Rice Communications names 5 new partners to join business

Strategic communications and public relations consultancy, Rice, will work with five new partners manage its business. They are Neil Mirano, Donna Garcia, Mayda Jutahkiti, Agung S. Ongko, and Chai Zixin. 

Mirano (pictured left) joins Rice as director of client services, and Garcia (pictured second from left) assumes the role of director and general manager of Rice Myanmar. 

Meanwhile, Jutahkiti (pictured centre) has been named general manager of Rice Singapore, and Ongko (pictured second from right) takes on the position of the director of strategy and insights.

Additionally, Chai (pictured right) is now director of growth at Rice. These five partners will join founder Sonya Madeira and managing partner James Brasher as owners of Rice.

Brasher said each of the new partners has been instrumental in building RICE into what it is today. "We’re fortunate to have such exceptional people focused on the success of clients, and the team, every step of the way. Ever since Madeira founded RICE, people have been at the heart of the business," Brasher said.

According to him, a big part of that is recognising the sacrifice and contribution the employees have made. He added that these five promotions are a significant step in expanding the ownership of the consultancy as it enters its next phase of growth. 

Prior to this, Mirano worked at Orion Public Relations as an associate consultant, where he managed PR accounts for technology accounts across Southeast Asia. Shortly after, he joined Rice in 2014 as a senior account manager, his LinkedIn said. As for Garcia, she has 20 years of experience in PR and corporate communications, and was a senior associate at EASTWEST Public Relations before joining Rice, according to her LinkedIn. 

Jutahkiti has previously worked with companies such as The Hoffman Agency, BandLab and Asia Media Exchange, with over 12 years of experience in PR and corporate and marketing communications, based on her LinkedIn profile. In particular, she headed up the Hoffman Singapore team, where she was tasked with managing and growing the Singapore office, including overseeing affiliates relationships across South Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, Ongko has worked with senior leaders and stakeholders at brands such as Hilton, LinkedIn, Audi, IWG, and ZALORA. He joined Rice in 2015 as a senior account executive, before rising the ranks and assuming roles such as account manager and senior strategy manager, his LinkedIn said.

As for Chai, she worked at Qlik as a senior PR manager, where she oversaw communications strategies and plans for Qlik in APAC, and was heavily involved creative campaign plannnig and content generation, according to her LinkedIn. 

Rice is a strategic communications and PR consultancy, consisting of a team of over 50 people across Asia, with offices in Singapore, Hong Kong and Myanmar. Among the brands that the firm has worked with include Zalora, LinkedIn, Audi, and event-driven technology firm Solace.

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