Guide Sponsored by:

GUIDE TO THE AWARDWINNERS, COMMENDED& SHORTLISTED ENTRIES

Consumers

Investors

Influencers

Bloggers

Decision MakersThe Media

Congratulations to the Gold Standard Awards 2011 winners. Social networks are enabling a vast increase in consumer interactions. Grab this opportunity to share your achievements through social media, amplify your social echo and make it echoes longer and louder with video. Get our white paper “Using Multimedia to Amp Up Your Social Echo” via http://prn.to/gsame11

PR Newswire is the Exclusive Multimedia Sponsor of the Gold Standard Awards 2011; find out more about our press release distribution and multimedia services via query@prnasia.com or visit http://mms.prnasia.com/serviceguide.

ENGAGEMENT AND WORKFLOW SOLUTIONS FOR PR / IR / CSR / MARKETING

query@prnasia.com | www.prnewswire.com Copyright © 2011 PR Newswire Asia Limited. All Rights Reserved. 02122011

ContentC

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

PAA_GSA_2011.ai 1 12/2/2011 12:23:08 PM

Welcome to the “Guide to the Winners” of The 2011 Gold Standard Awards – the only programme

recognising excellence in the field of Asia-Pacific related public affairs and corporate communications.

This year’s entries, numbering nearly 150, illustrate that the awards are now firmly embedded in the

region’s public affairs and communications landscape.

The programme identifies a broad range of work in public affairs, social media, NGO engagement, issues management,

stakeholder relations, trade promotion and corporate reputation. Developing and building relationships between

business, government and civil society continues to grow in importance as we face a world of global turbulence and

technological change.

Two new categories were introduced this year – one in corporate financial communications, and a second in the area

of public-private partnerships, further broadening the range of specialist communications work recognised by The

Gold Standard Awards.

Winners this year include a wide range of companies, government bodies, NGOs, consultancies and embassies. This

guide showcases their achievements. The record-setting number of entries means that the competition to become

shortlisted was very tough, and to be recognised as the “gold standard” in any category is a significant accolade from

the industry’s leaders.

Worthy of note this year are Weber Shandwick, which secured one award, a client-related award and a commendation, and

Kraft Foods, which won the coveted corporate responsibility award and was nominated in a second category.

We would also like to congratulate the US Embassy in Indonesia, which secured The Gold Standard Award for

Diplomatic Engagement, and the US Embassy in New Zealand, which won The Gold Standard Award for Social

Media Communications.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks to all the judges for their work in giving the awards

strength and integrity, and to the sponsors whose support makes the Gold Standard Awards a continuing and

growing success. Finally, I would like to thank all those who entered the programme, helping to showcase real

achievement across a diverse and sophisticated range of projects.

STEVEN R. OKUN

Director of Public Affairs (Asia Pacific), KKR

Chairman of The 2011 PublicAffairsAsia Gold Standard Awards

welcome

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITYThe winner: The Kraft Hope Kitchen

In 2009, Kraft Foods identified a neglected social issue in China: malnutrition among rural

schoolchildren. Research by Kraft Foods China and the China Youth Development Foundation

covering 106 rural schools in 17 Chinese provinces found a lack of proper school canteens, the

absence of nutritional guidance and poor food hygiene.

There was an urgent need for kitchen facilities, education and skills and Kraft Foods set itself some ambitious goals including raising awareness of malnutri-

tion, pioneering the building of school kitchens, mobilising employees and business partners to volunteer in rural school kitchens, and successfully building a

social project in China which aligned with Kraft Foods’ global vision of fighting hunger and providing affordable nutrition.

In the initial year, Kraft aimed to build 100 new school kitchens in five Chinese provinces (Hebei, Jilin, Anhui, Hunan, Yunnan) to increase knowl-

edge of children’s dietary requirements and food hygiene in the Kraft Hope Kitchen schools, supporting the programme with employee volunteer visits

and product donations.

In addition to building the kitchens, each school was provided with equipment, sanitizing systems, nutritional knowledge and operation posters. Volunteers

were invited to provide cooking, nutrition and hygiene training to the teachers. The China Youth Development Foundation helped identify the schools and

encouraged local government to provide administrative support and infrastructure such as water, gas and electricity. Local government also supported Kraft

Hope Kitchen with unveiling ceremonies.

The Kraft Hope Kitchen Volunteer Committee was established to support employees wishing to donate time, cash or resources. The committee developed

a volunteer network reaching all 4,000 employees across Kraft Foods China. The basketball star Yao Ming supported events, played with Kraft Hope Kitchen

schoolchildren and helped drive the message to a wider consumer base.

More than 60,000 rural children aged from six to 12-years-old are now benefitting from Kraft Hope Kitchen, and can rely on a safe, nutritious hot meal

every day. By the end of this year, the programme will benefit 75,000 children. By mid-2011, there were 110 Kraft Hope Kitchens completed in 110 primary

schools in six provinces, and all passed China Youth Development Foundation quality approval. An additional 40 kitchens were built in 2011 and a further

50 will be completed in 2012. Furthermore, 100 rural schoolmasters and teachers received formal training in nutrition and food safety. More than 6,000 hours

of voluntary service by more than 600 volunteers have been given to the schools and children. Some 5.5 million RMB was initially donated by Kraft Foods

China, plus three million RMB worth of products. Some 70 Kraft Foods China business partners donated more than one million RMB, with Kraft Foods

China donating an additional one million RMB to help build 50 more kitchens in 2011.

The current focus is on building awareness of Kraft Hope Kitchen and the underlying social issues, with an official website, a public awareness campaign,

media activities and continuing endorsement from Yao Ming. Kraft Hope Kitchen generated 996 million media impressions in 2010, and starting in 2011,

Kraft Hope Kitchen information is appearing on Kraft Food product packaging to encourage consumers to think about hunger and malnutrition.

The programme aims to introduce the sustainable husbandry concept to Kraft Hope Kitchen schools, setting up organic vegetable gardens and recycling

systems. The first “Delicious Vegetable Garden” opened in October, with a donation from Kraft’s China employees, and it supplies 30 per cent of the school’s

900 students’ annual vegetable consumption.

commendation award: Chevron Philippines Inc.: The Minantaw Marine Park and Sanctuary Chevron Philippines Inc. worked with the Project Seahorse Foundation to

open and operate the Minantaw Marine Park and Sanctuary (MMPS). The

MMPS is a pioneering 214.6 hectare innovative multi-use marine zone,

promoting sustainable fishing and eco-tourism. Chevron and PSF developed

the MMPS by forming a strong tripartite private-government-community

alliance. The focus was on community organisation, formation and capacity

building of the management council, as well as monitoring the biophysical

conditions of the marine sanctuary. The MMPS has reduced illegal fish-

ing, promoted environmental protection, enhanced the local economy and

encouraged community involvement. It is the first multi-use marine zone to

be developed in the Philippines.

shortlisted: Microsoft: Project Jyoti Microsoft in India has been working in the area of skills development

through IT enablement. Project Jyoti promotes computer use and IT

literacy to people underserved by technology. As a part of this initiative,

Microsoft partners with NGOs to support various programmes aimed at

empowering individuals, especially women, through the use of IT. It pro-

motes the use of the internet, boosts technology skills, improves education

and opens up new job opportunities. Over the years, Microsoft has invested

around US$ 10.5 million in this programme, impacting on 27 states and

Union Territories across the country.

sponsored by:

sponsored by:

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR COUNTRY AND TRADE PROMOTIONThe winner: IndoPacific Edelman – the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) “Taiwan Excellence in Indonesia” campaign

Several of the world’s leading information and communications technology (ICT) brands are

Taiwanese. Acer, Asus, BenQ, Trend Micro, D-Link and HTC are all part of consumers’ daily

lives in Indonesia, although many people may be unaware of these brands’ Taiwanese roots.

Indonesia is the fastest-growing laptop market in South-East Asia. It also has the highest Facebook

user base in Asia (second in the world behind United States, with 40 million users), and is the Twitter

capital of the Asia-Pacific region.

To build awareness of Taiwan’s burgeoning ICT industry and such notable brands, the Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and TAITRA launched

the “Taiwan Excellence” campaign in Indonesia with the involvement of 19 top Taiwanese ICT brands. The campaign aimed to build enthusiasm amongst current

and potential customers, so IndoPacific Edelman created an integrated marketing communications campaign for TAITRA Indonesia, which was spearheaded by

digital media and supported by traditional media and direct-to-consumer activities. The communications objectives were to raise awareness among key influencers

and ICT consumers of Taiwan as a centre of ICT excellence and the brands Taiwan produces, and to educate stakeholders about the high quality of Taiwanese ICT

products. The objectives were further developed into KPIs for website views, media coverage and social media interaction.

Given the goals of the campaign, IndoPacific Edelman proposed the following strategies: to establish an annual research product to understand current percep-

tions of Taiwan ICT brands and products in Indonesia, as well as to benchmark the results of the campaign (conducted by Nielsen Taiwan). It also sought to

establish Taiwan as a trusted centre of technology excellence as a crucial step towards building trust in products and brands and to promote awareness of Taiwan

as the region’s technology excellence hub. It also created key messages with local proof points which would resonate with the local audience. In addition, given the

credibility and reach of online sources of information in Indonesia, it relied heavily on online outreach to deliver messages and to include a multichannel commu-

nication strategy including electronic media. The campaign planned to engage with endorsers, especially ICT experts and peer groups, to amplify messages and add

credibility, whilst engaging consumers through direct outreach campaigns and driving an increased awareness about Taiwan ICT products and brands.

Furthermore, it was proposed to construct a digital presence for Taiwan Excellence in Indonesia (website, FB, Twitter, YouTube), to create compelling content for all digital

properties, to highlight information about Taiwan’s innovative brands and products with consumer contests and quizzes, to develop an online advertising campaign to generate

traffic for the website, Facebook and Twitter via web banners, and to identify and engage with online influencers and bloggers so as to amass positive coverage.

To align the campaign with Indonesian pride in the country’s own ICT sector, IndoPacific Edelman organised a Taiwan International Brand Forum. The event

showcased Taiwan’s willingness to share its expertise with other countries, and brought together experts from Taiwan and Indonesia to demonstrate Taiwan’s excel-

lence in ICT. It presented a platform for sharing TAITRA’s key messages with the media and other stakeholders, and endowing Acer and Asus (technology excel-

lence roadmaps) with best-practice status. Government representatives in Indonesia attending the event congratulated Taiwan on its achievements, and were highly

appreciative of Taiwan’s efforts to build up Indonesia’s ICT industry. The integrated campaign exceeded all key performance indicators with the resulting increase in

consumer awareness on the superior qualities of Taiwanese brands.

The campaign created an effective foundation for Taiwan Excellence in Indonesia by reinforcing the image of Taiwan ICT brands as being very high quality.

Pre- and post-campaign surveys by AC Nielsen showed a significant increase in awareness of Taiwanese brands in Indonesia. As a result of this success, MOEA and

TAITRA extended the campaign for 2011 with a 50 per cent increase in fees to further advance consumer engagement.

shortlisted: The 5th Vibrant Gujarat Summit: APCO Worldwide Gujarat was facing increasingly stiff competition from other investment destina-

tions. The government of Gujarat asked APCO to help create a strategy for the

5th Vibrant Gujarat Summit which would showcase the state of Gujarat as a

place to do business, attract investment, and correct misperceptions about the

business climate in Gujarat.

The summit attracted the participation of more than 200 trade associations,

and trade delegations from 101 different countries. Investments were valued at

more than $460 billion. The summit was hailed as an enormous success by key

business leaders and in top-tier media nationally and internationally. Over 900

print stories were generated in January 2011 alone.

shortlisted: Meat & Livestock AustraliaTrade promotion body Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) launched the

“Together with Japan” earthquake relief effort. MLA’s challenge was to raise

awareness of its fund-raising efforts while also strengthening partnerships with

Japan’s domestic beef industry.

MLA proposed inviting a group of Japanese farmers from the disaster-hit

region to Australia to participate in the launch and to use the event to kick-

start a long-term initiative of partnership and knowledge-sharing to overcome

the tragedy in Japan. The project has so far raised over a quarter of a million

dollars for earthquake relief efforts and initiated the process of building new

relationships directly with the Japanese beef industry.

* Nominated by Kreab Gavin Anderson

sponsored by:

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR CORPORATE FINANCIAL COMMUNICATIONSThe winner: Sabana Shari’ah Compliant Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust (Sabana REIT)

Sabana Shari’ah Compliant Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust (Sabana REIT) retained Weber

Shandwick to educate investors and generate interest when it decided to become Singapore

Exchange Limited’s (SGX) first Shari’ah-compliant listing. Sabana sought to demonstrate that

Shari’ah-compliant products were for all investors and did not underperform compared to other products.

Weber Shandwick conducted a perception audit of Shari’ah-compliant investment opinions among

Singapore fund managers. Feedback yielded the common misconceptions that Shari’ah-compliant investments were only for Muslims and might underperform.

The relatively short reputation of such instruments and minimal understanding of Shari’ah-related governance issues were also concerns.

The firm designed a two-pronged strategy, educating both stakeholders and media about Shari’ah compliance before IPO activity and then engaging the

financial community. This would ensure information generated by the media was accurate, eliminated investor uncertainty, and raised awareness prior to the

IPO. Regulatory restrictions prohibit publicity preceding the official IPO launch. IPO-related parties including sponsors, managers and banks cannot discuss

the IPO publicly and can only distribute information among institutional and high net-worth investors who meet sophisticated investor criteria.

Sabana REIT’s listed sponsor was obliged to publicly announce that the REIT had obtained eligibility to list, sparking media attention on upcoming list-

ings and the unique IPO. As the Singapore media often syndicates articles from newswires, Weber Shandwick engaged Dow Jones’ interest and also persuaded

journalists to up-sell the story to The Wall Street Journal Asia. As no IPO-associated parties could speak publicly, Five Pillars, the Singapore-based Islamic

finance advisory firm and Sabana REIT’s Shari’ah adviser, was best suited to educate the media on compliance but couldn’t be directly quoted. To overcome

this the firm identified an independent knowledgeable party, an active Islamic finance lawyer, whom the media interviewed and quoted after a non-attributable

background education session organised by the firm and conducted by Five Pillars.

