PRecious Communications names first regional COO, expands leadership remit in Malaysia

PRecious Communications has strengthened its regional leadership team with two senior appointments as it moves to accelerate growth across Asia Pacific. The agency has named industry veteran Joanna Ong (pictured right) as its first regional chief operations officer, while regional vice president of corporate and brands, Sunita Kanapathy (pictured left), will now additionally lead the Malaysia market.

In her new role, Ong will oversee the agency’s key markets where it has a physical presence. These include Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. She will be responsible for driving operational excellence, client service delivery and talent development across the region. Ong will report directly to Lars Voedisch, group CEO of PRecious Communications, and will work closely with him to deliver on strategic business priorities and ensure sustainable growth.

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Ong brings more than 25 years of experience across both agency and in-house leadership roles. Her background includes senior positions at Hilton and Radisson, as well as consulting positions at agencies such as Burson, Ogilvy and MSL. She also previously founded a regional PR agency and most recently served as managing director of MSL Singapore before taking on PR and communications leadership at Publicis Groupe in Asia Pacific.

She said she looks forward to contributing to the agency’s next phase of development. “I am incredibly excited to join PRecious as it embarks on its next stage of growth in the region. I look forward to working with the talented team across markets to further build on PRecious’ success to achieve its strategic vision in delivering the best business outcomes for clients and growth opportunities for the team,” Ong said.

Meanwhile, Kanapathy’s expanded remit comes six months after joining the agency. She will continue shaping PRecious’ regional vision while also leading efforts to strengthen client relationships, develop talent and drive business expansion in Malaysia. She will report to Ong.

With over 25 years of experience, including leadership roles at Ogilvy Malaysia, she has led integrated communications work for multinational and regional brands particularly across financial services, healthcare and travel, and holds deep familiarity with Southeast Asian market dynamics.

Kanapathy's expanded remit follows the departure of Joey Gan (pictured above) from PRecious, who was the country lead for Malaysia and regional VP for integrated marketing communications. A couple of weeks back, Gan announced on LinkedIn that she was going on a career break. Gan had taken on the role of regional VP earlier in February this year, and had been a part of PRecious for three years since July 2022.

Voedisch said the strengthened leadership team reflects the agency’s ambition for its next chapter of growth. “Joanna brings a proven track record of transforming organisations and building high-performing teams while Sunita has demonstrated exceptional leadership, driving impact across our corporate and brands businesses,” he said. “Their strategic vision and deep regional experience will be invaluable as we continue to scale and solidify PRecious’ position as a leading communications powerhouse in Asia, and one day beyond.”

Kanapathy said Malaysia remains a key growth market. “Malaysia is a key market with tremendous potential, and my focus will be on ensuring we continue delivering meaningful, results-driven work for our clients while building a strong, connected team,” she said.

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