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It’s no secret that China is on the radar of every major multinational company. From manufacturing and consumer marketing to financial services and technology, the booming economy means there is a wealth of opportunity for all involved. Public relations agencies are no exception. Andrew Pirie, regional managing director of GolinHarris, recently shared his vision for the growth of GolinHarris in China with colleagues in Taiwan. It was at this meeting that Taiwanese national Stephanie Yu thought seriously about the prospect of moving to China; having worked for three years in the Taiwan office, she felt she was ready for new challenges abroad. At the end of March, Stephanie made the move to Shanghai to join fellow ex-colleague and office leader Sarah Chin, who also made the move from GolinHarris in Taiwan to Shanghai approximately 12 months ago. Sarah’s story is not very different from Stephanie’s. Diane Wu, previously the managing director of GolinHarris in Taiwan and current managing director of the Shanghai office, shared her vision for the PR business in China that ultimately enticed Sarah to expand her career horizons. Sarah, also a Taiwanese national, had always wanted to work in Shanghai. "I saw it as an exciting challenge," she says. Both Sarah and Stephanie have insights about some of the very distinct differences and challenges they’ve encountered working in China compared to Taiwan. "The clients you deal with here in China are at a much more senior level compared to Taiwan and other parts of Asia," says Sarah. "In Taiwan, you most likely deal with people who have seven to eight years of experience, as opposed to clients in Shanghai with 10 to 15 years of experience. People at this level also have very strong relationships with the media, so we need to work carefully to nurture these existing relationships as well as to introduce other key media to our clients." Stephanie’s dealings with the media also reinforce the diversity between the two countries: "The media is far more restricted in China, although on the other hand there is so much media here—over 10,000 TV channels across the different provinces. It is very important to choose the right media. Strategy is vital," says Stephanie. There are certainly challenges, but their passion is undeniable. "In Shanghai, you can smell the opportunity," says Stephanie when asked about her move. "You know what it’s like when you step through the airport doors and you just feel the vibe." With comments like this, it’s no wonder that Shanghai is considered the Asian epicenter for fashion, business and entertainment. "It’s such a big international city. You can get what you want, when you want. Everything is so efficient," adds Stephanie. Transferring from Taiwan to mainland China is now a definite career path for many Taiwanese, not just in the PR business, given the many cultural, ethnic and language commonalities. But Andrew Pirie says there is much more behind the success of GolinHarris people making the move across the Taiwan Strait. "Our Taipei office stands out for its extremely high professional standards, which have resulted in strong growth, great client recognition and an ever-growing stack of industry awards. This commitment to PR excellence is also exemplified by a relentless focus on quality and an intensive learning and development program. Although there are always challenges in moving from one market to another, if you can succeed at GolinHarris in Taiwan, then you’re well placed to excel in a market like China." The future looks promising for GolinHarris in Shanghai. Sarah says she’s 100 percent focused on continuing to develop the GolinHarris brand in China. "The fact that I already knew the language and that I have deep roots in the region has definitely given me an advantage," explains Sarah. "I’m finding that my knowledge and skills are proving to be instrumental in building the GolinHarris brand and driving revenue." Stephanie’s positive attitude is also obvious. Regardless of location, Stephanie says she loves the GolinHarris brand and what it has to offer both clients and employees. "They are a great group to work with; I just love the ‘agency life.’ It’s all about the clients—I want to provide the best solution for them, and I know that will always be delivered at GolinHarris." When asked whether they miss Taiwan, they agreed, "Yes, of course. But, with so many exciting times to come, there’s no time to look behind—it’s full steam ahead!" For more information about GolinHarris in Shanghai, contact Sarah Chin at schin@golinharris.com.
The Hong Kong office recently launched an activities program offering a new, fun way for colleagues to let their hair down each month. For the first GolinHarris Social in March, the office took a lunchtime trip to the posh IFC cinemas nearby to catch the Jim Carrey movie "Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events." The second event saw the office get together for some after-work hotpot and a well-deserved Tsingtao or two. The outings followed an entertaining Chinese New Year lunch at Hong Kong's famed China Club. Next up? An activity wholly appropriate for horseracing-mad Hong Kong: a trip to Happy Valley racetrack. Management has benevolently decreed that participants who hit it big will be allowed to keep all their winnings. Allocating a per head quota for each activity, the management are noticing that the initiative is boosting morale among the colleagues and that it’s great fun, too!
The Taiwan all-staff summit was not only a great chance for colleagues
from GolinHarris in Taiwan to focus on "opportunity" (see
story in Asia Pacific News) but was also a good excuse to kick up
their heels and have a great time. A game of limbo was organized
after the summit and GH colleagues aptly showed off their agility
and determination.
With the intention of expanding GolinHarris’ global employee
communications group, Keith Burton has been named President of Insidedge,
a new GolinHarris service that provides expertise in employee communications.
Burton has been managing director of the Chicago office since February
1999 and has served as regional managing director of the Central
and Northeast regions and chief client officer and director of the
worldwide corporate and employee communications practice.
GolinHarris in Brussels recently welcomed
the appointment of Sam Rowe as director. Sam will lead operations
in Brussels and will help further strengthen the GH brand in that
market. In addition to developing new client relationships, Sam
will oversee current client projects. She has already been directly
engaged on the European issues management project for SC Johnson.
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