Ruder Finn Asia’s China healthcare EVP relocates to Singapore

In addition to extending Ruder Finn’s strong China portfolio and developing the local health offering in the key markets in the region, Tran will also work on the Asian components of global and regional programs, ensuring that global messages are suitably aligned and localised, according to the agency.

“Her experience in running the Ruder Finn French operations and European health and wellness campaigns in tandem with our US colleagues, as well as her long experience in the Asian market, will assist in expanding a seamless health and wellness offering across geographies,” said Jean-Michel Dumont, Ruder Finn Asia chairman.

Reporting to Dumont, Tran will service some of RF’s key clients, such as Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo and Chanel R&T. She will also build the strategy and development of the health and wellness strategic pillar for Ruder Finn. 

“The biggest challenge of this new role to me is the diversity of the Southeast Asia market, from Singapore to Indonesia, Malaysia and many more,” Tran said. “My vision is to provide expertise, clear and informative insights to the healthcare companies in the whole of Asia.”

Starting her career as a journalist at one of the most influential French medical daily newspapers, Tran has extensive expertise in the health sector with more than two decades of experience in communications, including eight years in China.

From 1995 to 2000, Tran worked in Beijing and Shanghai as managing director of the Chinese branch of PR International, where she built the agency from the ground up, creating at that time the biggest healthcare team of consultants in China and negotiating the first PR joint venture with the Ministry of Health in China.

Tran joined Ruder Finn France in 2001 as client director before becoming managing director in 2003. She moved to China in 2009 corresponding with China’s announcement of comprehensive healthcare reforms. In the past three years, Tran has focussed on building and strengthening the health and wellness offering in China, doubling the practice’s revenue and consolidating Ruder Finn as one of the leading healthcare PR practitioners in the country.