Corporate and financial industry veteran joins APRW. 4 November 2026 6:15 AM 2 mins read Singapore-headquartered independent integrated communications agency, APRW, has appointed Ng Chip Keng as Partner to lead its new Corporate & Financial Communications practice. According to the agency, the expansion responds to client demand, with the new practice adding a dedicated capital markets capability to APRW's existing services, including its readiness and advisory arm, Knowledge Studio (APRW KnowS). Chip will advise boards and management teams of listed companies, financial institutions, family offices, and private businesses on IPOs, mergers and acquisitions, investor and analyst relations, financial services marketing, thought leadership, and issues, crises and litigation. "In an IPO, an acquisition or a legal dispute, everything a company says is scrutinised by investors, regulators, employees and the media at once. Boards need advisors who understand the business and the deal, not just the message." said Chip. Chip's career includes senior in-house communications roles at Sembcorp Industries and RHTLaw Taylor Wessing, as well as positions at global consultancies. He also chairs the Professional Advisory Committee at the Singapore University of Social Sciences' Faculty of Communications & Film Studies. "We are delighted to welcome Chip to the APRW partnership," said Cho Pei Lin, Managing Partner of APRW. "He has worked both in-house and in consultancy, and he brings the judgement boards and CEOs look for when the stakes are high, whether it is a listing, a deal or a dispute. As we mark our 30th year, his appointment is another step in APRW's continued growth, and his expertise and values are very much aligned with ours." Telum media creating connections. Book a demo You might also enjoy. Industry update Uber has appointed Ogilvy as its public relations agency of record across Hong Kong and Macau, following a competitive multi-agency pitch. Under the remit, Ogilvy will support Uber's in-house corporate communications team, covering corporate reputation, media relations, issues preparedness and thought leadership across both markets. In Hong Kong, the agency will focus on strengthening Uber's corporate brand reputation and engagement with stakeholders. In Macau, its work will focus on building brand visibility, consumer affinity and stakeholder engagement around Uber Taxi services. Clara Shek, President, Hong Kong, Ogilvy Public Relations & Influence, said: "Urban mobility across the region is evolving rapidly, making this a pivotal chapter for the transportation ecosystem. "Navigating this space requires an agile communications engine that delivers across earned, owned and social channels. We are thrilled to partner with Uber to articulate their role in shaping the future of urban movement across both Hong Kong and Macau." 4 November 2026 6:10 AM John Hobday has been named CEO of SEC Newgate Middle East, with a focus on business growth and expanding the firm's specialisms into new sectors. John brings more than 25 years of experience in financial communications and corporate affairs, advising global corporations, Middle East institutions, investors and key regional players across all Gulf Cooperation Council markets. He joins from FGS Global, where he spent seven years as Partner in its Dubai office, leading the development of the firm's regional business with a focus on capital markets. His appointment follows the departure of Elena Gramatica, former CEO and Founding Partner of SEC Newgate Middle East. Fiorenzo Tagliabue, CEO of SEC Newgate, said: "Middle East is one of our key strategic priorities as we see increasing demand for strategic advice, especially in our core specialism area of corporate affairs. "John has a perfect profile combining long term working experience with international brands, full understanding of the Middle East context and an extensive network of relations with key stakeholders and influencers. With John leading our incredible teams in UAE and KSA we can offer the right answers to tackle the many demanding challenges we see in reputation management, investment promotion and business positioning we see arising in these markets." Fiorenzo added: "Last and not least I wish to thank Elena Gramatica for her strong leadership and contribution when we decided to start together this business back in 2021." 4 November 2026 3:03 AM 2 mins read Industry update Global fitness technology brand, iFIT, has appointed Sling & Stone as its consumer agency of record in Australia. Sling & Stone is leading an integrated communications program spanning earned media, creator marketing, strategic partnerships, and experiential activations. The agency's immediate focus centers on launching iFIT's new Ultra 1 Reformer range and driving awareness for the new Sydney Experience Centre in Waterloo. Looking ahead to November, Sling & Stone will lead the Australian launch of the iFIT Personal Training app. The partnership will also showcase iFIT's broader connected fitness ecosystem, combining its interactive digital workout platform with premium NordicTrack equipment, including treadmills, reformers, exercise bikes, rowers and ellipticals. Shannon McBride, Marketing Manager Australia & New Zealand at iFIT, said: "Sling & Stone stood out for its fresh strategic thinking, extensive media and creator networks, and ability to translate our global offering into creative, culture-forward Australian campaigns. "We're looking forward to continuing to build iFIT brand momentum, drive NordicTrack hardware sales and grow our subscriber base in Australia." Nichole Provatas, Managing Director, Australia, Sling & Stone, added: "iFIT represents the next evolution of fitness tech: intelligent, immersive coaching that adapts to real life. For Sling & Stone, this partnership hits our sweet spot across consumer tech, culture, and health and wellness. "Through earned storytelling, strategic partnerships, and creator-led campaigns, our focus is on building deep brand relevance across Australia and redefining what intuitive fitness looks like. How exciting is that!" 4 November 2026 1:14 AM 2 mins read

