Sling & Stone appoints first Australian MD; announces leadership changes in New Zealand

Eastwest Public Relations has been appointed by International SOS to support its strategic communications in Singapore and Asia Pacific.

Working alongside the company’s regional and global communications teams, the agency will provide strategic counsel, media relations and press office support across the region.

Raymond Lau, Partner, Eastwest Public Relations, said: "The assumptions that once underpinned business as usual no longer hold. Geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty, and more frequent disruption now shape how organisations operate. Communication has become a strategic function against this backdrop - it determines how employees, clients and regulators judge an organisation's readiness when events unfold.

"International SOS sits at the centre of these issues, helping employers protect their people from security, health and wellbeing risks worldwide. We look forward to working with International SOS to raise the profile of their expertise in the region and that it reaches journalists and decision-makers who need it, accurately and at the right moment."

Syazlina Haniff, Head of Marketing and Communications, Singapore, International SOS, added: "International SOS has served organisations in Asia Pacific for over four decades, and the region remains central to our work.

”As employers contend with more complex risks to their people, from geopolitical instability to extreme weather and evolving health threats, clear and credible communication has become integral to how we support them – shaping how business leaders understand their duty of care and where they turn for guidance.”

Vero has elevated Peerapong Pongpakdee (pictured middle) to Director of AI, Innovation, & Insights for Southeast Asia.

In the role, Peerapong will oversee the consultancy’s regional capabilities in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and digital innovation. He has led the insights team, formerly known as Vero IQ, for the last five years.

Based in Bangkok, Peerapong works with clients and colleagues across Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, and more recently, with colleagues from Mad Hat Asia. He will lead Vero’s social listening and media monitoring capabilities, in addition to its Generative Engine Optimisation offering.

Additionally, Peerapong will also spearhead internal AI adoption initiatives across six markets through training, playbooks and workshops, while strengthening the implementation of Vero’s AI usage policy, covering client confidentiality, data privacy, intellectual property, and human oversight.

He also leads the management of Vero’s existing tech stack, which includes AI-powered content optimisation tool, EditorialIQ, as well as agentic AI for client, media, and back-office work.

Peerapong said: “The new name of our team reflects the work we are doing for our clients today,”

“We are here to help clients achieve their goals in Southeast Asia, navigate what AI means for their communications campaigns, understand their audiences more deeply, and build AI-powered solutions tailored to their needs so that brands and organizations are visible in the right places.”

Vero’s Chief Commercial Officer, Umaporn Whittaker-Thompson added: “The PR industry is expanding at a rapid pace, and strengthening our AI, Innovation, & Insights team is one of the crucial steps we are taking to ensure that we are not just keeping pace, but also pioneering the next generation of storytelling.

“We’ve already seen the value and impact of AI and data on client counseling and communications strategy. We are confident that this reinforced focus on the team’s capabilities will supercharge the delivery of high-impact work for our clients, accelerate our own business growth, and further elevate the standard of communications in Southeast Asia.”

Umesh Ratnagobal has joined Australian construction company, Kapitol, as Head of Corporate Affairs. He was previously at Laing O'Rourke as Head of Government and Client Relations. Prior to this, Umesh held comms roles within the government, tech, and oil and gas sectors.