The engagement phase began with the IPO prospectus lodgement, involving extensive media engagement, to highlight key messages and well-known

investors who had already agreed to invest. Lodgement is when the preliminary prospectus is released on the Monetary Authority of Singapore website. This

made the IPO public, though regulations restricted promotional activity. The media could only be engaged by telephone to highlight key messages and direct

journalists to the online prospectus. Before registration, the firm organised an embargoed briefing, sharing details with local business and financial media

publications. Doing this in advance allowed the client to engage the media without distractions that would arise on registration day, and journalists were given

ample time to write articles and check details, minimising the risk of errors.

Weber Shandwick supported developing collateral by targeting retail investors at large, including customary IPO collaterals – a prospectus gatefold

with FAQ on Shari’ah compliance, IPO advertisements and a retail booth. The firm advised on corporate website content, design and layout, which also

addressed concerns about Shari’ah compliance. The campaign resulted in an issue-free, highly-successful IPO launch and the entire offer was over-sub-

scribed by a factor of 12. Media coverage included 101 articles and seven broadcasts, with stories in Dow Jones, The Wall Street Journal Asia, and local

industry media. The embargoed briefing and education session resulted in error-free reports across all industry media. Positive feedback yielded two-page

coverage in Singapore’s largest circulation daily, The Sunday Times, debunking myths of Islamic finance and Shari’ah-compliant products, and an edu-

cational piece in Singapore’s main Malay daily, Berita Harian. It continues to garner media coverage and is frequently quoted as one of the largest IPOs

listed on SGX for 2010. The REIT is recognised for paving the way for similar instruments and products, and for increasing recognition and understand-

ing of Islamic finance and Shari’ah compliance.

* Nominated by Weber Shandwick

shortlisted: Bright Food GroupBright Food, one of China’s largest food companies, decided it needed to adopt

a comprehensive stakeholder communications plan as part of its acquisition of

Australia’s Manassen Foods in 2011. Bright Food faced a high level of media

and public scrutiny within Australia, and concerns in China over companies

going global. Media, officials and politicians were targeted with consistent, but

customised, messaging relating to the advantages of the deal. Bright Food went

on to acquire a 75 per cent equity stake in Manassen Food, the first and biggest

investment in Australia by Bright Food.

* Nominated by Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Shanghai

shortlisted: Hutchison Port Holdings Trust Kreab Gavin Anderson was appointed in January 2011 to provide strategic

communications counsel and PR support for the Initial Public Offering of

Hutchison Port Holdings Trust (HPHT). The campaign was planned and ex-

ecuted within six weeks and generated a high level of media and investor rela-

tions. The key aim was to correct any misperceptions about business trusts,

to create a better understanding of this asset class, and to build a strong

investment case for HPHT. The total offering of 3.8 billion units available

to institutional and retail investors was approximately three times subscribed

following the communications campaign’s success.

* Nominated by Kreab Gavin Anderson

sponsored by:

Companies are going globalWe are taking them there

Abu  DhabiAucklandBangalore*BarcelonaBeijingBerlin*Brasilia*BrisbaneBrusselsCanberraCologne*CopenhagenDubaiFrankfurt*Genova*HelsinkiHong  KongHyderabad*JeddahLisbonLondonMadridMelbourneMilanMoscow*Mumbai*Munich*New  Delhi*New  YorkOsloParis*PerthRiyadhRome*São  Paulo*Seoul*ShanghaiSingaporeStockholmSydneyTaipei*TokyoWashington  DC

*  affiliates

Kreab  Gavin  Anderson  is  a  global  communications  partnership  with  over  350  professionals  of  40  nationalities  serving  more  than  750  clients.    We  advise  on  issues  of  strategic  importance  in  business,  finance  and  politics,  helping  clients  to  solve  complex  communications  challenges  and  achieve  their  strategic  goals,  at  home  and  abroad.

www.kreabgavinanderson.com

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT The winner: Ambassador Scot Marciel and the Public Diplomacy Section of the US Embassy in Indonesia – for Mission Indonesia

Mission Indonesia has targeted the use of 21st century diplomacy tools to bring the

United States closer to the Indonesian people. Mission Indonesia’s multi-agency team,

under Ambassador Scot Marciel’s leadership, is at the forefront of implementing

Secretary of State Clinton’s vision of “21st Century Statecraft”, which she defines as “the

complementing of traditional foreign policy tools with newly innovated and adapted instruments of statecraft that fully leverage the networks, technologies, and de-

mographics of our interconnected world”. Mission Indonesia has used technological tools to rethink and reinvigorate efforts to reach Indonesia’s young people with

information about the United States and the American people.

The Mission has integrated social media tools from the exploding online world of Facebook and Twitter in Indonesia with the in-person experience of an interac-

tive cultural centre, @america, that redefines the model for person-to-person engagement. Mission Indonesia has the largest Facebook and Twitter followings of any US

Embassy worldwide, with more than 330,000 Facebook fans and nearly 30,000 Twitter followers. These platforms allow the Mission opportunities to interact with people

like never before. The core roles for the Mission’s social media presence are to let Indonesians know what America stands for and its values, to generate discussion about

topics as light as favourite American foods and as heavy as what steps people can take in their daily lives to protect the environment, and to fight climate change. The

Mission leveraged the preparations for President Obama’s November 2010 visit to Indonesia to engage an ever-growing Indonesian online audience. Using a comprehen-

sive campaign on Facebook and Twitter with creative tools such as a welcome message contest – that asked Indonesians the best way to welcome President Obama to

Indonesia – and contests with ticket giveaways to President Obama’s public speech at the University of Indonesia, the Mission created an online buzz for the visit.

While social media tools allow Mission Indonesia to reach across Indonesia electronically, there remains no substitute for person-to-person engagement. As a re-

sult, in December 2010, Mission Indonesia launched the world’s first high-tech American Cultural Centre. @america is intended to overcome misperceptions about

the US and to explain the goals behind American engagement, and Ambassador Marciel recognised that @america must be seen as a place for honest dialogue.

@america differs from traditional centres in several ways. Firstly, @america is housed in a commercial shopping mall, where Indonesian youth congregate. Secondly, the

centre is customer-driven, so by listening to its target audience, the centre can adapt its programming and content to better address their areas of interest in US and American

policy. Lastly, @america relies heavily on public-private partnerships. The most significant public-private partnership to date is with Google, which loaned “Liquid Galaxy” to @

america. Liquid Galaxy is a 12 foot wide, seven large-screen computer and monitor display where users float through Google Earth in a 3D environment.

Through creative programming, @america engages young Indonesians in dialogue. Some examples of exciting programmes include: a digital video conference

with former vice president Al Gore on climate change, a virtual discussion with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency on women in science, a

presentation and interactive discussion with Google’s Chief Technology Officer Michael T. Jones, a live appearance by American actress Monique Coleman (star of

Disney’s High School Musical), and an inspirational lecture from Indonesian pop star Agnes Monica.

In its first year of operations, @america has been a hit with the Indonesian public. As of 30 September 2011, more than 84,000 visitors had attended over 400

programmes, with an estimated 80 per cent of the visitors in the 15-30 age bracket. @america is a model for future American Centres globally.

* Nominated by The American Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia

shortlisted: The US Embassy in Korea During her three years as US Ambassador to the Re-

public of Korea, Ambassador Kathleen Stephens has

played a major role in leading the Embassy’s public

diplomacy agenda. Having served in Korea as a Peace

Corps volunteer in the 1970s and then returning as a

diplomat in the 1980s, Ambassador Stephens brings

a vast knowledge of Korea and a personal apprecia-

tion of its modern history to everything she does.

President Obama has said on several occasions that

the US-ROK alliance is “stronger than ever.” In 2010,

89 per cent of South Koreans thought the bilateral

relationship was good, and 78 per cent had a favour-

able opinion of the United States.

sponsored by:

shortlisted: The US Embassy in Indonesia and the Trade Representative The Embassy and Trade Representative (USTR)

worked with the major Hollywood studios in success-

fully engaging the Indonesian government to reverse a

market access restriction. The government had decided

to impose a new tax and customs duty on foreign

films. Many of the major Hollywood studios decided

independently to stop releasing films in Indonesia. The

USTR and the Embassy met with the finance minister

and he confirmed his team was reviewing the new levy.

The details of the modifications were worked out and

films from the Hollywood majors began to return.

* Nominated by News Corporation

shortlisted: The French Embassy in New Zealand The Embassy put together an ambitious and varied

programme on the occasion of the Rugby World

Cup 2011, aiming at both promoting French cultur-

al diversity and strengthening economic, political or

cultural relations and friendship with New Zealand.

The Rugby World Cup, in which France was a

major participant, put New Zealand in the

spotlight, making the event a unique opportu-

nity to highlight French culture both locally and

internationally. One year ago, the Embassy decided

to make the most of such media coverage and

began to work on its World Cup programme in

September 2010.

sponsored by:sponsored by:

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPThe winner: Support My School – Coca-Cola India, NDTV, CAF & UN-Habitat, et al.

The mission of the Support My School project was clear: to bring together NGOs, government and the private sector to

develop a happy, healthy environment which is critical for the overall development of all children. In a country where

education is deemed as a right for every child, research finds that more than 44 million children are out of school and

50 per cent of children in many rural areas drop out of school even before entering fifth grade. This stems from the fact that

the schools they go to fail to provide the most basic facilities such as safe drinking water and clean, operational toilets.

Several socio-economic reasons contribute to this. One of the biggest reasons for drop-out and absenteeism is the lack

of basic facilities such as poor access to water and substandard sanitation facilities. Lack of proper water and sanitation in schools in rural India continues to

remain a huge challenge. In fact studies have shown that this continuing problem has a huge impact on female children who are forced to drop out of school

as they enter adolescence.

In January 2011, Coca-Cola India co-launched the Support My School campaign to raise funds to provide all round improvement of schools in rural India with

an emphasis on proper sanitation, access to clean water and sporting facilities. The cause was supported by partners including NDTV, CAF & UN-Habitat. To give

personality to the project, Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was recruited as the campaign ambassador. PR activities were undertaken by Perfect Relations in India.

This pilot initiative aimed to provide the following five components in government schools:

A. Improved access to water.

B. Water conservation by providing rain water harvesting structures.

C. Hygiene and sanitation by providing toilet facilities for girls and boys.

D. Environment by providing plantation and landscaping.

E. Healthy active living by providing sports facilities like basketball courts. volleyballs and sports kits.

The goal was clear: to create a public and private partnership spirit through the creation of 100 “model schools” which via a holistic approach would start a

movement which would extend to the wider education sector. To achieve this, Coca-Cola and its partners embarked upon a unique initiative to emphasize the im-

portance of healthy, active, and happy school children in rural and semi-urban towns. Through relationships with NGOs and the United Nations, the focus of the

initial campaign was to create a “people’s campaign” which involved the Indian population in contributing towards making this change.

Over 100 schools across the country were targeted, a move which would benefit 100,000 students. The first phase saw Coca-Cola partner with media channels

and its NGO partners to launch a widespread campaign with high visibility. This culminated in a 12 hour Telethon with Sachin Tendulkar in September 2011

which was broadcast live on the news channel NDTV.

On the day, three schools were dedicated back to the community and a walkathon was arranged in Kochi to increase awareness about the campaign. The

Telethon helped raise over US$1.5 million which helped in rebuilding over 140 schools. In turn this would touch the lives of over 70,000 children. Work has already

been completed in 27 schools and by the end of last year work had begun in the a further 73 schools. In its first year, this partnership, which involved the public,

private and NGO sectors, has already started touching the lives of the children of India: keeping them in school, where they belong.

* Nominated by Perfect Relations India

shortlisted: Infosys BPO India and the Income Tax Department (ITD) Infosys was chosen by the Indian government to partner the Income Tax

Department in running the Central Processing Centre (CPC). The CPC

was set up to improve the taxpayer service and while many of its objec-

tives were achieved there were a number technical issues that had to be

addressed. A PR campaign was planned to educate the public about the

advantages of e-filling tax forms and the need for it to be done accurately.

An advocacy campaign targeted the financial media and the accounting

profession. E-filing grew by 80 per cent following the campaign.

shortlisted: Australia’s Cholesterol CrossroadsSHJ working in partnership with AstraZeneca identified the need for an initia-

tive to raise awareness of Australia’s neglect of cholesterol as a health prob-

lem. Baker IDI, one of the country’s leading medical research bodies, collected

data on Australia’s cholesterol profile, which was the basis of the subsequent

engagement strategy with the media, public and healthcare profession. The

report, Australia’s Cholesterol Crossroads, secured an extensive amount of

media coverage reaching an estimated 7.3 million Australians as well as

specialist medical and health media. The report was launched with tailored

and consistent messaging depending on the audience.

sponsored by:sponsored by:

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPThe winner: Support My School – Coca-Cola India, NDTV, CAF & UN-Habitat, et al.

The mission of the Support My School project was clear: to bring together NGOs, government and the private sector to

develop a happy, healthy environment which is critical for the overall development of all children. In a country where

education is deemed as a right for every child, research finds that more than 44 million children are out of school and

50 per cent of children in many rural areas drop out of school even before entering fifth grade. This stems from the fact that

the schools they go to fail to provide the most basic facilities such as safe drinking water and clean, operational toilets.

Several socio-economic reasons contribute to this. One of the biggest reasons for drop-out and absenteeism is the lack

of basic facilities such as poor access to water and substandard sanitation facilities. Lack of proper water and sanitation in schools in rural India continues to

remain a huge challenge. In fact studies have shown that this continuing problem has a huge impact on female children who are forced to drop out of school

as they enter adolescence.

In January 2011, Coca-Cola India co-launched the Support My School campaign to raise funds to provide all round improvement of schools in rural India with

an emphasis on proper sanitation, access to clean water and sporting facilities. The cause was supported by partners including NDTV, CAF & UN-Habitat. To give

personality to the project, Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was recruited as the campaign ambassador. PR activities were undertaken by Perfect Relations in India.

This pilot initiative aimed to provide the following five components in government schools:

A. Improved access to water.

B. Water conservation by providing rain water harvesting structures.

C. Hygiene and sanitation by providing toilet facilities for girls and boys.

D. Environment by providing plantation and landscaping.

E. Healthy active living by providing sports facilities like basketball courts. volleyballs and sports kits.

The goal was clear: to create a public and private partnership spirit through the creation of 100 “model schools” which via a holistic approach would start a

movement which would extend to the wider education sector. To achieve this, Coca-Cola and its partners embarked upon a unique initiative to emphasize the im-

portance of healthy, active, and happy school children in rural and semi-urban towns. Through relationships with NGOs and the United Nations, the focus of the

initial campaign was to create a “people’s campaign” which involved the Indian population in contributing towards making this change.

