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<span id="hs_cos_wrapper_name" class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_text" style="" data-hs-cos-general-type="meta_field" data-hs-cos-type="text" >Sandpiper Group launches Sandpiper Financial; strengthens capability with new hires</span>

Sandpiper Group launches Sandpiper Financial; strengthens capability with new hires

Independent communications, public affairs, and research group, Sandpiper, has announced the launch of Sandpiper Financial.

The new function aims to bolster Sandpiper's existing financial services and crisis offering, with a focus on financial communications and special situations advisory for its clients, across Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, mainland China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East.

To support the launch of Sandpiper Financial, the group has also announced a range of senior appointments to lead the division.

Kainoa Blaisdell has joined to lead Sandpiper Financial's Asia Pacific business. With 15 years' experience working in communications and consulting, he was previously Managing Director of the financial communications and special situations practice at FTI Consulting. Kainoa has also held senior leadership roles in investment research, financial journalism, and private wealth management across Europe and Asia Pacific, and brings expertise in investor relations, M&A, restructuring, alternative investments and shareholder activism.

Justin Teh has been appointed as Deputy Lead, Sandpiper Financial, Asia. He also joined from FTI Consulting, where he was a Senior Director. Justin specialises in financial communications, advising on complex, multi-stakeholder transactions across M&As, IPOs and take-privates. He also has experience in providing counsel on investor relations programs for listed companies on multiple exchanges across the Asia region.

Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, Angus Booth, will be supporting clients with special situations and financial communications advisory work across these markets. He was most recently Senior Managing Director at Sodali & Co, leading its APAC and EMEA M&A, activism, and corporate governance and shareholder engagement business. With over 20 years of experience in corporate affairs and investor relations, Angus has previously held senior roles at listed and unlisted organisations, including Lendlease and Charter Hall.

Also joining the Sandpiper team as a Senior Advisor is Richard Barton, a 30-year financial communications veteran with experience advising on complex corporate, financial and crisis communications issues across Asia, the UK and Europe. He has acted for listed and private companies, financial and professional services firms, hedge funds and family offices, as well as private equity and venture capital funds and their portfolio companies. In addition, Richard has worked on IPOs; friendly, hostile and contested M&A; take-privates; activist battles; as well as defaults and debt restructurings.

Supporting the growth and function of Sandpiper Financial is Kim Spear, who is an existing member of Sandpiper's senior leadership team. She has over 20 years of market experience in Hong Kong SAR, mainland China, Singapore, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand, where she has worked on issues and complex situations including leadership transitions, corporate restructuring, and stakeholder engagement.

Sandpiper's Chief Executive Officer, Emma Smith, said: "We are delighted to bring together such talented individuals to join our growing Sandpiper team across our integrated network that spans 13 markets.

"Each of these individuals has a proven track record of working on some of the most significant transactions across Asia Pacific and globally, and we are delighted to add this key capability to our existing services and sector specialisms in financial services, healthcare, technology, property, and energy."
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FTI Consulting strengthens financial communications and special situations capabilities in Asia

FTI Consulting has announced a series of senior appointments to the financial communications and special situations practice within its strategic communications segment across Asia.

Kainoa Blaisdell has rejoined FTI Consulting as a Managing Director in Singapore as previously reported on Telum.

Joining Kainoa in Singapore is Justin Teh, who has also returned to the consultancy as Senior Director. He brings experience advising on multi-stakeholder transactions, including M&A, IPOs, activism defence, and restructurings. In his new role, Justin also supports clients with investor relations programmes, as well as advises asset and wealth management firms across the region on issues management and corporate reputation strategies.

In Hong Kong, Rita Fong has been promoted to Managing Director. Her remit includes leading financial communications engagements in Hong Kong, specialising in deal advisory, investor relations, and crisis management for listed companies. Rita will also advise clients on a range of M&A and special situations, including shareholder disputes, activism, proxy fights, hostile takeovers, and restructurings.

The appointments build on the arrival of Jason Leow as a Senior Managing Director based in Singapore in December 2025, as previously reported on Telum.

“These appointments and the promotion of Rita underscore our commitment to building the strongest financial communications and special situations bench in Asia,” said Tom Evrard, Head of Strategic Communications, Asia at FTI Consulting.

“Kainoa and Justin both bring deep sector expertise and proven track records in advising clients through complex transactions and reputation challenges. Combined with Jason’s market leadership and Rita’s extensive transaction experience, we are exceptionally well-positioned to help clients navigate Asia’s highly dynamic transaction landscape. With increasing deal complexity, cross-border activity, and heightened regulatory scrutiny, clients need advisors who truly understand - and that is exactly what this team brings.”

Mark McCall, Global Head of Strategic Communications at FTI Consulting, added: “In an environment of heightened deal activity, aggressive shareholder scrutiny and complex special situations, clients demand advisors who can move with precision, speed and deep market intelligence.

“This strengthened team in Asia significantly enhances our global M&A and activism offering, delivering seamless cross-border support and data-driven strategies that protect and create value for clients. As Asia remains a critical driver of global deal flow, this integrated capability ensures clients receive regionally nuanced counsel across the full transaction lifecycle.” 

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The firm will lead press and media relations for the event, delivering a dedicated media strategy, senior journalist engagement across regional and international financial media and coverage support throughout the conference cycle, working directly with Informa's marketing team from through to October.

"Gulf capital is being scrutinised in a way it has not been before, as investors, policymakers, and the international press try to read a region navigating conflict, recalibrating its economic ambitions, and deepening its footprint across Asia and the West. The quality of that coverage matters. SuperReturn Middle East is where the most consequential conversations in private capital happen and we are proud to help ensure they reach the audiences that need to hear them," said Arth Malani, Founder and CEO of NorthStar Insights.

“As private capital in the Gulf navigates an inflection point, NorthStar Insights' appointment reflects a growing recognition that how the region's investment story is told matters as much as the capital flows themselves.

A representative from SuperReturn Middle East said, “We are delighted to partner with NorthStar Insights to build visibility for SuperReturn's flagship Middle East event. The region is embarking on a new chapter, and having the right partner to help shed light on the key debates and conversations is more important than ever. Working with NorthStar will allow us to deepen our visibility and coverage across the market helping position SuperReturn Middle East as the platform to turbocharge this new phase of dealmaking in the region and beyond."