Philip Ritchie returns to the education sector as Media and Comms Manager

Gabriel Polychronis has joined the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI) as Director, Media and Communications. He has wrapped up nearly three years at the Australian Medical Association, most recently as Senior Communications Advisor. Prior to this, Gabriel was a journalist at The Advertiser and at AAP.  

AFA Group has appointed Zuan Azmi as its Head of Corporate Communications, based in Malaysia. In this role, he oversees strategic communications and reputation management, including media and stakeholder relations, crisis and issues management, integrated campaigns and CSR, as well as digital ecosystem and internal communications.

Zuan joins from Tronic Asia, where he was Senior Manager, PR & Media. He also brings communications experience from previous roles at the Ministry of Finance Malaysia, MyCreative Ventures and the Malaysian Rubber Council.

"Moving to AFA Group is a strategic step for me to bridge the gap between high-level infrastructure and the people it serves. My mission here is simple: to architect a narrative that is both transparent and world-class," commented Zuan of his new appointment.

In conversation with Telum Media, he further mentioned moving beyond what he calls "traditional PR." In this new role, Zuan looks to focus on relevance, reliability, and showcasing content that provides real solutions and impact.  

 Publicis Groupe APAC has appointed Naomi Michael to the newly created role of Chief Communications Officer APAC.

Based in Singapore, Naomi will lead the Group’s regional communications strategy across markets and capabilities, with the aim of elevating its communications function. She will report to Jane Lin-Baden, Chief Executive Officer, Asia Pacific at Publicis Groupe.

Naomi brings more than two decades of international marketing and communications experience across corporate and media organisations in Asia Pacific, Australia, and the U.K. Throughout her career, she has worked at various organisations, including Zenith in London, The Walt Disney Company, The Financial Times, and held agency leadership positions across Sydney, Hong Kong, and Singapore within Interpublic Group and Omnicom Media.

“Naomi is a leader with warmth and conviction who understands that communications play a fundamental role in building belief, alignment, and momentum across a region as diverse as ours,” Jane said.

“With her regional experience and collaborative approach, she will be a crucial partner as we continue to grow clients’ brands and business, launch proprietary solutions created by and for our APAC community, and bring positive impact to the communities where we operate. I’m delighted to welcome her to our APAC leadership team.”