Over 100 schools across the country were targeted, a move which would benefit 100,000 students. The first phase saw Coca-Cola partner with media channels

and its NGO partners to launch a widespread campaign with high visibility. This culminated in a 12 hour Telethon with Sachin Tendulkar in September 2011

which was broadcast live on the news channel NDTV.

On the day, three schools were dedicated back to the community and a walkathon was arranged in Kochi to increase awareness about the campaign. The

Telethon helped raise over US$1.5 million which helped in rebuilding over 140 schools. In turn this would touch the lives of over 70,000 children. Work has already

been completed in 27 schools and by the end of last year work had begun in the a further 73 schools. In its first year, this partnership, which involved the public,

private and NGO sectors, has already started touching the lives of the children of India: keeping them in school, where they belong.

* Nominated by Perfect Relations India

shortlisted: Infosys BPO India and the Income Tax Department (ITD) Infosys was chosen by the Indian government to partner the Income Tax

Department in running the Central Processing Centre (CPC). The CPC

was set up to improve the taxpayer service and while many of its objec-

tives were achieved there were a number technical issues that had to be

addressed. A PR campaign was planned to educate the public about the

advantages of e-filling tax forms and the need for it to be done accurately.

An advocacy campaign targeted the financial media and the accounting

profession. E-filing grew by 80 per cent following the campaign.

shortlisted: Australia’s Cholesterol CrossroadsSHJ working in partnership with AstraZeneca identified the need for an initia-

tive to raise awareness of Australia’s neglect of cholesterol as a health prob-

lem. Baker IDI, one of the country’s leading medical research bodies, collected

data on Australia’s cholesterol profile, which was the basis of the subsequent

engagement strategy with the media, public and healthcare profession. The

report, Australia’s Cholesterol Crossroads, secured an extensive amount of

media coverage reaching an estimated 7.3 million Australians as well as

specialist medical and health media. The report was launched with tailored

and consistent messaging depending on the audience.

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR ISSUES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT The winner: North Head Consulting – defending Siano’s licensing in China

Siano is a leading Israeli digital mobile TV solutions provider which entered the Chinese market in 2008 providing

China Multimedia Mobile Broadcasting (CMMB) compatible chips. CMMB is a standard developed and licensed by

the State Administration for Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), and is a key component of China’s 3G mobile TD-

SCDMA system. Following a steady growth of market share, Siano was falsely accused in 2010 of infringing the IPR of Com-

pany X and being unlicensed by SARFT. There followed harassment of business partners and customers, spreading rumours

aimed at stopping further cooperation with Siano.

Company X initiated legal proceedings in Beijing and extended its campaign to the media, citing that Siano would not be able to supply chips in the future,

being forced out of the China market by the government and the courts. In late 2010, Siano counter-sued in the US for anti-competitive behaviour. In early

2011 North Head was tasked to provide litigation communications and external counsel for the two lawsuits. Principally Siano wanted an outcome whereby it

was free to continue business operations in China.

It was prepared to reach an accommodation out of court. This allowed North Head to devise an integrated campaign directed at government, customers,

trade associations and media, which was based on three pillars: support for the litigation, communications neutralising the attacks of Company X, and positive

reputation building of the Siano corporate brand. Messaging highlighted the technical advantages of Siano products, its long-term commitments to custom-

ers and the China market, and importantly, its advantages for internationalising Chinese standards. If China has ambitions to extend its standards and IPR

beyond China, then it requires reliable international partners and Siano is such a partner.

The initial hearings of the legal cases each had their own dates and subsequent preliminary judgments. Balancing the adversarial American legal and com-

munications cultures with the more conflict-avoidance style of China required astute drafting. In addition to accepted processes for media relations, govern-

ment affairs and customer outreach, other notable elements of the campaign included rigorous prioritisation of key stakeholders, an early warning system via

daily alerts and periodic analysis reports, updates of competitors, customers, government and media.

A perception audit study was conducted to examine opinion leaders’ attitudes towards the areas relevant to Siano’s business development in China, and

these allowed timely seizing of opportunities and adjustments to strategy and tactics. A series of briefings were held that allowed North Head to bring nuanced

cultural and political details to the attention of Siano executives, thus building cohesion and rapid decision-making. An advocacy group of some 20 influencers

drawn from associations, academia, influential journalists, customers and existing and ex-government officials was created, which provided third party endorse-

ment and advocacy with stronger credibility. Speaking opportunities were sought and delivered at industry forums such as “The 3rd China Broadcasting

Corporation Industry Forum” and “PT/EXPO COMM CHINA 2011”. These were coupled with high-level media interviews that were platforms to publicise

Siano’s positions, commitment and success to broader audiences.

The results demonstrated that a well-executed litigation communications campaign can not only support the legal strategy but become the determining fac-

tor for resolution. In addition to extricating Siano from a damaging situation commercially, it created opportunities to advance the business in China. SARFT,

Siano and Company X agreed to resolve their disputes and dropped respective legal suits in China and the US. Siano lost no major customers, continuing

partnerships with the likes of Huawei, ZTE, Datang etc. while its record of winning China Mobile 3G handset tenders actually improved.

shortlisted: Golden Agri-Resources: Pelham Bell PottingerGolden Agri-Resources Ltd (“GAR”) is the world’s second largest palm oil

plantation company and had become targeted as part of a Greenpeace-led

NGO campaign alleging it was responsible for deforestation. Pelham Bell

Pottinger Asia was engaged by GAR to restore trust and credibility, begin-

ning with an independent third party audit of its activities. A meeting was

brokered by Greenpeace and GAR which led to the publication of its Forest

Conservation Policy (in partnership with international NGO, The Forest

Trust) committing to a “no deforestation” footprint, which drew support

from the Indonesian Government and environmentalists. Its inaugural Sus-

tainability Report was published in May 2011. GAR has drawn praise from

NGOs for its new environmental commitments and practices.

shortlisted: eBay KoreaIn December 2009, eBay suffered a major blow to its corporate reputation

in Korea when a popular online Korean e-commerce platform operator filed

a complaint with the Korean Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), accusing

eBay and its newly acquired Korean subsidiary, Gmarket, of unfair prac-

tices. Faced with a damaged public reputation, eBay Korea’s government

relations team (KOGR) immediately initiated a stakeholder engagement

campaign targeted at consumers, regulators and legislators. eBay worked

with stakeholders promoting both online trading best practices and

eBay’s role as a foreign investor and advocate of free trade and open

internet competition.

sponsored by:

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR ISSUES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT The winner: North Head Consulting – defending Siano’s licensing in China

Siano is a leading Israeli digital mobile TV solutions provider which entered the Chinese market in 2008 providing

China Multimedia Mobile Broadcasting (CMMB) compatible chips. CMMB is a standard developed and licensed by

the State Administration for Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), and is a key component of China’s 3G mobile TD-

SCDMA system. Following a steady growth of market share, Siano was falsely accused in 2010 of infringing the IPR of Com-

pany X and being unlicensed by SARFT. There followed harassment of business partners and customers, spreading rumours

aimed at stopping further cooperation with Siano.

Company X initiated legal proceedings in Beijing and extended its campaign to the media, citing that Siano would not be able to supply chips in the future,

being forced out of the China market by the government and the courts. In late 2010, Siano counter-sued in the US for anti-competitive behaviour. In early

2011 North Head was tasked to provide litigation communications and external counsel for the two lawsuits. Principally Siano wanted an outcome whereby it

was free to continue business operations in China.

It was prepared to reach an accommodation out of court. This allowed North Head to devise an integrated campaign directed at government, customers,

trade associations and media, which was based on three pillars: support for the litigation, communications neutralising the attacks of Company X, and positive

reputation building of the Siano corporate brand. Messaging highlighted the technical advantages of Siano products, its long-term commitments to custom-

ers and the China market, and importantly, its advantages for internationalising Chinese standards. If China has ambitions to extend its standards and IPR

beyond China, then it requires reliable international partners and Siano is such a partner.

The initial hearings of the legal cases each had their own dates and subsequent preliminary judgments. Balancing the adversarial American legal and com-

munications cultures with the more conflict-avoidance style of China required astute drafting. In addition to accepted processes for media relations, govern-

ment affairs and customer outreach, other notable elements of the campaign included rigorous prioritisation of key stakeholders, an early warning system via

daily alerts and periodic analysis reports, updates of competitors, customers, government and media.

A perception audit study was conducted to examine opinion leaders’ attitudes towards the areas relevant to Siano’s business development in China, and

these allowed timely seizing of opportunities and adjustments to strategy and tactics. A series of briefings were held that allowed North Head to bring nuanced

cultural and political details to the attention of Siano executives, thus building cohesion and rapid decision-making. An advocacy group of some 20 influencers

drawn from associations, academia, influential journalists, customers and existing and ex-government officials was created, which provided third party endorse-

ment and advocacy with stronger credibility. Speaking opportunities were sought and delivered at industry forums such as “The 3rd China Broadcasting

Corporation Industry Forum” and “PT/EXPO COMM CHINA 2011”. These were coupled with high-level media interviews that were platforms to publicise

Siano’s positions, commitment and success to broader audiences.

The results demonstrated that a well-executed litigation communications campaign can not only support the legal strategy but become the determining fac-

tor for resolution. In addition to extricating Siano from a damaging situation commercially, it created opportunities to advance the business in China. SARFT,

Siano and Company X agreed to resolve their disputes and dropped respective legal suits in China and the US. Siano lost no major customers, continuing

partnerships with the likes of Huawei, ZTE, Datang etc. while its record of winning China Mobile 3G handset tenders actually improved.

shortlisted: Golden Agri-Resources: Pelham Bell Pottinger AsiaGolden Agri-Resources Ltd (“GAR”) is the world’s second largest palm oil

plantation company and had become targeted as part of a Greenpeace-led

NGO campaign alleging it was responsible for deforestation. Pelham Bell

Pottinger Asia was engaged by GAR to restore trust and credibility, begin-

ning with an independent third party audit of its activities. A meeting was

brokered by Greenpeace and GAR which led to the publication of its Forest

Conservation Policy (in partnership with international NGO, The Forest

Trust) committing to a “no deforestation” footprint, which drew support

from the Indonesian Government and environmentalists. Its inaugural Sus-

tainability Report was published in May 2011. GAR has drawn praise from

NGOs for its new environmental commitments and practices.

shortlisted: eBay KoreaIn December 2009, eBay suffered a major blow to its corporate reputation

in Korea when a popular online Korean e-commerce platform operator filed

a complaint with the Korean Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), accusing

eBay and its newly acquired Korean subsidiary, Gmarket, of unfair prac-

tices. Faced with a damaged public reputation, eBay Korea’s government

relations team (KOGR) immediately initiated a stakeholder engagement

campaign targeted at consumers, regulators and legislators. eBay worked

with stakeholders promoting both online trading best practices and

eBay’s role as a foreign investor and advocate of free trade and open

internet competition.

sponsored by:

www.goldstandardawards2011.com

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR NGO ENGAGEMENT The winner: Child Rights and You

Despite the growing size of India’s economy (GDP has now passed $1 trillion),

India continues to have widespread problems regarding vulnerable and uneducated

children. Child Rights and You’s (CRY) analysis clearly shows that a range of policies are impacting children negatively. CRY campaigns for equal

inclusion of everyone, including the poorest, in a village’s decision-making. It builds resilient communities which can demand entitlements for their children

and themselves. Using this approach, CRY now works with over 700,000 children and their families in 7,745 villages and urban slums, spread across 20 states

in India. This progress is due to the support of over 250 volunteers and 200,000 individual donors worldwide.

CRY’s approach in children’s education works through a three-phase engagement: firstly by identifying the most marginalised, secondly through an exami-

nation of the root causes of the deprivation, and thirdly in providing real solutions to problems by making sure that the laws and policies that guarantee their

rights are actually implemented.

A hybrid of corporate and development sector cultures that defies the conventional definitions of philanthropy exists as the preserve of the wealthy. CRY

is aiming to change the philanthropic paradigm and mindsets regarding how children are viewed by policy makers, media, non-profit organisations and the

general public, and this has the potential to achieve sweeping change for children and marginalised communities.

CRY started work on empowering under privileged children and the communities they belonged to by actively partnering smaller/grassroots-level NGOs

working in remote and neglected areas of India. These smaller organisations are trained to mobilise rural and urban communities to access their entitlements

through collective action. Such policy advocacy work continues with two key demands today: one, to extend the right of education to all children (it currently

covers children from six to 14 years of age only); and secondly, to ensure that state governments pass the requisite policies to implement the entitlements

guaranteed by this law.

The impact of CRY’s work on children’s education manifests at two levels. A look at the impact of year 2010-11 showcases that at the level of the village

and/or slum, it has ensured that 384,109 children are enrolled in schools. A further 21,676 children who had dropped out of school have been re-enrolled,

with 80 new government schools being opened as a result of campaigns and sustaining follow-up with local Education Departments at the Block and District

levels. A further 157 government schools were upgraded and 103 were prevented from closing down by repeated petitioning of the authorities concerned.

CRY’s work made sure that these schools had one teacher per class who attended regularly, and that the essential infrastructure, such as separate toilets for

boys/girls and potable drinking water, are in place. In the last 30 years, CRY’s work in education and other fundamental rights has reached 1.5 million chil-

dren across India.

CRY’s model is currently being used directly by the 220 partner organisations working in 23 states across the country. A further 500 organisations who are

part of the state-based alliances CRY supports are now convinced about, and are attempting to replicate, the model in their field areas. CRY plans to consoli-

date the impact of its work across states and to advocate the relative advantages of this approach in strengthening inclusive democracy. Besides this, the plan

envisages ensuring that the voice of children is heard and addressed at the levels of administration, judiciary, law enforcement, and policymaking – in short, in

all governance mechanisms. In 2010, CRY had press conferences in four metro cities of the country where children spoke directly to the press on the hurdles

that they face while accessing their fundamental rights.

shortlisted: Dignity for Chronic Pain Sufferers (DFPS)DFPS was formed to raise awareness of the difficulties that chronic pain

patients face, particularly those reliant on “opiate derived treatments”. A

change in South Australian legislation now officially categorises these patients

as “drug addicts”, significantly reducing their access to medication, with some

claiming that it has brought them to the brink of suicide. DFPS has started a

major legal challenge to have the SA legislation overturned. McClusky & Co

helped to devise a strategy to engage government ministers, legislators and the

media. Existing legislation and statistics have been simplified to make the case

for a proactive change in the current law.

