Holiday Season Public Relations Moves
During Holiday Season, public relations professionals can’t simply go on vacation. Here’s some recent PR moves.
Several New Leaders Appointed for Genesis Burson-Marsteller
Genesis Burson-Marsteller just increased Nikhil Dey’s leadership responsibilities. This is one among many other new appointments at this Indian public relations company. Dey now manages GBM’s client growth strategy – its new centers of expertise. Dey still reports to Prema Sagar, the principal founder and vice-chair of Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacific.
The twelve-year GBM veteran Atul Sharma also received a promotion to chief operating officer. Sanjay Arora assumes the role of India corporate and financial practice chair from Vandana Sandhir. He in turn now works as a new leader in the WPP network, after ten years of solid service.
Ajit Sahi, a former journalist turned director of thought leadership last year, now acts as the public affairs director. As for technology, GBM appointed two new leaders for B2C. First is the managing partner Piyal Banerjee. She holds the r position of Western region corporate and financial co-leader. Now she also assumes the newly installed role of business leader for the startup-oriented program, Step Up.
Shivaram Lakshminarayan leads B2B tech. Shivaram joined the firm over a decade ago and has since operated as tech lead in southern markets.
“Atul has been a trusted advisor to our clients across sectors and his proven expertise is a great asset for us, both as a chief operating officer as well [as] a key member of the India management team,” commented Dey. “Sanjay, Shivaram and Piyal have consistently demonstrated strong leadership skills and clear vision for their clients and team. In their new roles, they will continue their contribution to the firm.
Porter Novelli Hires Dan Benelisha As Managing Director of Singapore Office
Porter Novelli (PN) ranks among the world’s leaders in public relations. The firm just hired Dan Benelisha as their new senior vice president and managing director ensuring it holds that position a while longer. Benelisha’s primary role involves growing and retaining talent, as well as, delivering strategic counsel to the firm’s top clients. Benelisha currently works as a regional lead for one of the firm’s most significant clients: Asia Pacific.
“As we continue to grow our presence in Singapore, Dan will be a significant asset, both to our team and our clients,” said Schneider. “His agency- and client-side experience, combined with his deep knowledge of the Singapore market and the tech industry, will bring great value to the Porter Novelli family and our clients. We’re thrilled to have him on board.”
During his last posting with Groupon, Benelisha worked as head of communications for the APAC Tiger region. At Groupon. he ran a team dedicated to internal and external communications, and social media efforts spanning eight of the company’s fastest growing markets.
These include Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Before his work with Groupon, he worked with Waggener Edstrom for seven years. His most recent position saw him as the vice president of Asia Pacific in technology practice. Before he moved to Singapore, Dan worked at Itron, a technology provider to the utility industry in the U.S.
“I’m excited and energized by the great work happening in Singapore and the huge potential for growth in the market given our team’s expertise,” Benelisha stated. “I look forward to contributing to the agency’s success in the region and adding value for clients right away.”
Soccer Star Ched Evans Hires Manchester-Based Bird Consultancy to Appeal Rape Conviction
Soccer star Ched Evans recently hired Manchester-based Bird Consultancy to clear his name. Convicted of raping a nineteen-year-old woman, Evans now wishes to appeal the decision.
Evans applied to the Criminal Cases Review Commission proclaiming his innocence. The commission investigates judicial mishaps, and Evans came to them after his initial appeal against conviction was denied. The Criminal Cases Review Commission already finished their investigation and referred the case to the Court of Appeal, scheduling a hearing for next year.
Richard Elsen, chairman of reputational experts Byfield Consultancy, commented on the ordeal: “Because of the shockingly bad coverage to date, Ched Evans’ PR team has a mountain to climb in rehabilitating his reputation. This said, there is usually a point in the media cycle where alternative views become more possible to get placed, and it is then that the narrative can turn.”
Elsen added that Evans’ future public perception rests on next year’s appeal. “This will define objectively whether the campaign to rebuild Ched Evans’ reputation is successful or yet another PR disaster.”
Despite such immense pressure, Bird Consultancy is a veteran firm in crisis reputation management, especially in the field of sports. They’ve worked with lower league football and snooker tournaments and have only grown stronger in their six months with Evans.