Ogilvy Thailand and Singha look back at Jeeno Thitikul's journey with 'Dear Jeeno' November 4 2026, 3:31 pm BY Adam Shaw No Comments Ogilvy Thailand and Singha Corporation have launched "Dear Jeeno", an eight-minute short film centred on a personal message for Thai golfer Jeeno Thitikul, who has reached world No. 1. Capturing her first reaction to a film featuring her grandfather, the story delivers a message intended for one, but with the power to inspire many by reminding audiences of their own first believers. Released on 9 October 2026 through Jeeno's personal Instagram channel, the campaign brings Singha's "Believe Before the World Does" philosophy to life. Its starting point is one granddaughter hearing what her journey has meant to her grandfather. Its invitation reaches beyond sport: to remember the people whose belief helped Campaign Brief As keep going, and consider whom Campaign Brief As could offer that same encouragement to. With 11 LPGA Tour wins, including her most recent win at the 2026 LOTTE Championship in the United States, Jeeno has established herself among the leading figures in women's golf worldwide. "Dear Jeeno", however, returns to a time before rankings, titles, and trophies, when she was a six-year-old beginning golf at her grandfather's encouragement. His initial hope was simply that exercise would improve her health and manage her allergies. Her family would travel from Ratchaburi to Bangkok each weekend for lessons, supporting a journey whose destination was still unknown. For Ogilvy Thailand, the creative opportunity was to reverse the usual starting point of brand storytelling. Rather than beginning with a message addressed to a broad audience, the team began with something personal for Jeeno to hear: her grandfather telling her how long he had believed in her. The public-facing film then lets viewers witness that first encounter, finding their own connections in a story that was not originally addressed to them. In collaboration with Singha, the team developed a film within a film. They recorded her grandfather speaking about her childhood, their time together, and his longstanding confidence in her, even before she believed in herself. Jeeno was then invited to what she understood would be an interview shoot. Instead, she was shown his messages for the first time, with cameras capturing her unscripted response as she watched. The resulting film brings together two perspectives on the same journey: the grandfather who saw potential in a child, and the granddaughter discovering the depth of the belief that had accompanied her. "We felt that if we made it truly authentic, without adding anything contrived, we could let the story unfold naturally," said Thasorn Boonyanate, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy Thailand. That approach shaped the production. Working with director Atta Hemwadee, the team filmed the grandfather in his own home, surrounded by photographs and golf equipment he had kept from Jeeno's childhood. Rather than recreating her beginnings on a set, they returned to a place that held those memories. His interview was kept secret from Jeeno to preserve her first reaction. The director aligned the framing and eyelines of the separate recordings to create the impression of a shared space, allowing audiences to experience the message alongside her. Childhood and competition footage connects his recollections with the years of practice and progress that followed. For Singha, the story expresses the belief behind its longstanding support for Thai athletes across diverse sports, including Jeeno, before they become widely recognised. Its wider commitment encompasses youth, sports associations, national-team, and athletes with disabilities, creating opportunities for athletes to develop their potential. "Belief matters most when there is little to show for it yet. Sometimes, knowing that one person sees your potential is what gives you the courage to take the next step," said Chutchai Wiratyosin, Assistant to Chairman of the Executive Board, Singha Corporation. "That is the thinking behind our support for Thai sports and our belief in the power of sport to develop people. For us, sport is about more than results or wins. It is about creating opportunities for people to grow, realise their potential, and inspire others along the way. Through 'Dear Jeeno', we hope people will think not only of those who believed in them, but also of someone who might need their encouragement today. You do not have to wait for someone to succeed before you stand beside them." The decision to launch on Jeeno's own Instagram channel, rather than Singha's main brand channel, extended the personal nature of the film. Audiences first encountered it as a story shared by the athlete herself, with Singha's role connected to the belief underpinning her journey rather than a conventional sponsorship announcement. While golf provides the setting, "Dear Jeeno" is ultimately about a relationship many people can recognise. A message made for one granddaughter becomes an invitation for others to think of a parent, teacher, friend, or mentor who saw something in them before they could see it themselves. It also asks them to consider the other side of that relationship: who might find the strength to keep going because Campaign Brief As believe in them? Credits Client: Singha Corporation Assistant to Chairman of the Executive Board: Chutchai Wiratyosin Agency: Ogilvy Thailand Chief Creative Officer: Thasorn Boonyanate Client Lead: Pongsakorn Ung-Aram Group Business Director: Doungporn Fungladda Account Associate: Natcha Jalanugraha Associate, Strategy: Rada Wiratyosin Director: Atta Hemwadee

