Hill+Knowlton Strategies establishes China region

Ye Yu and Ivy Soonthornsima (pictured), who have overseen the Beijing and Shanghai offices respectively, will share management of the new region as co-presidents, reporting to Jack Martin, global chairman and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies.

“We advise our clients around the world on issues at the intersection of their business and the public, and today one-fifth of that public lives in China,” said Martin in a statement. “As a global firm, the influence of China cannot be overstated. It is the largest economy in the world behind the US, has eight cities that are larger than New York and has demonstrated an accelerated growth pattern for the past 30 years."

He added that "vigilant focus" was critical to continue to service clients adequately in the market.

Yu (pictured below) and Soonthornsima will each focus on a section of the geographic and practice areas in China. Yu will continue to oversee the administrative function of Beijing, and the practice areas including corporate advisory, public affairs, crisis and training, health care, technology, energy and sustainability.

Soonthornsima will oversee the administrative function of Shanghai, Guangzhou and Pan China, and the practice areas including corporate communications, marketing communications and finance and investor relations. She will also be developing two new initiatives in China: one in digital (a social PR lab) and one in integrated communications and branding strategy.

Prior to the move, China was part of the firm’s Asia region and was overseen by John Morgan, president and CEO for Asia.

Morgan will continue to manage the Asian markets of Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Korea and Malaysia, as well as H+K Strategies’s affiliate relationships in Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines.

The elevation of China to region status will enable Morgan to focus exclusively on growth initiatives in other geographies, in particular Southeast Asia.