Women to Watch 2020: HS Chung, Hill+Knowlton

HS Chung

President
Hill+Knowlton Strategies Asia
Korea

Having ascended to the top Asia post in Hill+Knowlton Strategies in early 2019, HS Chung has quickly made it clear she has no intention of carrying on business as usual. Since taking over, Chung has expanded H+K’s geographical remit to include Malaysia and Indonesia, the former through the merger of H+K Malaysia with Lumos PR in May 2019 and the latter through a new operation that opened in April 2020. In addition, she’s driven a transformation of H+K Singapore into a hub for the region, as well as adding a data-analytics and digital studio to better service clients' modern-day needs. Most recently, Chung spearheaded the launch of I-ACT, H+K’s Covid-19 response offering, to help brands both navigate pandemic challenges and prepare for business afterwards. 

Chung’s results speak for themselves. In 2019, the agency maintained its year-over-year revenue growth with double-digit margins. H+K Asia’s business-win conversion rate stands above 80%, with new clients including SK Hynix, ABInBev, Marriott International, World Family English, Amazon Global Selling, Salesforce, Air New Zealand, Line, and Spotify. H+K recently won Korea Consultancy of the year at the PR Awards Asia in 2020. In addition, Chung has attracted key top-flight talent including Justin Then as MD in Malaysia, Matthew Briant as MD in Singapore and former Wunderman Thompson executive Marianne Admardatine as CEO in Indonesia.
  
With more than 28 years in the industry, Chung has worked at agencies (DMB&B, McCann-Erickson) and in-house (The Westin Chosun and The Ritz-Carlton Seoul). She founded her own agency, Synergy Communications in January 2000, with a staff of one employee plus a puppy. The agency, which became Synergy Hill+Knowlton Strategies in 2002, eventually grew to a team of 90. Today, Chung leads more than 200 staff in Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, and manages affiliate relationships across the region.   

H+K, which has achieved “unparalleled stability” according to insiders, strives to be stimulating, diverse, supportive, flexible and rewarding, with a focus on developing talent and training them for senior roles early on in their careers.

Chung serves as a member of the Korea Public Relations Consultancy Association (KPRCA) and is also on the board of the PRCA SEA.