This book looks at the rapid expansion of professional public relations in Asia Pacific and discusses the foundational skills and experience required to navigate the cultural and geographical differences within the region in order to communicate effectively with stakeholders.The contents are both theoretical and practical, covering the core practices of public relations - public and government affairs, marketing communications, branding, media relations, corporate and financial communications, issues and crisis management, internal and change management, and corporate responsibility. The book investigates the impact of digital media across all disciplines as a common unifying theme.The book is well structured and easy to navigate - and is the first to offer case studies and professional insights based on the Asia Pacific experience. It covers concepts, and then moves to examine the process and practice of public relations.Written by two highly-qualified authors, who each have over 20 years experience in the industry, this book will appeal to current Asia Pacific practitioners and students, as well as those working in the region for the first time.

Mary Devereux is one of Asia Pacific’s most acclaimed public relations professionals. She has worked with public relations consultancies for 22 years, 18 of these in Asia Pacific, and is now International Vice President, overseeing marketing and communications, for New York Life International in Asia. During her career Mary has held senior roles with international consultancy, Burson-Marsteller, where she was most recently Managing Director Asia Pacific, and with Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide in Hong Kong and Korea. While a consultant she worked for global household names across all fields of public relations, including corporate, marketing, financial, healthcare, and technology communications. She is also an expert in crisis communications and has provided consultancy on some of Asia’s most prominent corporate crises in recent years. Mary holds a Masters in Public Relations from the University of Stirling, UK, and is the author of the Asian PR Handbook.

Anne Peirson-Smith is a rare blend of academic and professional. She began her career in public affairs with the Saatchi group and Burson-Marsteller before moving into academia. She obtained qualifications from the University of St. Andrews, and the University of Sheffield where she completed her Ph.D. on the subject of issues communication and lobbying in 1996. Throughout the past 19 years of living in Hong Kong, she has been involved in university level teaching and applied research on public relations, advertising and persuasive communication, in addition to engaging ongoing professional consultancy work in public relations and corporate training for a range of Asian and international clients. She is currently Assistant Professor in the Department of English at City University of Hong Kong.