Nominated by McClusky & Co

shortlisted: Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Society For nearly 70 years, and until 2010, relatives of the 1,500 military

personnel and civilians who died as a result of the Japanese 1942 invasion

of the New Guinea Islands – including over 1,053 men who perished in the

torpedoing of the prison ship Montevideo Maru – believed that their sacrifice

was being forgotten. The RMMS was created to commemorate these losses.

The Australian Federal Parliament in June 2010 formally acknowledged these

losses and the Society has been awarded a government grant to assist with the

construction of a memorial. The Society also continues to campaign to have

the site of the sinking acknowledged as an official war grave.

Nominated by Jackson Wells Pty Ltd (Australia)

sponsored by:

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATIONSThe winner: The US Mission New Zealand and Ambassador David Huebner

O ver the past 18 months, the US Mission New Zealand has developed and implemented an expansive social media programme

designed to engage sectors of the Kiwi population that have historically had little or no contact with foreign embassies. The strategy

employed has three components: to combine traditional outreach with social media outreach rather than view social media as a

stand-alone function, to cross-promote and affiliate-link content across all Embassy social channels, and to interact with audiences rather than

just broadcast information.

The Embassy started less than 18 months ago by creating a full-time staff position dedicated to electronic media, and then launched a full

array of social media channels. After years of relying on just a webpage and an institutional Twitter account fed from Washington, the Mis-

sion established a new set of tools. Perhaps the most dynamic and impactful single step was the creation of an Ambassador’s blog (www.DavidHuebnerBlog.com),

drafted by the Ambassador himself. Designed to engage and interest the youth, the blog follows the Ambassador’s adventures in NZ and Samoa, relying heavily on

images and video, and highlights policy issues that interest him. It carries the distinct personality of the Ambassador, and has drawn significant media attention.

The blog is more than achieving its desired outcomes. It has broken through many long-established perceptions and positioned the Embassy as fresh, dynamic,

and interactive. It has quickly established a sizeable, and largely new, audience for the Mission. There were more than 200,000 page views in the past year alone, as

well as more than 500 messages from readers. Posts are regularly rerun by external channels such as DipNote, the Government of Samoa webpage, and other blogs,

and the response from third parties has been highly positive.

Established in January, a second blog is intended to further expand visibility and reach by leveraging this year’s Rugby World Cup (RWC) hosted by NZ. This

blog is also more than achieving its desired outcomes. It has allowed the Embassy to engage, build relationships, and conduct conversations with a new stakeholder

group, sports fans, attracting in excess of 50,000 page views to date as well as more than 300 comments and conversations.

In order to advance the interaction element of its social media strategy, the Embassy runs Twitter feeds directed at different groups of stakeholders. The Embassy,

Ambassador, and rugby feeds are dynamic platforms for conversation and have successfully attracted new, non-overlapping followers not previously reached by the Em-

bassy’s communications. Except for the research feed, the Twitter accounts have been steadily attracting followers and increasing their Klout scores. The Ambassador’s feed

is growing with particular momentum. (The numbers need to be read in the context of NZ’s and Samoa’s small populations.) The Embassy has also established multiple

Facebook pages focused on specific stakeholder groups such as students, YouTube channels, a FlickR site, live stream broadcasts, and bookmarks.

Outcome success is clear in the significant and growing number of consumers of content on these platforms. Just one of the Embassy (NZ) Facebook pages

has, for example, attracted in excess of 1.4 million views thus far. The live streams of Secretary Clinton’s town-hall event during her visit to New Zealand, as well as

the streams of the Ambassador’s trip to Antarctica, drew large enthusiastic audiences.

A significant strength of the strategy is the full integration of in-person and cyber activity. All Embassy public affairs activity and a good bit of its political

activity are now leveraged in cyberspace, and cyber activities (e.g. the rugby blog) are used to generate in-person events (e.g. a meet-the-Eagles pep rally). Activities

appear simultaneously on the relevant blog, Twitter feeds, and graphics platforms.

sponsored by:

shortlisted: RIM: Love What You Do.With the aim of creating highly-engaged social media

communities across Asia-Pacific for BlackBerry,

Edelman helped RIM create a complex programme

including 13 multi-lingual, country-specific BlackBerry

communities spread across Facebook, Twitter and

Sina Weibo. RIM now boasts the largest and most

engaged mobile online branded community in

Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, China, India and

Australia. In August 2011, RIM online content was

being viewed by over eight million people per month

– people who had opted in to being engaged by

RIM. Within 15 months, the firm’s regional Facebook

community grew from 50,000 to over three million,

making RIM one of the five largest brands on Face-

book in Asia.

*Nominated by Edelman

shortlisted: Kraft Foods Australia: Cadbury Spread the Joy Cadbury® Dairy Milk™ milk chocolate, became

Fairtrade Certified™ in 2010. The “Spread the Joy”

campaign had three main objectives: firstly to educate

the Australian public about Fairtrade; secondly to

show them the tangible difference Fairtrade Certifica-

tion makes; and thirdly to offer consumers a popular

chocolate as Fairtrade Certified™.

The social media campaign successfully reached

200,000 online users through Facebook, Twitter,

dedicated micro-sites, activist forums and blogs. The

Fairtrade label’s recognition rose from 28 per cent in

2008 to 44 per cent in 2011. The sharing and word-

of-mouth attributes of social media fitted well with

the objective of growing awareness of Fairtrade.

shortlisted: Johnnie WalkerThe Johnnie Walker Talks the Talk in China

campaign with the “Keep Walking” tagline message

of “progress” and “moving forward” is aimed at

promoting brand awareness through a broader

debate regarding progress in modern China. A

360-degree brand campaign that involved PR,

digital and social media was based on posing the

question: “What would you say to inspire your

generation to Keep Walking?”

Attracting immense interest, the question

turned into a social debate about what progress

means today in China. Thirty-three million views

of all content (blog and video) took place in just

three months.

*Nominated by Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide

PublicAffairsAsia

WHERE THE INFLUENTIAL...DISCUSS INFLUENCE

news, analysis, awards, events, news, analysis, awards, events, news, analysis, awards, events, news,

analysis, awards, events, news, analysis, awards, events, news, analysis, awards, events, news, analysis,

new annual group corporate network package just US$7,500Up to 50 global online, magazine & intelligence subscriptions, four pre-paid and confirmed forum delegate seats, priority invitations for regular executive-level roundtables, complimentary Gold Standard Award entries and more.

contact subscriptions@publicaffairsasia.com for more details

1

Agree

78%

An Edelman/P

ublicAffairsAsia

White Paper:

January 2012

THE NEW

REALITIESPublic A

ffairs, Trade an

d

China’s 12th Five

-Year Plan

www.publicaffairsasia.com

the public affai

rs

DIALOGUES

WhitePaper2.i

ndd      1

12/01/2012      1

8:36:37

TOP TIPS: Social Media PROFILE: Malaysia’s Governance Guru OPEN LETTER: Crunching Corruption

PublicAffairsAsia A QUARTERLY REVIEW OF PRACTICE AND POLICY FOR CORPORATE AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONALS

The Lead Interview: The Reputation Agenda:

Leslie Gaines-RossThought Leader:

REPUTATION

Export Now: Frank LavinThe Gold Standard Awards

plus:

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT The winner: Corporate Voice Weber Shandwick: Save the Children’s ‘Every One’ campaign

In India, every year over two million children die from easily preventable diseases before they reach the age of

five. As part of its global ‘Every One’ campaign, Save the Children (STC), the international NGO, sought to

prompt Indian leaders to accelerate efforts to reduce child mortality, and aimed to influence the Government

of India to increase the national spend on children’s health.

Research firm Synovate was commissioned to help identify the potential target audience and how particular

media might be effectively harnessed for a social campaign. Synovate’s assessments revealed that: (1) young adults

and youth icons or celebrities are particularly action-oriented, social-media-savvy, keen to express their opinions and quick to join collective movements; (2)

the print and broadcast media would report the subject if prominent public personalities were involved; (3) citizens strongly felt that the close involvement of

government influencers was essential as the ultimate power to reduce child mortality lay with them. The Synovate findings shaped the decision to build the

campaign around three strategic pillars. Firstly, engaging government influencers to rally government decision-makers. Secondly, building a coalition of influ-

encers to give the campaign popular appeal, and applying pressure on policymakers. Lastly, creating a wave of public concern about child survival.

The campaign began with leading government influencers and public figures sending an open letter to the finance minister, demanding increased spending on chil-

dren’s health. The chief minister of Delhi, the health minister, and various international ambassadors soon voiced their support publicly for the ‘Every One’ campaign. To

boost the campaign’s visibility and power of advocacy, STC hosted a national civil society consultation on child mortality. Attended by over 120 policy-oriented groups,

the consultation prompted the government to include several recommendations relating to children’s and women’s health in its planning process.

Popular Bollywood actors and youth icons such as Kunal Kapoor (an STC cause ambassador), Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone vigorously endorsed

‘Every One’ at film promotions and other events, and used social networks to promote the movement, leading to an overwhelming number of online pledges of

support from fans. Corporate Voice | Weber Shandwick had built an advocacy group comprising young celebrity mothers, and requested photographs of themselves

and their children, along with their response to a new STC report titled ‘A Fair Chance at Life’. Their outraged reactions to the report’s findings and their photo-

graphs were shared with the media, generating prominent feature articles about STC’s movement. Finally, support for ‘Every One’ went global when the celebrated

filmmaker Gurinder Chadha made a powerful and moving short film about STC’s mobile clinics in Delhi that was screened at the Asian Awards 2010 in the UK.

The public articulated its support for ‘Every One’ by signing pledges and participating in various events around the country.

‘Every One’ received unequivocal support from the government’s Planning Commission, and the finance minister announced that the 2011 Union Budget

would include a 20 per cent increase in the national spend on children’s health (taking the health sector allocation to two per cent of India’s GDP). In eight

months, an overwhelming 500,000 people participated in the campaign by attending events or pledging their support. Over 185,000 postcards were sent to

the prime minister’s office, calling for immediate action. ‘Every One’ made a huge online impact, with Twitter and Facebook messages from various celebri-

ties generating 265,000 positive responses. Almost 14,000 young campaigners at schools and colleges registered their support for the campaign, and Gurinder

Chadha’s documentary film screening in London raised donations of over £100,000 for STC’s work.

sponsored by:

shortlisted: GolinHarris: West Kowloon Cultural DistrictThe West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) is

a 100-acre, US$ 2.8 billion development designed

to establish Hong Kong as a global capital of art

and culture. Beginning in March 2009, GolinHar-

ris launched a two-year, multi-faceted stakeholder

engagement programme to showcase the transforma-

tive ambitions of WKCD. The campaign revolved

around three public engagement exercises which built

upon one another until community consensus had

been achieved. GH’s fully integrated communications

strategy was driven through media relations, brand

identity development, event management, video and

PSAs, websites and social media, stakeholder lobby-

ing, and issues management.

shortlisted: Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide: PambassadorsPambassadors was one of the first examples of

China’s new dawn of realisation that “soft power”

could be a more effective communication strategy

on the world stage. The ‘soft power’ approach also

proved highly effective at delivering outstanding

growth results that will have a major impact on the

economic future of Chengdu city. From unknown

status, this “Pambassador” campaign delivered more

new FDI to Chengdu than any other mid-western

Chinese city, such that 12 Fortune 500 companies

have now established bases in Chengdu and the city

has seen a 26 per cent increase in tourists in 2010

(and a massive 58 per cent increase in the month

following the campaign).

shortlisted: Weber Shandwick: Promoting EnbrelPfizer, the world’s largest research-based pharmaceuti-

cal company, planned to introduce Enbrel in China

in 2010, making it only the third drug of its kind to

enter the market. Weber Shandwick helped ensure its

success with an integrated approach that engaged pa-

tients, families and the healthcare community through

combined traditional and online media to com-

municate the benefits of Enbrel. As a result, Enbrel

secured a five per cent market share among biological

disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and exceeded

expected hospital sales by 400 per cent. Within just

two months, the team generated more than 45 print

media clippings and 176 online clippings, successfully

communicating the benefits of Enbrel.

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT The winner: Corporate Voice Weber Shandwick: Save the Children’s ‘Every One’ campaign

In India, every year over two million children die from easily preventable diseases before they reach the age of

five. As part of its global ‘Every One’ campaign, Save the Children (STC), the international NGO, sought to

prompt Indian leaders to accelerate efforts to reduce child mortality, and aimed to influence the Government

of India to increase the national spend on children’s health.

Research firm Synovate was commissioned to help identify the potential target audience and how particular

media might be effectively harnessed for a social campaign. Synovate’s assessments revealed that: (1) young adults

and youth icons or celebrities are particularly action-oriented, social-media-savvy, keen to express their opinions and quick to join collective movements; (2)

the print and broadcast media would report the subject if prominent public personalities were involved; (3) citizens strongly felt that the close involvement of

government influencers was essential as the ultimate power to reduce child mortality lay with them. The Synovate findings shaped the decision to build the

campaign around three strategic pillars. Firstly, engaging government influencers to rally government decision-makers. Secondly, building a coalition of influ-

encers to give the campaign popular appeal, and applying pressure on policymakers. Lastly, creating a wave of public concern about child survival.

The campaign began with leading government influencers and public figures sending an open letter to the finance minister, demanding increased spending on chil-

dren’s health. The chief minister of Delhi, the health minister, and various international ambassadors soon voiced their support publicly for the ‘Every One’ campaign. To

boost the campaign’s visibility and power of advocacy, STC hosted a national civil society consultation on child mortality. Attended by over 120 policy-oriented groups,

the consultation prompted the government to include several recommendations relating to children’s and women’s health in its planning process.

Popular Bollywood actors and youth icons such as Kunal Kapoor (an STC cause ambassador), Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone vigorously endorsed

‘Every One’ at film promotions and other events, and used social networks to promote the movement, leading to an overwhelming number of online pledges of

support from fans. Corporate Voice | Weber Shandwick had built an advocacy group comprising young celebrity mothers, and requested photographs of themselves

and their children, along with their response to a new STC report titled ‘A Fair Chance at Life’. Their outraged reactions to the report’s findings and their photo-

graphs were shared with the media, generating prominent feature articles about STC’s movement. Finally, support for ‘Every One’ went global when the celebrated

filmmaker Gurinder Chadha made a powerful and moving short film about STC’s mobile clinics in Delhi that was screened at the Asian Awards 2010 in the UK.

