Appoints Baxter Jolly Chief Executive Officer of Asia Pacific
Appointments Strengthen Collaboration, Capabilities Across Regions to Support Growing Multinational Client Portfolio
Weber Shandwick, one of the world’s leading global public relations firms, announced today that Tim Sutton has been named chairman of Weber Shandwick EMEA and Constituency Management Group (CMG) EMEA. Sutton will continue to hold both positions in Asia Pacific (APAC).
The firm also appointed Baxter Jolly as chief executive officer of Weber Shandwick APAC. Both appointments, effective September 2015, continue to strengthen the firm’s collaboration and capabilities across regions as Weber Shandwick deepens its multinational client portfolio.
Sutton has served as chairman of APAC for Weber Shandwick and CMG since 2007. In his new role as chairman of EMEA and APAC for Weber Shandwick and CMG, Sutton will be based in London and responsible for helping to support strategic development and collaboration across brands in CMG’s portfolio. He will also play an advisory role in digital and analytics strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and all other cross-brand business development initiatives in the two regions. Sutton will partner with Colin Byrne, Weber Shandwick CEO of UK & EMEA, other EMEA-based CMG business leaders, and Jolly in APAC on strategic initiatives in both regions.
With more than 30 years in the industry, Sutton is regarded as one of the world’s most respected PR firm practitioners, highlighted by his experience in more than 40 developed and emerging markets. He is a renowned strategic communications advisor having directed corporate and brand development programs as well as public affairs issues campaigns for some of the world’s top companies and industries. Most recently, he was named PRWeek’s 2015 PR Agency Head of the Year in APAC.
“Tim offers deep knowledge of the business and communications landscape in both EMEA and APAC, which is hugely important to our clients. His expertise and leadership as chairman have elevated Weber Shandwick’s reputation and capabilities in both regions for more than a decade,” said Andy Polansky, chief executive officer of Weber Shandwick. “As our industry and the needs of our clients continue to become more global and more integrated, Tim’s multi-regional expertise will certainly deliver high value to our firm and our clients.”
Jolly, previously vice chairman of Asia Pacific and managing director of Weber Shandwick Southeast Asia, has been with the firm for nearly 10 years. He has developed best-in-class practices and multinational client services, helping to achieve double-digit growth rates over the past five years since becoming vice chairman, as well as spearheading an integrated communications approach to drive business results for clients across the 10 markets in the region.
“Asia Pacific is a diverse, complex, high-growth region that demands tried and true experience guiding clients through the fast-changing business and communications landscape,” said Polansky. “Baxter’s cross-sector, cross-market expertise in the region is invaluable. He is an inspiring leader to our team and a trusted advisor to our clients, and we look forward to his continued leadership guiding our efforts in the region.”
Weber Shandwick has experienced strong growth and top industry recognition in Asia Pacific in recent years, with the business now encompassing ten markets and growing three-fold since 2009. The firm currently holds all four major APAC regional network awards, including The Holmes Report’s 2014 Asia Pacific Consultancy of the Year, PublicAffairsAsia 2014 Regional Network of the Year, PRWeek’s 2015 Asia Pacific Network of the Year, and Mumbrella’s 2015 Asia Pacific PR Agency of the Year.
In addition, the firm has gained significant local market recognition, including Mumbrella’s Greater China Agency of the Year, Southeast Asia Agency of the Year (Singapore) and South Asia Agency of the Year (India). Weber Shandwick was also recently named PR Agency of the Year in Hong Kong and Singapore by Marketing Magazine and received the PRISM Award for Overall Outstanding PR Consultancy in Singapore. The firm has also continued to grow the depth and breadth of its network in the EMEA region, expanding its EMEA operations into Turkey, Kuwait and South Africa in recent years. In 2014, Weber Shandwick acquired Prime, a leading creative PR agency in Sweden, and its business intelligence arm, United Minds.