PRHK appoints new board for 2020/21

PRHK has appointed its new board for the year ahead with FleishmanHillard's senior partner and president for Greater China Rachel Catanach taking the role of chairperson of the industry organisation. 

This year’s board includes two newcomers, including independent consultant Ben Evetts and Sinclair's regional director Carbo Yu. Having come into effect in July 2020, the board continues its work and strategy with the reappointment of five members of last year’s board.

The new PRHK board is tasked with steering the organisation on its fresh course in a challenging year for the industry. One of the organisation's goals in the upcoming year is its plan to extend the influence and reach of PRHK in the Greater Bay Area through collaborations and partnerships with the PR and business communities in that region. 

Catanach said, "A key focus for the PRHK board will be to work with our members to forge new connections and navigate the different business operating environment. While we remain extremely positive about Hong Kong’s resurgence after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, we want to enable existing members to tap into potential new growth avenues and encourage new members based in the Greater Bay Area to join us or connect.”

As training is a casualty of a tough economy, PRHK will continue providing additional development opportunities for young professionals in its member firms and tangible encouragement to the next generation of PR leaders, supporting programmes such as the Hong Kong Young PR Lions competition and the PRHK Mentorship Programme, in addition to university outreach.

Apart from this, PRHK is inviting corporates, individual professionals, students and affiliates to join the organisation alongside the existing membership portfolio of local, regional and global PR agencies to unite the profession and foster inclusive industry participation.

"Decisive-yet-empathetic communication has become even more important as leaders and the institutions that they represent are grappling with the significant changes that the virus has wreaked on our lives and work,” commented Catanach.

“Given current conditions, the imperative for PRHK to represent, champion, promote and grow the public relations and communications industry in Hong Kong has never been greater. We are doubling down on our support of members and the wider PR community through these extraordinary times, helping them demonstrate the considerable value public relations can provide and identify new avenues to innovate," she concluded.

Here is the list of the new board of PRHK:
Chairperson: Rachel Catanach, FleishmanHillard
Deputy chairperson: Annouchka Behrmann, Edelman
Treasurer: David Croasdale, Newell
Honorary secretary: Simeon Mellalieu, Ketchum
Membership: Felix Poon, Vis Communications
Partnerships: Kiri Sinclair, Sinclair
Digital & marketing co-chair: Ben Evetts, Independent, Carbo Yu, Sinclair
Education & mentorship programme chair: Maria Cheong, Burson Cohn & Wolfe

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