The public articulated its support for ‘Every One’ by signing pledges and participating in various events around the country.

‘Every One’ received unequivocal support from the government’s Planning Commission, and the finance minister announced that the 2011 Union Budget

would include a 20 per cent increase in the national spend on children’s health (taking the health sector allocation to two per cent of India’s GDP). In eight

months, an overwhelming 500,000 people participated in the campaign by attending events or pledging their support. Over 185,000 postcards were sent to

the prime minister’s office, calling for immediate action. ‘Every One’ made a huge online impact, with Twitter and Facebook messages from various celebri-

ties generating 265,000 positive responses. Almost 14,000 young campaigners at schools and colleges registered their support for the campaign, and Gurinder

Chadha’s documentary film screening in London raised donations of over £100,000 for STC’s work.

sponsored by:

shortlisted: GolinHarris: West Kowloon Cultural DistrictThe West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) is

a 100-acre, US$ 2.8 billion development designed

to establish Hong Kong as a global capital of art

and culture. Beginning in March 2009, GolinHar-

ris launched a two-year, multi-faceted stakeholder

engagement programme to showcase the transforma-

tive ambitions of WKCD. The campaign revolved

around three public engagement exercises which built

upon one another until community consensus had

been achieved. GH’s fully integrated communications

strategy was driven through media relations, brand

identity development, event management, video and

PSAs, websites and social media, stakeholder lobby-

ing, and issues management.

shortlisted: Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide: PambassadorsPambassadors was one of the first examples of

China’s new dawn of realisation that “soft power”

could be a more effective communication strategy

on the world stage. The ‘soft power’ approach also

proved highly effective at delivering outstanding

growth results that will have a major impact on the

economic future of Chengdu city. From unknown

status, this “Pambassador” campaign delivered more

new FDI to Chengdu than any other mid-western

Chinese city, such that 12 Fortune 500 companies

have now established bases in Chengdu and the city

has seen a 26 per cent increase in tourists in 2010

(and a massive 58 per cent increase in the month

following the campaign).

shortlisted: Weber Shandwick: Promoting EnbrelPfizer, the world’s largest research-based pharmaceuti-

cal company, planned to introduce Enbrel in China

in 2010, making it only the third drug of its kind to

enter the market. Weber Shandwick helped ensure its

success with an integrated approach that engaged pa-

tients, families and the healthcare community through

combined traditional and online media to com-

municate the benefits of Enbrel. As a result, Enbrel

secured a five per cent market share among biological

disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and exceeded

expected hospital sales by 400 per cent. Within just

two months, the team generated more than 45 print

media clippings and 176 online clippings, successfully

communicating the benefits of Enbrel.

www.henryhalemaguire.com

helping people

people

– – with

executive coaching. In a corporate

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANCYThe winner: Pelham Bell Pottinger Asia

In April 2010, against the backdrop of a tough economic climate, Pelham Bell Pottinger Asia (a subsidiary of

British headquartered firm Bell Pottinger Group) entered Asia. It started with little recognition as clients were

either not prepared to break existing relationships with other agencies or simply not willing to engage with a new

player. Yet, some 18 months later, Bell Pottinger has now been invited to participate in major pitches in the region

against long-standing incumbents.

Today, the company has close to 10 blue-chip clients including top global law firm; one of the largest private banks

in Switzerland; one of the world’s largest palm oil plantation companies, GAR; and international brand LEGOLAND.

The company started with a total of three staff and was engaged by Golden Agri-Resources (GAR) which was facing international criticism for its

environmental practices. Bell Pottinger focused on guiding GAR through a major transformation while growing its own operation in Asia.

Bell Pottinger came on board in the heat of a battle which GAR was facing with Greenpeace, with its western customer base under threat. The palm

oil industry was attacked by NGOs and other stakeholders for the destruction caused to Indonesia’s forests and biodiversity. Big brands including Uni-

lever, Nestlé and Burger King had all severed ties with the company. Bell Pottinger advised GAR throughout the crisis.

Bell Pottinger worked with GAR who appointed independent verification agencies. The verification report successfully put the allegations in context. It

focused on helping stakeholders see how the environment was important, but set this alongside wider implications facing the palm oil industry and how

it was a strategic product for Indonesia, crucial to the growth of the economy and the improvement of livelihoods. Bell Pottinger brought on board its

sister agency Corporate Citizenship to advise GAR on its sustainability practices. It also brokered the first meeting with Greenpeace because it was the

agency’s belief that collaboration rather than conflict was the only way to find solutions.

GAR has undergone significant transformation on its sustainability journey. It is now seen as a leading player in promoting sustainable palm oil.

The campaigns by Greenpeace have stopped and customers including Unilever and Nestlé have all resumed business with GAR. Peter Heng, Managing

Director of Sustainability and Communications at GAR, said: “Pelham Bell Pottinger Asia demonstrates an understanding of complex issues. They are an

important partner in our strategic communications, providing sound advice to help us achieve our sustainability and communications goals. In the past,

we were challenged by a number of NGOs on our sustainability performance. Today, we have moved from conflict to collaboration and are working with

multi-stakeholders to find solutions for sustainable palm oil.”

Bell Pottinger also worked on behalf of Sri Lanka during the Central Bank Governor’s visit to Singapore. The agency aimed to shed the negative

perception of Sri Lanka and its many years of civil strife and to present the country as an attractive place for foreign direct investment. A significant

breakthrough was achieved in the financial communications space when the agency won its first IPO mandate for the listing of Parkson Retail Asia

in Singapore. On the corporate communications front, other significant wins included the appointment by top global law firm for its Annual Part-

ners Meeting in Beijing, involving 300 of the firm’s top lawyers. The pitch involved five of the largest international agencies based in China. Despite

the odds, the young agency won the very rigorous pitch process which involved lawyers and senior communications representatives in Chicago,

Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong and China. Other significant client wins from multi-agency pitches include LEGOLAND Malaysia, Ezra Holdings

and Cable and Wireless Worldwide.

The agency is headquartered in Singapore and is run by managing director Ang Shih-Huei. The Gold Standard Award judges believe the agency has

shown itself a consultancy worthy of early recognition in light of its signs of strong performance in an increasingly crowded public relations marketplace.

shortlisted: COSMO Japan During 2010, COSMO achieved growth over 2009 and remained a

profitable forward-looking agency. The firm employs a team of around

40 staff, with specialisation in healthcare, food and food science. During

The Gold Standard Awards’ eligibility period, COSMO won several new

accounts, including Pfizer Animal Health for Improvac, and Alexion

Pharma’s orphan drug Soliris. The firm also helped global brands H&M,

Reckitt Benckiser and BASF’s petrochemicals division handle issues

specific to the Japanese market. The firm’s retained client list includes

global pharmaceutical companies Novartis, Sanofi Aventis, GSK and

Abbott Japan, as well as the American Medical Devices and Diagnostics

Manufacturers Association (AMDD).

shortlisted: Weber Shandwick Weber Shandwick is a regional public relations leader with clients in a

wide range of sectors and markets offering a range of specialist services.

This year the most significant evidence of PR innovation regionally was the

launch of crisis management simulator FireBell, which imitates PR crisis

situations in English, Chinese and Japanese (with further languages soon)

across social media platforms, including Asia-specific properties. Supported

by the regional digital practice, FireBell is the only such offering available

in the region (and the world), and will serve as an essential component to

the firm’s crisis training.

sponsored by:

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANCYThe winner: Pelham Bell Pottinger Asia

In April 2010, against the backdrop of a tough economic climate, Pelham Bell Pottinger Asia (a subsidiary of

British headquartered firm Bell Pottinger Group) entered Asia. It started with little recognition as clients were

either not prepared to break existing relationships with other agencies or simply not willing to engage with a new

player. Yet, some 18 months later, Bell Pottinger has now been invited to participate in major pitches in the region

against long-standing incumbents.

Today, the company has close to 10 blue-chip clients including top global law firm; one of the largest private banks

in Switzerland; one of the world’s largest palm oil plantation companies, GAR; and international brand LEGOLAND.

The company started with a total of three staff and was engaged by Golden Agri-Resources (GAR) which was facing international criticism for its

environmental practices. Bell Pottinger focused on guiding GAR through a major transformation while growing its own operation in Asia.

Bell Pottinger came on board in the heat of a battle which GAR was facing with Greenpeace, with its western customer base under threat. The palm

oil industry was attacked by NGOs and other stakeholders for the destruction caused to Indonesia’s forests and biodiversity. Big brands including Uni-

lever, Nestlé and Burger King had all severed ties with the company. Bell Pottinger advised GAR throughout the crisis.

Bell Pottinger worked with GAR who appointed independent verification agencies. The verification report successfully put the allegations in context. It

focused on helping stakeholders see how the environment was important, but set this alongside wider implications facing the palm oil industry and how

it was a strategic product for Indonesia, crucial to the growth of the economy and the improvement of livelihoods. Bell Pottinger brought on board its

sister agency Corporate Citizenship to advise GAR on its sustainability practices. It also brokered the first meeting with Greenpeace because it was the

agency’s belief that collaboration rather than conflict was the only way to find solutions.

GAR has undergone significant transformation on its sustainability journey. It is now seen as a leading player in promoting sustainable palm oil.

The campaigns by Greenpeace have stopped and customers including Unilever and Nestlé have all resumed business with GAR. Peter Heng, Managing

Director of Sustainability and Communications at GAR, said: “Pelham Bell Pottinger Asia demonstrates an understanding of complex issues. They are an

important partner in our strategic communications, providing sound advice to help us achieve our sustainability and communications goals. In the past,

we were challenged by a number of NGOs on our sustainability performance. Today, we have moved from conflict to collaboration and are working with

multi-stakeholders to find solutions for sustainable palm oil.”

Bell Pottinger also worked on behalf of Sri Lanka during the Central Bank Governor’s visit to Singapore. The agency aimed to shed the negative

perception of Sri Lanka and its many years of civil strife and to present the country as an attractive place for foreign direct investment. A significant

breakthrough was achieved in the financial communications space when the agency won its first IPO mandate for the listing of Parkson Retail Asia

in Singapore. On the corporate communications front, other significant wins included the appointment by top global law firm for its Annual Part-

ners Meeting in Beijing, involving 300 of the firm’s top lawyers. The pitch involved five of the largest international agencies based in China. Despite

the odds, the young agency won the very rigorous pitch process which involved lawyers and senior communications representatives in Chicago,

Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong and China. Other significant client wins from multi-agency pitches include LEGOLAND Malaysia, Ezra Holdings

and Cable and Wireless Worldwide.

The agency is headquartered in Singapore and is run by managing director Ang Shih-Huei. The Gold Standard Award judges believe the agency has

shown itself a consultancy worthy of early recognition in light of its signs of strong performance in an increasingly crowded public relations marketplace.

shortlisted: COSMO Japan During 2010, COSMO achieved growth over 2009 and remained a

profitable forward-looking agency. The firm employs a team of around

40 staff, with specialisation in healthcare, food and food science. During

The Gold Standard Awards’ eligibility period, COSMO won several new

accounts, including Pfizer Animal Health for Improvac, and Alexion

Pharma’s orphan drug Soliris. The firm also helped global brands H&M,

Reckitt Benckiser and BASF’s petrochemicals division handle issues

specific to the Japanese market. The firm’s retained client list includes

global pharmaceutical companies Novartis, Sanofi Aventis, GSK and

Abbott Japan, as well as the American Medical Devices and Diagnostics

Manufacturers Association (AMDD).

shortlisted: Weber Shandwick Weber Shandwick is a regional public relations leader with clients in a

wide range of sectors and markets offering a range of specialist services.

This year the most significant evidence of PR innovation regionally was the

launch of crisis management simulator FireBell, which imitates PR crisis

situations in English, Chinese and Japanese (with further languages soon)

across social media platforms, including Asia-specific properties. Supported

by the regional digital practice, FireBell is the only such offering available

in the region (and the world), and will serve as an essential component to

the firm’s crisis training.

sponsored by:sponsored by:

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONSULTANCY

The winner: Fleishman-Hillard Korea

Marking its 10th anniversary in Seoul, Fleishman-Hillard set out to firmly establish itself as Korea’s number-one strategic and

integrated communications consultancy specialising in public affairs leadership. The PR consulting industry is integrating

increasingly. But few if any firms are successfully becoming integrated public affairs consultancies, yet the market demands it.

In this time of global economic downturn and polarisation of society, companies are now facing more risks from government regulations and

community activism.

The firm believes it is essential to have capable senior consultants who understand the complicated dynamics of issues when clients

encounter special situations and to support the overall goal of creating specialty practice teams with unique strategic offerings. F-H added two VPs and outside

advisers to expand new strategic practices, with public affairs at their core. Drake Hwang joined to lead the financial communication practice. He is a former

long-time editor of Korea’s largest business media group Maeil Business Newspaper and a former AT Kearny consultant with business management experi-

ence. Ellen Hwang was also hired to become a special situations group leader and has a diverse background in government, business association and law firm

circles. Additionally two prominent public affairs advisers (Prof. HS Ryu, an entrepreneur and M&A major, and Dr. BJ Kim of international affairs) were

recruited and they lead the “Biweekly Issue Insights: Ask Our Advisors” session for F-H team members.

The firm also develops training across all levels of staff. These innovative programmes include:

Fleishman-Hillard Korea’s work is wide-ranging and has included collaboration with McKinsey & Company (Seoul G20 Business Summit, media training) and

a strategic partnership with a leading law firm for Joint Venture Board of Directors negotiation (Kimberly-Clark). F-H Korea has also partnered with Investment

Banks for IPO and M&A deal communications (Nexolon, OCI, MBK Partners) and has developed a strategic alliance for social media analysis with Treum.

In Korea, Fleishman-Hillard also has a track record in managing public policy campaigns, underscored by work on the G20 Business Summit, the Korean

government’s Green Movement and as the agency-of-record for the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit.

