PRHK names Sinclair's Carbo Yu chairperson

PRHK, the association for public relations and communications professionals in Hong Kong, has appointed Sinclair’s regional director Carbo Yu as chairperson, succeeding Annouchka Behrmann, head of brand of Edelman. Edelman’s head of brand Sofia Yip will be the new deputy chairperson. The new board and sub-committees of PRHK for 2022/23 came into effect in August 2022.

This year’s board expands with the appointment of seven highly respected industry practitioners who have a breadth of experience across sectors and specialities, including BCW’s senior director Maria Cheong as education sub-committee, Edelman’s head of strategy Phyllis Yip and Golin’s director Carol Yeung will be next gen co-chairs, Fran Tam from Edelman and Elizabeth Lui from Sandpiper as next gen sub-committee.  

Other appointments include James Hacking staying as digital chair, Hoffman’s GM Kevin On and Sandpiper’s local GM Natalie Siu as education & mentorship programme co-chairs.  Penn Leung, account director of Creative Consulting Group (CCG) will be the events chairperson.

Kiri Sinclair, founder and CEO of Sinclair will be the new honorary secretary. The new partnerships & sponsorships chair will be taken by Mary Devereux from SEC Newgate. David Croasdale, managing director of Newell will be the new treasurer.

The year ahead will see PRHK continue to represent, champion, promote and grow the Hong Kong public relations and communications industry. The fresh outlook of these new board members complements the continuity provided through the re-appointment of nine board and subcommittee members from last year.

 “Changes from the last few years were inevitable but also expedited innovation across the industry and enabled us to demonstrate the value of strategic PR and communications. As Hong Kong is now settling into a post-pandemic environment, we look forward to new opportunities and initiatives to shape the future for our industry,” said Carbo Yu, newly appointed chairperson of PRHK. “This year sees the largest board representation since our establishment. The collaborative participation and keen responses from the industry send a positive signal to our market, talent and the work we do.”

PRHK’s focus remains unchanged: the association is an enabler for active and emerging professionals to navigate the dynamic communications landscape of Hong Kong, while also being a support for their members and the wider PR community to foster meaningful connections and facilitate knowledge sharing.

Collaborating alongside members and external partners including industry thought leaders and academia, PRHK will continue to drive advocacy for the industry through a series of learning and networking events, viewpoints contribution to discuss current local and regional topics and trends, and case studies sharing to showcase innovation across a range of strategic communications programmes.

Engaging new generational talent has always been high on the PRHK agenda. This will continue to be supported with initiatives including the annual Hong Kong PR Young Lions Competition and extensive engagement programmes with Hong Kong academic institutions and universities; from reviewing curriculums and guest lecturing to training programmes and internships, PRHK will support and nurture the next wave of industry professionals.

Related articles:

Does the PR industry in HK have an 'overwork' problem?
PRHK Viewpoints: Should brands leverage the fan economy?