Fleishman-Hillard forms Global China Practice

Fleishman-Hillard said it was investing in this initiative to “intensify its focus on the hundreds, if not thousands, of Chinese companies poised for global growth,” according to a statement.

The Omnicom-owned agency said it was building on a "proven record" of helping blue-chip Chinese companies like Huawei, Gome, and TCL integrate into foreign markets.

“The dramatic success of Chinese companies domestically is increasingly leading them to look for opportunities offshore,” Fleishman-Hillard President and CEO Dave Senay said. “Relatively new to global markets, they often confront obstacles in terms of cultural differences, government concerns, lack of brand awareness and other challenges.”

The practice will support Chinese companies in mergers and acquisitions, and cross-border financial communications, managing stakeholder relationships, and driving corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Wong leads the firm’s client service division for the Asia-Pacific region and speaks Mandarin, Cantonese and English. 

Black served in leadership roles with a number of key members of the US House of Representatives before joining Fleishman-Hillard.

The firm also said it will identify, train and retain Chinese talent in the communications industry. Partnerships with universities for a China Masters Exchange Program are part of its fast-track talent programme. Initial partners are London School of Economics, Stanford University, George Washington University, and Washington University.

Scholarships worth US$5,000 each will be offered to high-potential Chinese-speaking students studying abroad. Upon graduating, they will be offered an entry-level position at a Fleishman-Hillard office in Western business hubs for one year, followed by transfer to one of the agency’s offices in Greater China.

"We will be creating a new generation of communicators who have the cultural understanding and global outlook to really bridge East-West cultural differences," Senay continued.

Fleishman-Hillard told Campaign that its initiative is a broader platform cum worldwide network for Chinese companies to manage their repuations globally, compared to Ogilvy & Mather's China practice launched in April and Burson-Marstellar's China specialty group launched in July.

In response, Ogilvy said its services in investor relations, corporate positioning, branding, marketing, government relations will also help China-based firms move into international markets.

Comments from Burson were not available at press time.