Meanwhile, F-H’s development of the Communication Consulting Worldwide brand was designed to challenge the perception of what a consultancy can

accomplish. This integrated approach to clients led to an increase from 15 per cent of total revenue (five per cent of total number of clients) to 36 per cent of

total revenue (21 per cent of total clients) following the development of integrated services and campaigns. Fleishman-Hillard won 90 per cent of the new business

pitches during the last year and the majority comes from referrals. Retainer client retention was 80 per cent. Fleishman-Hillard staff retention rate is 85 per cent

which is a nine per cent improvement on the previous year.

commendation award: Weber Shandwick Asia-PacificWeber Shandwick (WS) first entered the public affairs arena in Asia-

Pacific six years ago, when the market itself arguably hardly existed outside

Australia. As growing pluralism has spread throughout most AP markets

irrespective of their differing political systems, the Asia-Pacific market grew

rapidly, although heavily weighted towards China. But this year WS has

focused on building strong market capability outside China.

With newly-appointed Asia-Pacific EVP Alistair Nicholas, the most notable

change this past year has been the growth of the practice as a region-wide

network. After a year of strategic new appointments and business wins,

what has emerged is a corporate and public affairs practice that spans Asia-

Pacific, capable of delivering innovative, exceptional campaigns from and

across virtually any market in the region.

The regional focus has had a direct impact on business, with local corpo-

rate and public affairs practices seeing exceptional revenue growth. Under

Asia’s new learning and development director, staff participated in global

skill-building webinars, in-house training and teambuilding activities, and

Japan launched monthly knowledge-sharing events.

shortlisted: Vriens & PartnersVriens & Partners Pte Ltd (V&P) is the only boutique advisory firm

headquartered in South-East Asia that focuses solely on government relations,

political analysis and public affairs. It provides clients with analysis of public

policy issues and offers independent in-depth appraisals of the political risk

associated with investments. V&P has a growing list of 20 clients which has

allowed its revenue to more than double in the past 12 months. In January

this year V&P published its first annual Good Governance for International

Business Index covering 18 countries in Asia-Pacific. It also provides its

clients, contacts and prospects with a monthly “V&P Breakfast Briefing”.

sponsored by:

shortlisted: The Honorable Ambika Soni, India’s Minister of Information and BroadcastingThe Honorable Ambika Soni, India’s Minister of Information & Broadcasting

is responsible for overseeing one of the fastest growing markets in the world.

She has achieved great success including implementing self-regulation in

favour of strict government content controls, creating the transition plan for

India’s move from analog to digital television, and recommending FDI caps

be raised for cable and satellite TV operators. Her idea instead was to foment

an industry self-regulation model, requiring television companies to implement

a system of internal checks and balances to ensure that content is appropriate

for the sensibilities of Indian viewers.

shortlisted: Wen Jiabao, Sixth Premier and Party Secretary of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Wen Jiabao has carved out a distinct reputation based on three attributes: an

ability to handle competently large gatherings of the world’s media while display-

ing a firm grasp of a breathtaking range of issues, his engagement with social

media in China, and his innate sense of timing and ability to capture the mood

of a situation, particularly at a time of crisis. Though often at press confer-

ences beside foreign leaders, high points are undoubtedly those concluding the

National People’s Congress sessions. Facing alone many hundreds of journalists,

including most major international print and broadcast media, Wen Jiabao

spends most of the two to three hour conference responding to questions.

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR POLITICAL COMMUNICATIONS The winner: Noriyuki Shikata, Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Public Affairs and Director of Global Communications at the Prime Minister’s Office in Japan

When Noriyuki Shikata, working for the Japanese Ministry of

Foreign Affairs (MOFA) as Director of Economic Treaties,

was asked to move to the Prime Minister’s Office to handle

international communications, the experienced diplomat assumed it would

be akin to his previous media liaison role while posted to the Japanese

Embassy in Washington.

The Prime Minister’s Office’s Global Communications team was a new initiative, established in August

2010. Shikata was its first head and it was up to him to build the office and set the strategy. It was a positive

initiative and a move towards improving Japan’s image overseas. Shikata quickly set about building his team;

in addition to MOFA secondees, he persuaded some of Japan’s top marketing professionals to join from the

likes of Nissan and leading international law firms.

Following the tsunami and nuclear safety crisis, from March 11 onwards the team worked 24-hour shifts

as the world’s media focused on Japan. Under Shikata’s direction, press conferences by the Chief Cabinet Sec-

retary were simultaneously translated for non-Japanese speakers, daily press conferences in English were held,

and Shikata himself turned to Twitter (@norishikata) to get information out as quickly as possible.

Shikata fronted an astonishing number of international media interviews during the first three months

since 3.11, numbering over 60, including numerous TV interviews, moving them outside to demonstrate

to the world that Tokyo was functioning and safe. He calmly dealt with the likes of Anderson Cooper and

emerged unscathed.

Whilst Japan has been criticised for its communications in the wake of this unprecedented disaster,

Shikata was an oasis of calm, attempting at times to corral colleagues at other ministries to talk to the interna-

tional press. He was also often faced with the task of trying to restore order, when reporters turned to him to

clarify mixed messages.

As Mure Dickie of the Financial Times says: “Japanese spokespeople often struggle in their dealings with

international media, but Noriyuki Shikata is a definite exception. Faced with the extraordinary challenge of the

disaster and nuclear crisis, he has been a tireless and effective communicator for the government.”

Shikata has also been able to help markedly improve relations between international news organisations

and the Prime Minister’s office, to the benefit of both.

sponsored by:

shortlisted: The Honorable Ambika Soni, India’s Minister of Information and BroadcastingThe Honorable Ambika Soni, India’s Minister of Information & Broadcasting

is responsible for overseeing one of the fastest growing markets in the world.

She has achieved great success including implementing self-regulation in

favour of strict government content controls, creating the transition plan for

India’s move from analog to digital television, and recommending FDI caps

be raised for cable and satellite TV operators. Her idea instead was to foment

an industry self-regulation model, requiring television companies to implement

a system of internal checks and balances to ensure that content is appropriate

for the sensibilities of Indian viewers.

shortlisted: Wen Jiabao, Sixth Premier and Party Secretary of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Wen Jiabao has carved out a distinct reputation based on three attributes: an

ability to handle competently large gatherings of the world’s media while display-

ing a firm grasp of a breathtaking range of issues, his engagement with social

media in China, and his innate sense of timing and ability to capture the mood

of a situation, particularly at a time of crisis. Though often at press confer-

ences beside foreign leaders, high points are undoubtedly those concluding the

National People’s Congress sessions. Facing alone many hundreds of journalists,

including most major international print and broadcast media, Wen Jiabao

spends most of the two to three hour conference responding to questions.

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR POLITICAL COMMUNICATIONS The winner: Noriyuki Shikata, Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Public Affairs and Director of Global Communications at the Prime Minister’s Office in Japan

When Noriyuki Shikata, working for the Japanese Ministry of

Foreign Affairs (MOFA) as Director of Economic Treaties,

was asked to move to the Prime Minister’s Office to handle

international communications, the experienced diplomat assumed it would

be akin to his previous media liaison role while posted to the Japanese

Embassy in Washington.

The Prime Minister’s Office’s Global Communications team was a new initiative, established in August

2010. Shikata was its first head and it was up to him to build the office and set the strategy. It was a positive

initiative and a move towards improving Japan’s image overseas. Shikata quickly set about building his team;

in addition to MOFA secondees, he persuaded some of Japan’s top marketing professionals to join from the

likes of Nissan and leading international law firms.

Following the tsunami and nuclear safety crisis, from March 11 onwards the team worked 24-hour shifts

as the world’s media focused on Japan. Under Shikata’s direction, press conferences by the Chief Cabinet Sec-

retary were simultaneously translated for non-Japanese speakers, daily press conferences in English were held,

and Shikata himself turned to Twitter (@norishikata) to get information out as quickly as possible.

Shikata fronted an astonishing number of international media interviews during the first three months

since 3.11, numbering over 60, including numerous TV interviews, moving them outside to demonstrate

to the world that Tokyo was functioning and safe. He calmly dealt with the likes of Anderson Cooper and

emerged unscathed.

Whilst Japan has been criticised for its communications in the wake of this unprecedented disaster,

Shikata was an oasis of calm, attempting at times to corral colleagues at other ministries to talk to the interna-

tional press. He was also often faced with the task of trying to restore order, when reporters turned to him to

clarify mixed messages.

As Mure Dickie of the Financial Times says: “Japanese spokespeople often struggle in their dealings with

international media, but Noriyuki Shikata is a definite exception. Faced with the extraordinary challenge of the

disaster and nuclear crisis, he has been a tireless and effective communicator for the government.”

Shikata has also been able to help markedly improve relations between international news organisations

and the Prime Minister’s office, to the benefit of both.

sponsored by:

www.vrienspartners.com

Vriens & Partners is a Southeast Asia-focused corporate advisory firm specializing in political risk analysis, government relations and public affairs headquartered in Singapore. The firm provides independent appraisals of the political risk associated with existing and potential investments, expert analysis of pressing public policy issues and strategies for engaging local stakeholders and mitigating risk.

POLITICAL RISK ANALYSIS

  Domestic/Regional Political Dynamics

  Macroeconomic Analysis

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS & PUBLIC POLICY

  Regulatory Monitoring and Analysis

  Engagement with Regulators, Government Officials and other Key Influencers

PARTNER IDENTIFICATION & ASSESSMENT

  Background and Reputation

  Political Assets / Liabilities

MEDIA RELATIONS

  Local Messaging

  Issues Management

Singapore Malaysia Indonesia Vietnam Philippines Thailand Myanmar Cambodia Laos

Hong Kong China Taiwan Japan South Korea Australia New Zealand India EU U.S.A. Canada

THE GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS (IN HOUSE) The winner: The Procter & Gamble India External Relations Team

The Procter & Gamble India in-house External Relations Team is responsible for protecting

and building the P&G business and earning advocacy for its brands. The team has proven to

be a strategic counsel to management, earning the members a seat at the management table.

It has built a strong equity for the company and its brands, and contributed significantly to the

bottom line and 20 per cent+ year-on-year growth of the business in India. The 10 member team brings unique capabilities to the business in leveraging supe-

rior stakeholder relationships that earn advocacy for P&G and its brands, across the following three focus areas:

1. Corporate Communication & Reputation (CC&R): This team builds and protects P&G’s corporate reputation by driving the company’s purpose of touching

and improving the lives of consumers. This team conceptualised and led the creation of Shiksha, P&G’s flagship cause-related marketing programme. This

programme, now in its 7th year (in 2011), has not only empowered 280,000 under-privileged children with access to education but has also built equity for

P&G brands. The programme has built, supported and reactivated over 140 schools across 600+ communities in India, with the support of NGO partners like

Save the Children, Army Wives’ Welfare Association and Round Table India.

2. Brand PR & Influencer Marketing: This discipline within the External Relations Team focuses on earning advocacy for P&G brands amongst influencers

and consumers. These influencers range across categories, such as dentists for Oral Care brand Oral-B, Village Health Workers for Feminine Hygiene brand

Whisper, Beauty Experts for Hair Care and Skin Care brands like Pantene and Olay, or even women as influencers for men for male grooming brand Gillette.

3. Government & Regulatory Relations: This team protects and accelerates P&G access to the Indian Market by ensuring zero business disruption within the

legal, regulatory and political framework in India. The team’s key deliverables saw them delivering savings and as well as generating revenue for the business

by protecting current and enabling future investments in India. The government relations team pioneered the public-private partnership between P&G and the

Government of Rajasthan’s National Rural Health Mission, to enable rural women with better menstrual hygiene education and practices. The PPP impacted

200,000 women and achieved significant successes in behaviour change towards good menstrual hygiene amongst women educated by the ASHAs (village

health workers) – i.e. nearly 50 per cent of the women tried a sanitary napkin at least once and 85 per cent of these converted to adopt them on a regular

basis. P&G continues its efforts in the area of feminine hygiene via its Whisper School Programme – a decades-old programme that imparts timely menstrual

education to over two million girls in government schools across India each year. With the support of its distributors, retailers, agency and media partners as

well as employees, P&G has been able to contribute $4.7 Million to this cause to date.

commendation award: Brand and Communications Team, Prudential Corporation AsiaDespite a tough business environment, the high-calibre B&C team has re-

mained focused on its priorities, and true to its values, working in a seam-

less manner across disciplines and markets. The three main parts of PCA’s

integrated communications strategy are based on strong brand, reputation

and community.

These functions develop impactful branding campaigns that further

strengthen Prudential’s image across the region, reinforcing product prefer-

ences for both existing and potential customers. The teams also enhance

Prudential’s reputation as reliable, trustworthy, responsive and genuinely

caring for the needs of consumers, communities and employees across the

region. “Doing well by doing good” is at the core of Prudential’s corporate

culture, with CSR efforts focused on three main areas: financial literacy and

education; children and youth; disaster relief and employee volunteering.

The Prudential brand was recognised as the second most popular insurance

brand across Asia according to Campaign Asia in October 2011.

shortlisted: Citi (China) Corporate Affairs TeamThe Citi Corporate Affairs team in China consists of eight members

located in Shanghai and Beijing. Its leader Stephen Thomas reports into the

bank’s Chief Executive Officer for China and sits on the country Manage-

ment Committee. He also represents Corporate Affairs on Citi China’s

Risk Management Committee, and has responsibility for presenting matters

relating to reputation risk to the Board of Citi’s local subsidiary in China.

The team is responsible for helping to ensure stakeholder confidence in

Citi China allowing the company to grow sustainably in China. All corpo-

rate affairs work for Citi China is handled in-house. The team’s approach

includes proactive engagement with key stakeholders – including media,

employees, clients, community groups and regulators. These actions validate

positioning, including through a citizenship programme which is founded

on Citi’s key strengths, ensuring this is broadly aligned with China’s

national development needs and the protection of its reputation through a

robust approach to issues management.

sponsored by:

THE PROSPECT GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE

The winner: Kumi Sato, CEO and President of COSMO Public Relations Corporation

Kumi Sato is a leading figure in the public relations industry in Japan. As CEO and President of Cosmo Public Rela-

tions Corporation (COSMO), one of Japan’s largest independent communication consultancies, she has transformed

the company into a globally-focused Japanese PR mainstay specialising in healthcare and food science.

Ms Sato has been recognised numerous times for her outstanding leadership in business including Stateswoman of the

Year by Harvard Business School. In 2000 Business Week featured Ms Sato as one of its “Stars of Asia – 50 Leaders at the

Forefront of Change”, and the Star Group selected her as one of the “50 Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World”. She was also listed in Forbes’ “50

Leading Women Entrepreneurs of Japan” in 1999. In 1998, the World Economic Forum in Davos elected her as one of

the “Hundred Global Leaders for Tomorrow”.

