GolinHarris offices in Asia Pacific frequently work with multinational corporations—many of them based in the United States. Colleagues, clients and contacts should also know that on the other side of the Pacific, GolinHarris is reaching back. San Francisco-based Panache is dedicated to Asia-America PR solutions as founder/director Sharon Sim-Krause, executive vice president, GolinHarris, explained to Breakthrough.

Sharon Sim-Krause Executive Vice President, GolinHarris Director, Panache

What is the meaning of the name Panache?
Panache’s Chinese name is shortened from a Chinese proverb that means “leaping over mountains and forests.” The Panache team—multilingual, multicultural and multidisciplinary—readily embraces challenges and, as our name suggests, commits to overcoming obstacles with clients in our joint quest for success.

How is Panache’s purpose linked to Asia Pacific?
The Panache practice is intricately linked to Asia Pacific. Many on the Panache team have worked, lived or studied in both the U.S. and Asia. We apply our experience bridging U.S. companies to the emergent markets of Asia. Additionally, our team has helped Asia-based organizations navigate U.S. customs and marketing norms, successfully establishing Asian brands in a variety of categories in the mainstream media in the United States.

What is the importance of marketing to Asians and Asian-American audiences in the United States?
Asian-Americans represent one of the fastest growing segments of the nation’s population with $363 billion in purchasing power. Although businesses have started employing strategies to reach out to this market, many are unaware of the unique aspects of this segment. Companies who have relied on Panache’s expertise to drive their expansion into the Asian-American market have benefited from our multi-lingual team, which possess language skills in Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog and Korean, and the experience of reaching out to Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese niche Asian communities. By engaging Panache, our clients demonstrate their commitment to the burgeoning Asian-American community, winning over Asian mindshare and marketshare.

What is your personal motivation for working in the PR industry and, specifically, Panache’s Asian focus?
The desire to make a difference. Born and raised in Singapore, I moved to the U.S. in the early 90s with a couple of stints lined up back in Asia. I have lived in New York, Texas and now San Francisco. While I have happily embraced new experiences in my 15 years here, I also sought to rediscover my Asian roots. In many social and professional settings, I’ve found myself taking on a storyteller role as I share stories from Asia or U.S. I’ve noticed also that I am continually smoothing communications between individuals of different cultural backgrounds and supporting clients to navigate and master a new market that may not be their home market. Public relations is my natural vocation, and carving an Asian niche through Panache allows me to fully leverage my cultural background and professional training to add value to our clients.

In what ways do you think Panache’s connection with GH offices in Asia Pacific can benefit clients?
Asia-based clients who have ambitions for the U.S. market or U.S. clients with ambitions for the Asian markets will appreciate partnering with GH staffers who comfortably straddle both the East and West. They can count on us being savvy about mainstream norms, yet culturally attuned to the clients' home cultures, languages and industries. Clients can expect a smooth and seamless workflow between our U.S. and Asian offices, and a passionate team committed to delivering measurable results and “leaping over forests and mountains” for them.

Sue So Appointed Director, Corporate Affairs

Sue So, Director, Corporate Affairs

The Hong Kong office has appointed Sue So as director, corporate affairs. So, who also worked with the firm in 2001, brings nearly 15 years of media, corporate communications, financial communications and issues management experience to the firm.

In 2001, So was seconded to the office of Tung Chee-hwa, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s first chief executive, to oversee media relations and event management for his re-election campaign. She has also worked with leading companies including Fidelity, Visa International, Ocean Park, Hongkong Electric and Kowloon Canton Railway Corporation.

So has significant experience in China, having served as director of investor relations at mainland Internet company Tencent Holdings Ltd, where she managed the company’s IPO in Hong Kong and ongoing investor relations program. She is also a former political journalist with the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong Economic Journal and Sing Tao Daily.

She currently provides senior counsel to major clients including China Light & Power, Cisco Systems, Hongkong Land and MTR Corporation.

“It is a pleasure to welcome Sue back to the GH family, where she has been able to step in immediately and provide valuable counsel for some of our long-term blue-chip clients,” said GolinHarris regional managing director John Morgan. “GolinHarris is expanding rapidly across Greater China, and our recent appointments such as Sue’s, demonstrate how important this region is to us.”

Winnie Chan Celebrates 10 Years with GolinHarris

In Hong Kong, the time when an employee stayed with one company their whole life is largely a thing of the past. But this has not been the case for office assistant Winnie Chan, who recently celebrated her 10-year anniversary with the company.

Chan, who keeps the office running smoothly, is a valued part of the firm and a fun-loving participant in many of the office’s social gatherings. At GH in Hong Kong, 35% of staff have been with the firm three years or longer, and a full quarter have seven years or more under their belts.

Office assistant Winnie Chan recently celebrated her 10th anniversary with the Hong Kong office