Is your marketing a load of bull? What barbed wire and a falling lift can teach East Midlands Business Link about PR: by Greg Simpson, founder of Press For Attention PR. 3rd November 2026 Updated: 2nd November 2026 Sometimes the best way to convince customers you're brilliant is to stop telling them and start showing them, says Greg Simpson, founder of Press For Attention PR. I've always suspected there was a load of bull involved in marketing. However, I wasn't expecting one of its greatest minds to prove it quite so literally. At the National Entrepreneurs Convention in Birmingham, Rory Sutherland, vice-chairman of Ogilvy and one of the most influential thinkers in modern advertising, was doing what he does best: making business owners laugh while questioning everything they thought they knew. Somewhere between behavioural psychology and a herd of uncooperative Texas longhorns, Rory delivered two cracking examples of PR. Which was handy, because later that day a visitor to my exhibition stand asked a question I've been answering for nearly two decades. "Is PR advertising? Is it marketing? Where does it actually fit in?" Funny you should ask. Rory had just provided two spectacular answers, one involving barbed wire and the other a man apparently determined to check whether gravity was still working. Neither involved a press release. Taking the bull by the horns First up, John "Bet-a-Million" Gates, a 19th-century entrepreneur trying to sell a revolutionary product: barbed wire. Today East Midlands Business Link associate it with farms, prisons and unfortunate encounters with trousers. Back then, convincing ranchers that flimsy-looking strands of wire could contain enormous Texas longhorns was a challenge. Gates could have advertised its strength and durability until the cows came home. Instead, according to the famous story Rory shared, he built a barbed-wire enclosure in San Antonio, filled it with powerful cattle and invited the crowd to bet on whether they could escape. They couldn't. The wire held, the spectators saw the proof and orders followed. Legend has it Gates described his product as "lighter than air, stronger than whiskey, cheaper than dust." Personally, I'd have gone with "udderly brilliant," but perhaps that's why he became a millionaire. Taking PR to another level Rory's second example was even more dramatic. In 1854, American inventor Elisha Otis had developed an elevator safety mechanism, but people were understandably nervous about trusting their lives to a platform suspended above the ground. At New York's Crystal Palace exhibition, he climbed aboard his invention, had himself hoisted into the air and arranged for the supporting rope to be cut. The platform dropped, then stopped as the safety brake engaged. "All safe, gentlemen. All safe," he reportedly declared. Quite possibly the understatement of the century. The demonstration helped build confidence in his invention. Safer elevators eventually helped make modern skyscrapers possible. Not bad for a publicity stunt. What's really stopping your customers buying? What fascinates me is that neither entrepreneur simply told people how wonderful his invention was. They understood something many modern businesses overlook: sometimes the biggest barrier to a sale isn't price, competition or awareness. It's disbelief. The ranchers didn't believe the wire would hold. Potential elevator customers didn't believe the platform would stop. Both men tackled those objections head-on, creating demonstrations people could witness and, crucially, talk about afterwards. That's where the PR magic happens. The clever part wasn't simply proving their products worked. It was making that proof interesting enough to become a story. Stop telling me you're brilliant I regularly meet business owners who insist they have nothing newsworthy to say. Yet scratch beneath the surface and there's often something remarkable going on. Perhaps a manufacturer has found a way to slash waste. A professional services firm has uncovered an industry problem nobody wants to discuss. Or a business has achieved extraordinary results for a customer. Could you conduct an experiment, challenge an industry assumption, reveal surprising data or put your expertise to the test? Could you demonstrate something your competitors are merely claiming? A publicity stunt gets people looking. A great PR story gives them something worth looking at. Where does PR fit in? Which brings me back to that conversation at my stand. Advertising, marketing and PR overlap, of course, and they should. But Gates and Otis illustrated something I've always believed sits at the heart of effective PR: credibility is more powerful when people reach the conclusion themselves. You can fill your website with claims about exceptional service and unrivalled expertise. But you would say that, wouldn't you? Give people compelling evidence, create a story worth sharing and attract independent interest, and you're no longer simply asking them to take your word for it. You're giving them a reason to believe. More than 170 years after Otis climbed onto that platform, East Midlands Business Link is still talking about him. So here's my challenge: what's your barbed-wire moment? If you're struggling to convince people how good you are, perhaps it's time to stop telling them and start showing them. And one final piece of advice: please leave the elevator cables alone. A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK's top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press For Attention PR in 2008. He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign - from a journalist's, client's, and consultant's perspective. See this column in the November issue of East Midlands Business Link Magazine, here.