Since taking over the reins at COSMO in 1987, Ms Sato has transformed the firm from a domestically-focused

agency with less than five per cent of revenue coming from abroad to a globally-minded agency with 70 per cent of its

revenue generated from multinational clients. The agency has remained financially robust for the past 24 years, despite

Japan’s two decades of sluggish economic growth.

Ms Sato has led new business efforts at COSMO that have culminated in the launch of Japan’s first vaccination

against cervical cancer (GlaxoSmithKline), Japan’s first negative pressure wound therapy (Kinetic Concepts, Inc.), a

four-year, high-profile hypertension awareness campaign (Novartis) and a high-profile promotion for World Diabetes

Day (Sanofi-Aventis). COSMO has worked with the world’s top pharmaceutical firms including Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis,

Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Banyu Merck, Johnson & Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Abbott and Roche.

Ms Sato led the firm in becoming a thought-leader in the food science arena through its work in helping

liberalise the market for American beef for almost 25 years – especially important during the trade tensions between the US and Japan in the late

1980s. She is an active member of several committees and boards and is currently Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan. Ms

Sato also serves as Co-Chairman of the Asia Society’s Global Council and is a member of the Japan Advisory Council for the Asian University for

Women. Additionally she is also a member of the prestigious Keizai Doyukai (The Japan Association of Corporate Executives) and the Business

Leadership Council of Wellesley College.

Ms Sato has been interviewed by major international and domestic media outlets and has contributed opinion articles on topics such as brand and crisis

management. In 2007, she published her first book, Aisareru Kaisha no Joken (Love Me, Company), a comparison of views on corporate social responsibility

and best practices between Japanese and American companies. Her latest book on strategic communications is due out in spring 2012. From 2005 to 2010, Ms.

Sato was a professor in the Department of Management at the Kenichi Ohmae Graduate School of Business teaching corporate branding. Her courses had the

highest enrolments among any elective courses offered.

sponsored by:

shortlisted: Deborah Hayden

Deborah Hayden has

nearly a quarter of a

century of communica-

tions experience in Japan

specialising in corporate

financial communica-

tions, government and

regulatory affairs and issues management. She was

appointed President and CEO of Gavin Anderson

Japan in 2008 and Managing Partner Japan when

the firm became Kreab Gavin Anderson in 2009.

She serves on New Zealand Trade & Enterprise

Beachhead Committee advising companies entering

the Japanese market and advises the foodbank char-

ity, Second Harvest Japan. She is an adviser to the

Japanese Cabinet Office.

shortlisted: Janice Armstrong

Janice Armstrong is

currently the Regional

Director for Government

Affairs in Asia-Pacific for

GlaxoSmithKline. In this

role she leads the govern-

ment affairs strategy for

the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on key public

policy issues for healthcare, and oversees outreach

to stakeholders on the benefits of vaccines and

pharmaceuticals. Before joining GSK in 2010,

she was Vice President of Corporate Affairs for

Monsanto in AP, China and India, where she led

a team of 15 professionals across two regions de-

veloping the company’s public affairs strategy. She

is a board member of AmCham Singapore.

shortlisted: Shin Tanaka

Shin Tanaka is the Presi-

dent & Senior Partner

of Fleishman-Hillard

Japan. Mr Tanaka joined

Fleishman-Hillard in 1997

as Managing Director of

the firm’s Tokyo office,

building the business from a one-person practice to

today’s 80-member office with capabilities in stra-

tegic consulting, employee communications, public

affairs, crisis and issues management, healthcare,

integrated marketing and digital. He is a senior

adviser to the Democratic Party of Japan and the

author of eight books on strategic communications.

He was a principal organiser of the post-disaster

Fukishima Conference.

THE PROSPECT GOLD STANDARD AWARD FOR PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE

The winner: Kumi Sato, CEO and President of COSMO Public Relations Corporation

Kumi Sato is a leading figure in the public relations industry in Japan. As CEO and President of Cosmo Public Rela-

tions Corporation (COSMO), one of Japan’s largest independent communication consultancies, she has transformed

the company into a globally-focused Japanese PR mainstay specialising in healthcare and food science.

Ms Sato has been recognised numerous times for her outstanding leadership in business including Stateswoman of the

Year by Harvard Business School. In 2000 Business Week featured Ms Sato as one of its “Stars of Asia – 50 Leaders at the

Forefront of Change”, and the Star Group selected her as one of the “50 Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World”. She was also listed in Forbes’ “50

Leading Women Entrepreneurs of Japan” in 1999. In 1998, the World Economic Forum in Davos elected her as one of

the “Hundred Global Leaders for Tomorrow”.

Since taking over the reins at COSMO in 1987, Ms Sato has transformed the firm from a domestically-focused

agency with less than five per cent of revenue coming from abroad to a globally-minded agency with 70 per cent of its

revenue generated from multinational clients. The agency has remained financially robust for the past 24 years, despite

Japan’s two decades of sluggish economic growth.

Ms Sato has led new business efforts at COSMO that have culminated in the launch of Japan’s first vaccination

against cervical cancer (GlaxoSmithKline), Japan’s first negative pressure wound therapy (Kinetic Concepts, Inc.), a

four-year, high-profile hypertension awareness campaign (Novartis) and a high-profile promotion for World Diabetes

Day (Sanofi-Aventis). COSMO has worked with the world’s top pharmaceutical firms including Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis,

Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Banyu Merck, Johnson & Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Abbott and Roche.

Ms Sato led the firm in becoming a thought-leader in the food science arena through its work in helping

liberalise the market for American beef for almost 25 years – especially important during the trade tensions between the US and Japan in the late

1980s. She is an active member of several committees and boards and is currently Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan. Ms

Sato also serves as Co-Chairman of the Asia Society’s Global Council and is a member of the Japan Advisory Council for the Asian University for

Women. Additionally she is also a member of the prestigious Keizai Doyukai (The Japan Association of Corporate Executives) and the Business

Leadership Council of Wellesley College.

Ms Sato has been interviewed by major international and domestic media outlets and has contributed opinion articles on topics such as brand and crisis

management. In 2007, she published her first book, Aisareru Kaisha no Joken (Love Me, Company), a comparison of views on corporate social responsibility

and best practices between Japanese and American companies. Her latest book on strategic communications is due out in spring 2012. From 2005 to 2010, Ms.

Sato was a professor in the Department of Management at the Kenichi Ohmae Graduate School of Business teaching corporate branding. Her courses had the

highest enrolments among any elective courses offered.

sponsored by:

shortlisted: Deborah Hayden

Deborah Hayden has

nearly a quarter of a

century of communica-

tions experience in Japan

specialising in corporate

financial communica-

tions, government and

regulatory affairs and issues management. She was

appointed President and CEO of Gavin Anderson

Japan in 2008 and Managing Partner Japan when

the firm became Kreab Gavin Anderson in 2009.

She serves on New Zealand Trade & Enterprise

Beachhead Committee advising companies entering

the Japanese market and advises the foodbank char-

ity, Second Harvest Japan. She is an adviser to the

Japanese Cabinet Office.

shortlisted: Janice Armstrong

Janice Armstrong is

currently the Regional

Director for Government

Affairs in Asia-Pacific for

GlaxoSmithKline. In this

role she leads the govern-

ment affairs strategy for

the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on key public

policy issues for healthcare, and oversees outreach

to stakeholders on the benefits of vaccines and

pharmaceuticals. Before joining GSK in 2010,

she was Vice President of Corporate Affairs for

Monsanto in AP, China and India, where she led

a team of 15 professionals across two regions de-

veloping the company’s public affairs strategy. She

is a board member of AmCham Singapore.

shortlisted: Shin Tanaka

Shin Tanaka is the Presi-

dent & Senior Partner

of Fleishman-Hillard

Japan. Mr Tanaka joined

Fleishman-Hillard in 1997

as Managing Director of

the firm’s Tokyo office,

building the business from a one-person practice to

today’s 80-member office with capabilities in stra-

tegic consulting, employee communications, public

affairs, crisis and issues management, healthcare,

integrated marketing and digital. He is a senior

adviser to the Democratic Party of Japan and the

author of eight books on strategic communications.

He was a principal organiser of the post-disaster

Fukishima Conference.

The Qantas GroupThe Qantas Group’s two complementary flying brands, Qantas and Jetstar, give it unique strength in terms of scale, network and customer reach. Qantas is Austral-

ia’s largest domestic and international airline and is ranked among the world’s leading premium carriers. Founded in 1920, it has operated continuously for longer

than any other airline. Jetstar is one of the world’s fastest-growing and most successful low-cost carrier brands, operating in Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific and

throughout Asia.

The Qantas Group employs approximately 35,000 people and offers services across a network spanning over 170 destinations in more than 40 countries in Australia,

Asia and the Pacific, the Americas, Europe and Africa. A broader portfolio of subsidiary businesses and strategic investments, such as Qantas Frequent Flyer and

Qantas Freight, generate diverse revenue streams and add value for customers and investors.

Qantas has served the Asian region for 70 years, and now operates flights from Australia to Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Tokyo, Shanghai, Jakarta, Manila and

Mumbai, while the Qantas Group’s Singapore-based subsidiary, Jetstar Asia, flies to a wide range of Asian destinations. The Group has announced plans to launch

two new airlines in Asia: a premium carrier serving the business market and Jetstar Japan, a joint venture with Japan Airlines and Mitsubishi.

Qantas is a founding member of the oneworld alliance. For more information visit www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/investors/global/en

ProspectProspect is a global talent resource consultancy specialising purely in the PR and corporate communications sectors. With offices in Hong Kong and London, Pros-

pect has a team of dedicated and results orientated consultants that cover all sectors within the PR and Communications market.

Emma Dale, Managing Director of Asia Pacific, based in Hong Kong, heads up a team of consultants covering the Asia Pacific region, including Hong Kong,

Singapore and China. Recruiting at a senior level for both global PR consultancies and in-house communications teams, Prospect covers all sectors including

financial, corporate, healthcare, public affairs, consumer and technology. As Prospect purely specialises in PR and Corporate Communications, we provide clients

with experienced staff in these sectors and can also give advice on salary and benefits and overall market knowledge. Prospect Asia is a bespoke search and selection

consultancy able to execute both search mandates and contingent opportunities.

Since its creation in 2002, Prospect is built on a set of core values which focus on:

For an initial conversation, please contact the founding Director Emma Dale on +852 9177 8123 or email emma@prospectresourcing.com

News CorporationNews Corp is a diversified global media company with operations in eight industry segments: filmed entertainment; television; cable network programming; direct

broadcast satellite television; integrated marketing services; newspapers and information services; book publishing; and other. The activities of News Corp are con-

ducted principally in the United States, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Asia and Latin America. www.newscorp.com

Henry Hale Maguire Pte LtdBased in Singapore, Henry Hale Maguire is a boutique firm offering executive search and executive coaching services in Asia Pacific. Our core practices are corpo-

rate affairs, technology, consumer and financial services.

Our focus is to strengthen talent inside and outside organisations. Internally we coach senior talent to improve their position and thinking. We give them the tools

to better understand their obstacles, making them more effective and confident in their skills, strategy, vocabulary and relationships.

Externally we uncover, assess and benchmark the right people for senior positions; those who will be both a functional and cultural fit. We take time to coach and

prepare with our candidates – longer than most. Our service is specific, subtle, intimate, intuitive, individual-and our track record of successful placements is rock

solid. Partial client list: McKinsey & Co,Fedex, DHL, KKR, APCO, The Walt Disney Company, Accenture, Diageo, Eli Lilly, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Standard

Chartered Bank.We work smart, ethically, openly, and partner with those with whom we can bring tangible benefit and value.

Contact: Neal Horwitz, Managing Director, neal@henryhalemaguire.com. www.henryhalemaguire.com

Vriens & PartnersVriens & Partners (V&P) is an Asia-focused corporate advisory firm, specialising in government relations, public affairs, political risk analysis, stakeholder relations,

and strategic counsel related to the political aspects of M&As.

V&P operates at the nexus of business, government, civil society and the media. Our principal consultants, over many years spent in both the private and public

sector, have acquired expert knowledge of both the legislative processes and media environment in their respective countries. They have developed strong and reli-

able networks among senior civil servants, politicians, journalists and business leaders in Asia and they bring these practical assets to bear on client assignments.

Beyond our headquarters in Singapore we have teams on the ground in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta, Hanoi and Manila. Through this integrated network of of-

fices in the major capitals of the region we provide our clients with a comprehensive coverage of South-East Asia. Besides this we are currently setting up in Burma,

Cambodia, Laos, Timor Leste and Papua New Guinea.

For general inquiries please contact malinda@vrienspartners.com

WITH THANKS TO THE 2011 GOLD STANDARD AWARD SPONSORS:

eBayWith more than 90 million active users globally, eBay is the world’s largest online marketplace, where practically anyone can buy and sell practically anything.

Founded in 1995, eBay continues to connect a diverse and passionate community of hundreds of millions of individual buyers and sellers, as well as small businesses

– and we continue to find new ways to help people do business. Their collective impact on e-commerce is staggering: In 2009, the total worth of goods sold on

eBay was $60 billion – $2,000 every second.

Enabling ecommerce and entrepreneurship is at the heart of what we do, which is why we actively advocate on policy issues that impact the internet, small business

owners and our community of sellers.

To learn more about our latest and ongoing efforts in supporting entrepreneurship and small business, driving sustainable ecommerce, and enabling millions of

people to shop, pay and communicate online through our global portfolio of businesses, visit and join our Government Relations grassroots network http://www.

ebaymainstreet.com

For more information please contact Isabelle Neo at isneo@ebay.com

Weber Shandwick Weber Shandwick is a leading global public relations agency with offices in 74 countries around the world. The firm’s success is built on its deep commitment to

client service, our people, creativity, collaboration and harnessing the power of Advocates – engaging stakeholders in new and creative ways to build brands and

reputation. Weber Shandwick provides strategy and execution across practices such as consumer marketing, healthcare, technology, public affairs, financial services,

corporate and crisis management.

Its specialised services include digital/social media, advocacy advertising, market research, and corporate responsibility. In 2010, Weber Shandwick was named Global

Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report for the second year in a row; an ‘Agency of the Decade’ by Advertising Age, Large PR Agency of the Year by Bulldog

Reporter, a Digital Firm of the Year by PR News, and Top Corporate Responsibility Advisory Firm by CR Magazine.

The firm has also won numerous ‘best place to work’ awards around the world. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG).

