teams in Singapore and Hong Kong, focussing particularly on the curation of AVIA events and conferences as well as membership development and engagement. He will continue to be based in Singapore.

During his previous stint at WBD, he led the corporate communications and marketing for the media and entertainment conglomerate’s entire portfolio of brands, services and businesses as well as Warner Bros., CNN, Cartoon Network and HBO, across Asia Pacific. 

He also had a long spell with Sony Pictures Entertainment – which included leadership roles overseeing marketing, communications, ad sales, research, channel management and operations for its networks in Asia. He began his career with positions at CNBC Asia and Mediacorp Singapore.

Speaking on his new role, Ho said, “I look forward to working with Louis and the small but mighty AVIA team as we continue to support the industry and our members, shining the spotlight on growth opportunities and the most pressing challenges through our events and conferences – sharing, discussing and debating what matters most to us. I’m honoured to have this opportunity to give back to the industry that I love and has been my career for the past 3 decades.”

Meanwhile, Boswell commented, “As our industry continues to evolve during this period of tremendous flux and transition, I’m delighted to have Greg joining the team. His deep experience and understanding of our industry and his extensive network of contacts will be a tremendous asset as we continuously strive to represent and support the industry’s and our members’ needs including the opportunity to share, learn and engage with each other through our various events and conference.”

Australia – Edelman Global Advisory (EGA), the newly established public affairs and government relations arm of global communications firm Edelman, has appointed Peter Fraser to be its new senior advisor and head of the Australia unit.

Fraser, who most recently served as chief of staff to former Minister of Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, the Honorable Andrew Gee MP, has had a long career in Australian politics at the national, state, and local levels. He has also advised industry groups, including the Minerals Council of Australia, educational institutions, including Charles Sturt University, government agencies, and companies on the development and implementation of their communications, advocacy and issues management strategies.

Moreover, Fraser brings to EGA a strong background in policy formulation and delivery in both economic and social policy portfolios, where he has actively shaped policy outcomes at both the state and federal levels in Australia. 

Commenting on his appointment, Fraser said, “I am delighted to be joining the EGA team and look forward to working with new and existing clients to help navigate the increasingly complex government and public affairs ecosystem in Australia and throughout the APAC region.”

Meanwhile, Deborah Lehr, EGA’s global chief executive officer, noted, “Peter’s unique blend of service at the highest levels of Australian government and his long experience as a counsellor to senior corporate and public sector executives makes him uniquely suited to lead EGA’s efforts in a country with a regulatory environment that is watched closely by governments around the world. He will be an important addition to our global network of senior counsellors.”