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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" >The Foundry Asia launches Shanghai office</span>

The Foundry Asia launches Shanghai office

As The Foundry Asia marks its second anniversary, the agency has announced the opening of its Shanghai office.

The new office is led by Sophie Steiner, who is previously a Shanghai-based journalist and editor with over a decade of experience in F&B and lifestyle publishing. Sophie previously held roles at That�s Shanghai and ShanghaiWOW, and has contributed to World�s 50 Best, Business Insider, and other international titles. She now heads both the agency's international PR team and Shanghai operations.

�Shanghai has always set the tone for the region. As more of our clients look to grow their presence in China, having a team here gives us the proximity and agility to support them in a way that�s both strategic and culturally grounded,� said Germaine Woon, Founder and Managing Director of The Foundry Asia. �It�s one of the most exciting cities in the world for food and drink, and we�re here to help tell authentic stories in a way that resonates.�

Recently, The Foundry Asia has been reappointed by Lee Kum Kee to lead its creative marketing, PR, and social media efforts at The World�s 50 Best Restaurants 2025, which will take place in Turin. In Macau, the agency was chosen to lead the global PR and strategic marketing efforts for Wynn Palace as the hotel prepares to host the Asia�s 50 Best Bars 2025 awards this July.

As the agency enters its third year, it is preparing to announce a new vertical under The Foundry Asia umbrella, set to launch in Q1 of 2026.
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Industry update

IABC APAC announces winners of Communicator of the Year Awards 2025

The International Association of Business Communicators - Asia Pacific Region (IABC APAC) has announced the recipients of the Communicator of the Year Awards 2025.

Syed Mohammed Idid, General Manager of Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Engagement at West Coast Expressway (WCE) Malaysia, has emerged as the winner in the Senior Communication Professional of the Year category. Donald Lim, Chief Operating Officer of DITO CME Holdings Corporation in the Philippines, has been crowned winner in the Executive Leader category.

IABC APAC Chair, Barbara Pesel, said, "Donald and Syed exemplify the inspiring qualities, exceptional expertise, and significant influence we deeply admire and strive to emulate within IABC APAC. They are true case studies of success, offering lessons we can all learn from."

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Research

2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust - From We to Me, UAE Edition

Edelman has revealed the UAE edition of its 2025 Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust - From We to Me. The report found that while trust in brands remains exceptionally high, consumers in the Emirates are raising the bar on what they expect from the companies they buy from.

Key findings:
  • In the UAE, brand trust is among the highest globally, with 87 per cent of consumers trusting the brands they use. Trust now ranks alongside value for money and quality as a top driver of purchase consideration.
  • More than half (53 per cent) of respondents said that if a brand stays silent on societal issues, they will assume it is either doing nothing or hiding something.
  • 72 per cent believed brands that authentically reflect today’s culture are more effective in building trust than brands that ignore culture.
AI shapes trust in brands
The UAE is entering what Edelman calls a “Golden Era of Earned”, where trust and discovery are coming together through AI. As the UAE increases its national AI integration across sectors, authenticity and earned credibility have become critical to visibility and influence.

The research found that 70 per cent of consumers in the UAE use generative AI platforms. 95 per cent are already using it for shopping in some way, like researching brands, comparing products, or summarising reviews. An implication of this is how earned trust is fueling AI discovery, where the credibility of AI search has become as important as advertising. 

“AI is rewriting the rules of influence,” said Deepanshi Tandon, Head of Brand, Edelman UAE. “In the UAE, where AI is embedded in the country’s vision for the future, brand trust will increasingly be decided not by what companies pay to say, but by what AI learns from what people say about them.”

What consumers want
The UAE's findings revealed that consumers increasingly value personal relevance for brand purpose, and not just societal impact.

Consumers in the UAE said it is very or extremely important for brands to make them feel good (73 per cent), give them optimism (70 per cent), help them do good (70 per cent), teach and educate them (67 per cent), and provide them with a sense of community (64 per cent). 

“Brands in the UAE are in a strong position, but with that trust comes a clear expectation,” said Deepanshi. “People want brands that understand their needs, reflect their values, and show up authentically - not just through paid messaging, but across the full spectrum of communications: earned, owned, and experiential. Trust today is shaped by consistency and genuine connection.”
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Event wrap-up: Ethics and Accountability: Ensuring Responsible AI Use in Publishing

Telum Media hosted its latest in-person event in Hong Kong on Tuesday, 11th November 2025, in partnership with SOPA. The panel featured Darren Boey, Founder of UnMute; Sachin B Singh, Head of Enterprise Solutions, Asia Pacific at Dow Jones; and Tom Grundy, Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Hong Kong Free Press. The morning discussion was moderated by Annabelle Droulers, Asia Tech Correspondent & Anchor at Bloomberg TV, and was followed by a Q&A session and networking.

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Held at The Executive Centre, the session explored the ethics around responsible AI use in publishing and how newsrooms and organisations are responding with policy, governance, and accountability.

The panellists explored the ways that humans can remain integral in the AI machine loop; the opportunities, costs, and risks of AI integration in newsrooms and news reporting; and the value and cost of credibility, quality news, and human authenticity in the age of speed, productivity, and technological efficiency.

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Darren, Sachin, and Tom also discussed their experiences and organisations’ stances on AI use in news. With input from the floor, they dove deep on talking points including the layers of protection in AI use and audience comfort levels on AI news, concluding on the note about the critical importance of AI governance, steering committees, and ongoing dialogue.

Stay tuned for more Telum Media events by subscribing to our News Alerts for the latest updates.

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