AstraZeneca appoints Rikki Jones as head of comms for international and EUCAN

AstraZeneca has named Rikki Jones (pictured) as its new head of communications for international and EUCAN (Europe and Canada). In her new role, Jones will be relocating from Singapore to Dubai, where she will support the pharmaceutical giant’s global corporate affairs strategy and lead communications across key international markets, she announced in a LinkedIn post.

With the move, Jones will be stepping down as president of GCI Health Asia-Pacific and CEO of Burson Group Singapore. Burson Group Singapore encompasses both Burson Singapore and GCI Health. Cindy Lim, who is the current CEO of Burson Singapore, will continue to lead the agency's local operations.

Jones has spent nearly 16 years within the Burson network of agencies, marking the end of a significant chapter not just for GCI Health, but for the wider healthcare communications landscape in the region.

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Jones has been instrumental in scaling GCI Health’s Asia-Pacific footprint since relocating from London to Singapore in 2018. She was appointed APAC president in 2021 and has played a central role in navigating the agency through multiple global restructures, from the Cohn & Wolfe and BCW merger to the eventual integration into Burson. Throughout, she held dual leadership roles across the group’s Singapore and GCI Health practices.

Prior to her relocation, Jones was the director of health at Cohn & Wolfe in London for four years. Earlier on, she also had stints at Red Door Communications, Lilly, Edelman and Weber Shandwick in both London and Sydney.

In her farewell note, Jones expressed gratitude for the “brilliant bosses, teammates and clients” she’s worked with over the years, calling her time at the agency a journey of building businesses, advancing health, and shaping reputations. “I’ve been lucky to work alongside some of the industry’s best, internally and externally,” she said.

Jones added that she has worked closely with AstraZeneca as a client in previous roles, and is now excited to join the team in-house to help drive its corporate affairs agenda. “It’s not easy to say goodbye, but sometimes a new opportunity is too rare and right to pass up,” she wrote.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to AstraZeneca and Jones for more information.

According to a 29 June press statement, Kath Harisson (pictured left) has been named to the newly created position of president, GCI Health, international markets, focused on Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and new growth markets. Additionally, Eddie Morton (pictured right) has joined GCI Health as regional managing director, Asia-Pacific. 

Harrison, formerly president, EMEA, has been the driving force behind GCI Health’s rapid expansion in Europe and the Middle East, having relocated to Dubai in 2024. Her appointment signals GCI Health’s continued commitment to the region, where healthcare transformation is moving rapidly and where demand for strategic counsel is growing from both public and private sector clients.

Adrian Warr, CEO, South Asia-Pacific, Burson, told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that Singapore remains an important market for Burson, both strategically and operationally, and especially for healthcare.

"As a global hub for business, innovation, and policy, Singapore plays a critical role in shaping communications and reputation strategies across Southeast Asia. Its influence and connectivity within the region make it a key player in advancing our mission to help clients earn reputation and drive impact," said Warr. 

“We will miss Rikki, her enormous contributions will continue to have a lasting impact on our business after she leaves us, but at the same time we are delighted for her new role and wish her every success,” he added.

Last month, Burson appointed Maggie Lu as China CEO, effective immediately. She reports to HS Chung, North APAC CEO of Burson. Based in Shanghai, Lu will oversee the agency’s business across Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, responsible for client satisfaction, agency growth and talent management.

Lu's appointment comes on the back of Burson Indonesia promoting two of its leaders in a strategic move that underscores the firm's ambition to lead Indonesia's communication consultancy sector through data-driven, AI-integrated strategies.

Harry Deje, who was the managing director, is now the agency's chief operating officer (COO). Meanwhile, Shirley Tangkilisan, who was Burson's general manager, replaced Deje's role as managing director.


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