For more information visit http://www.webershandwick.com or http://www.webershandwick.asia

Kreab Gavin AndersonKreab Gavin Anderson is a global strategic communications partnership, advising corporations and other organisations on issues of strategic importance in business,

finance and politics. The firm helps its clients solve complex communications challenges, maximise their opportunities and achieve their strategic goals.Worldwide,

Kreab Gavin Anderson is expert in reputation management, corporate positioning, crises and issues management, M&A and capital market communications, public

affairs and government relations. http://www.kreabgavinanderson.com

Hewlett-Packard HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. As the world’s largest technology company, HP

brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure at the convergence of the cloud and connectivity, and develops

solutions that will define the future of the industry. At HP, we provide seamless, secure, context-aware experiences for a connected world.

HP has been operating in the Asia Pacific region for the past 48 years. We started our operations in 1963, in Japan. Since then we have opened offices in more than 17

countries. Broadly, our operations across the region span manufacturing centers for several of our product categories, R&D centers that are constantly coming up with

new ways to enhance our core products and HP Labs that focuses on innovative high-end research. Our newest lab facility was established in Singapore in February 2010.

More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com

Food Industry AsiaFood Industry Asia (FIA) is a non-profit society based in Singapore. As a membership organisation, we represent and promote the views of the food and drink

industry throughout the region, using science-based advocacy to shape public policy.

Serving as a regional hub for outreach in Asia, we bring together industry leaders from the world’s most successful food companies, providing a high level forum for

dialogue and accord. We champion initiatives that promote sustainable growth, and support global policies that are aligned to regional goals.

Our members share common values on food safety, international competitiveness and the delivery of public health outcomes that are relevant to their products.

Together, we lend support to local industry groups in the region and reach out to stakeholders who share our common values.

Our founding members are successful, world-leading companies who share a commitment to deliver the highest standards in food quality and safety. Together, they

form the FIA Coordinating Council, the driving force behind our mission to play a leading role in the region’s economic success.

For more information, please contact info@foodindustry.asia

The Qantas GroupThe Qantas Group’s two complementary flying brands, Qantas and Jetstar, give it unique strength in terms of scale, network and customer reach. Qantas is Austral-

ia’s largest domestic and international airline and is ranked among the world’s leading premium carriers. Founded in 1920, it has operated continuously for longer

than any other airline. Jetstar is one of the world’s fastest-growing and most successful low-cost carrier brands, operating in Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific and

throughout Asia.

The Qantas Group employs approximately 35,000 people and offers services across a network spanning over 170 destinations in more than 40 countries in Australia,

Asia and the Pacific, the Americas, Europe and Africa. A broader portfolio of subsidiary businesses and strategic investments, such as Qantas Frequent Flyer and

Qantas Freight, generate diverse revenue streams and add value for customers and investors.

Qantas has served the Asian region for 70 years, and now operates flights from Australia to Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Tokyo, Shanghai, Jakarta, Manila and

Mumbai, while the Qantas Group’s Singapore-based subsidiary, Jetstar Asia, flies to a wide range of Asian destinations. The Group has announced plans to launch

two new airlines in Asia: a premium carrier serving the business market and Jetstar Japan, a joint venture with Japan Airlines and Mitsubishi.

Qantas is a founding member of the oneworld alliance. For more information visit www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/investors/global/en

ProspectProspect is a global talent resource consultancy specialising purely in the PR and corporate communications sectors. With offices in Hong Kong and London, Pros-

pect has a team of dedicated and results orientated consultants that cover all sectors within the PR and Communications market.

Emma Dale, Managing Director of Asia Pacific, based in Hong Kong, heads up a team of consultants covering the Asia Pacific region, including Hong Kong,

Singapore and China. Recruiting at a senior level for both global PR consultancies and in-house communications teams, Prospect covers all sectors including

financial, corporate, healthcare, public affairs, consumer and technology. As Prospect purely specialises in PR and Corporate Communications, we provide clients

with experienced staff in these sectors and can also give advice on salary and benefits and overall market knowledge. Prospect Asia is a bespoke search and selection

consultancy able to execute both search mandates and contingent opportunities.

Since its creation in 2002, Prospect is built on a set of core values which focus on:

For an initial conversation, please contact the founding Director Emma Dale on +852 9177 8123 or email emma@prospectresourcing.com

News CorporationNews Corp is a diversified global media company with operations in eight industry segments: filmed entertainment; television; cable network programming; direct

broadcast satellite television; integrated marketing services; newspapers and information services; book publishing; and other. The activities of News Corp are con-

ducted principally in the United States, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Asia and Latin America. www.newscorp.com

Henry Hale Maguire Pte LtdBased in Singapore, Henry Hale Maguire is a boutique firm offering executive search and executive coaching services in Asia Pacific. Our core practices are corpo-

rate affairs, technology, consumer and financial services.

Our focus is to strengthen talent inside and outside organisations. Internally we coach senior talent to improve their position and thinking. We give them the tools

to better understand their obstacles, making them more effective and confident in their skills, strategy, vocabulary and relationships.

Externally we uncover, assess and benchmark the right people for senior positions; those who will be both a functional and cultural fit. We take time to coach and

prepare with our candidates – longer than most. Our service is specific, subtle, intimate, intuitive, individual-and our track record of successful placements is rock

solid. Partial client list: McKinsey & Co,Fedex, DHL, KKR, APCO, The Walt Disney Company, Accenture, Diageo, Eli Lilly, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Standard

Chartered Bank.We work smart, ethically, openly, and partner with those with whom we can bring tangible benefit and value.

Contact: Neal Horwitz, Managing Director, neal@henryhalemaguire.com. www.henryhalemaguire.com

Vriens & PartnersVriens & Partners (V&P) is an Asia-focused corporate advisory firm, specialising in government relations, public affairs, political risk analysis, stakeholder relations,

and strategic counsel related to the political aspects of M&As.

V&P operates at the nexus of business, government, civil society and the media. Our principal consultants, over many years spent in both the private and public

sector, have acquired expert knowledge of both the legislative processes and media environment in their respective countries. They have developed strong and reli-

able networks among senior civil servants, politicians, journalists and business leaders in Asia and they bring these practical assets to bear on client assignments.

Beyond our headquarters in Singapore we have teams on the ground in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta, Hanoi and Manila. Through this integrated network of of-

fices in the major capitals of the region we provide our clients with a comprehensive coverage of South-East Asia. Besides this we are currently setting up in Burma,

Cambodia, Laos, Timor Leste and Papua New Guinea.

For general inquiries please contact malinda@vrienspartners.com

WITH THANKS TO THE 2011 GOLD STANDARD AWARD SPONSORS:

eBayWith more than 90 million active users globally, eBay is the world’s largest online marketplace, where practically anyone can buy and sell practically anything.

Founded in 1995, eBay continues to connect a diverse and passionate community of hundreds of millions of individual buyers and sellers, as well as small businesses

– and we continue to find new ways to help people do business. Their collective impact on e-commerce is staggering: In 2009, the total worth of goods sold on

eBay was $60 billion – $2,000 every second.

Enabling ecommerce and entrepreneurship is at the heart of what we do, which is why we actively advocate on policy issues that impact the internet, small business

owners and our community of sellers.

To learn more about our latest and ongoing efforts in supporting entrepreneurship and small business, driving sustainable ecommerce, and enabling millions of

people to shop, pay and communicate online through our global portfolio of businesses, visit and join our Government Relations grassroots network http://www.

ebaymainstreet.com

For more information please contact Isabelle Neo at isneo@ebay.com

Weber Shandwick Weber Shandwick is a leading global public relations agency with offices in 74 countries around the world. The firm’s success is built on its deep commitment to

client service, our people, creativity, collaboration and harnessing the power of Advocates – engaging stakeholders in new and creative ways to build brands and

reputation. Weber Shandwick provides strategy and execution across practices such as consumer marketing, healthcare, technology, public affairs, financial services,

corporate and crisis management.

Its specialised services include digital/social media, advocacy advertising, market research, and corporate responsibility. In 2010, Weber Shandwick was named Global

Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report for the second year in a row; an ‘Agency of the Decade’ by Advertising Age, Large PR Agency of the Year by Bulldog

Reporter, a Digital Firm of the Year by PR News, and Top Corporate Responsibility Advisory Firm by CR Magazine.

The firm has also won numerous ‘best place to work’ awards around the world. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG).

For more information visit http://www.webershandwick.com or http://www.webershandwick.asia

Kreab Gavin AndersonKreab Gavin Anderson is a global strategic communications partnership, advising corporations and other organisations on issues of strategic importance in business,

finance and politics. The firm helps its clients solve complex communications challenges, maximise their opportunities and achieve their strategic goals.Worldwide,

Kreab Gavin Anderson is expert in reputation management, corporate positioning, crises and issues management, M&A and capital market communications, public

affairs and government relations. http://www.kreabgavinanderson.com

Hewlett-Packard HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. As the world’s largest technology company, HP

brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure at the convergence of the cloud and connectivity, and develops

solutions that will define the future of the industry. At HP, we provide seamless, secure, context-aware experiences for a connected world.

HP has been operating in the Asia Pacific region for the past 48 years. We started our operations in 1963, in Japan. Since then we have opened offices in more than 17

countries. Broadly, our operations across the region span manufacturing centers for several of our product categories, R&D centers that are constantly coming up with

new ways to enhance our core products and HP Labs that focuses on innovative high-end research. Our newest lab facility was established in Singapore in February 2010.

More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com

Food Industry AsiaFood Industry Asia (FIA) is a non-profit society based in Singapore. As a membership organisation, we represent and promote the views of the food and drink

industry throughout the region, using science-based advocacy to shape public policy.

Serving as a regional hub for outreach in Asia, we bring together industry leaders from the world’s most successful food companies, providing a high level forum for

dialogue and accord. We champion initiatives that promote sustainable growth, and support global policies that are aligned to regional goals.

Our members share common values on food safety, international competitiveness and the delivery of public health outcomes that are relevant to their products.

Together, we lend support to local industry groups in the region and reach out to stakeholders who share our common values.

Our founding members are successful, world-leading companies who share a commitment to deliver the highest standards in food quality and safety. Together, they

form the FIA Coordinating Council, the driving force behind our mission to play a leading role in the region’s economic success.

For more information, please contact info@foodindustry.asia

EON The Stakeholder Relations Firm Revolutionising Communications. EON is the pioneering stakeholder relations firm in the Philippines. We provide cutting-edge communication consultancy services

that aim to forge trust-based relationships between our clients and their stakeholders. Since 1998, we have served as a strategic partner of top multinational compa-

nies who want to build good reputation in the Philippines and establish relationships with their stakeholders from the government, business community, academe,

media, professional groups, advocacy groups and other sectors.

EON specializes in deploying strategies in the areas of Government Relations and Public Affairs, Corporate Branding and Positioning, Crisis and Issues Management,

Media Relations, Consumer PR, Digital Communications and CSR. EON is the Philippine Affiliate of Edelman, the largest independent global PR network in the world.

For more information please visit http://www.eon.com.ph

Fleishman-Hillard Asia Pacific Public Affairs Fleishman-Hillard is the world’s largest public affairs consultancy and its Asia Pacific region offers an integrated network of experienced practitioners providing

seamless access, information, and consultation to clients in the global business and public policy environment.

We possess considerable experience in communicating with government and media, and in campaign development and execution, along with a deep understanding

of regulatory environments and influencers. Our experienced counsellors are established experts in the local markets we serve, and bring political acumen, dedicated

client service, and the best strategic minds to help achieve clients’ goals.

These senior advisors include former government officials who are well-versed in the legislative process and decision making. Corporations, associations, and non-

profit institutions – large and small, local and multinational – call on Fleishman-Hillard to help them achieve their public policy goals.

Some of our work includes: advice to government and industry on food safety, ageing population and national budget issues; preparation of country branding

strategies; work with industry associations and clients on market access issues; communication of government policy positioning; advising heads of state on critical

national agenda items, and offering communication counsel on government strategy around political, trade and economic issues. Our campaigns enlist everything

from sophisticated online outreach strategies and research to persuasive face-to-face conversations to help our clients effectively deliver their messages. They have led

to major policy wins and meaningful results for a diverse group of clients.

For more information contact Rachel Catanach rachel.catanach@fleishman.com or visit http://fleishmanhillard.com

PR Newswire PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable communication professionals to leverage content to engage

with all their key audiences. We provide end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content – from rich media to online video to multimedia – and then

distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. PR Newswire has offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa

and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a United Business Media company.

Email query@prnasia.com to know more

AmCham-ChinaThe American Chamber of Commerce in the People’s Republic of China (AmCham-China) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that represents US companies

and individuals doing business in China. AmCham-China’s membership comprises more than 2,600 individuals from over 1,200 companies. The organization has its

main office in Beijing, with chapters in Tianjin and Central China (Wuhan).

AmCham-China’s mission is to provide government advocacy, information, networking opportunities and business support services to American companies in

China, helping them succeed. Each year, AmCham-China holds more than 150 events, ranging from industry-focused panel discussions and high-profile speakers to

business networking events.

Corporate social responsibility is another top priority for AmCham-China and its members. One example is the chamber’s annual Charity Ball, raising money for

worthwhile causes. AmCham-China has also been active in responding when the community in China faces crisis. This includes recent natural disasters, such as the

crippling snowstorms in southern China in 2009. In response to the devastating Sichuan earthquake, the organisation and its member companies committed more

than US $100 million in money, goods and services to help with recovery and relief efforts.

For more information about AmCham-China, please go to www.amchamchina.org

The Research Pacific GroupThe Research Pacific Group is an established independent opinion & marketing research company spanning Asia with full service offices in India, China/HK,

Japan, Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, and partner offices in all other Asean markets. The company offers a wide range of surveys and polls, ranging from high

level opinion leader surveys to surveys among regulatory and government bodies, as well as more broad mass-market studies of the general business or consumer

populations.We have extensive experience in corporate reputation, employee communications, customer attitude polling as well as issues-focused polls and surveys

on sensitive topics. By industry sector, significant exposure to automotive, banking & financial, communications, hospitality & tourism, medical & pharmaceutical

and many more. In each country our companies are managed day-to-day by local culturally attuned senior researchers with many years of business experience who

are thus able to bring context to findings and effectively brief clients on local issues.

For further information contact Irwin Hankins i_hankins@respac.com

2011 sponsors & partners

We would like to thank all our sponsors, partners and judges for their support in the development and delivery of The Gold Standard Awards

www.goldstandardawards2011.com

AWARDS EVENT POWERED BY: