The Drill appoints comms partner in the GCC

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.”

Sukna Capital has appointed Suhaib Alwazir as Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. Based in Riyadh, he brings more than 23 years of communications experience to Sukna Capital, a CMA-licensed alternative asset manager investing in technology, digital infrastructure and industry, across venture capital, later-stage equity and private credit.

In this role, he leads marketing and communications across Sukna Capital and its vehicles, including Sukna Ventures, the firm’s venture arm, and the Sukna Fund for Direct Financing.

Most recently, Suhaib was Head of Edelman Smithfield in Saudi Arabia. Before Edelman Smithfield, Suhaib co-founded Adalid Public Relations and served as its Managing Partner for more than 11 years. Earlier in his career, he worked at Ogilvy, ASDA’A and Hill & Knowlton.

“I am pleased to join Sukna Capital. The firm structures and licenses each strategy before it raises capital, and its communication should carry the same rigour. My priority is clear, consistent and timely communication with investors, partners and stakeholders across the firm and its vehicles,” said Suhaib on his appointment.

Fares Bardeesi, Co-Founder and CEO, Sukna Capital, said, “We report every result to recognised standards, and we hold our communication with investors and partners to the same discipline. Suhaib’s experience in corporate and financial communications in the Kingdom strengthens that as we launch new strategies in technology and industry.”

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.”