About APACD
The Asia-Pacific Association of Communication Directors exists to both serve and shape the in-house communications profession.
Who we are
As Asia-Pacific Communications and Public Relations Directors, we represent an invaluable platform that facilitates the exchange of knowledge and helps to advance our profession. By establishing common quality standards and supporting professional qualification within the field, by organising conferences and meetings, and by providing services, analysis, and informative media, this non-partisan association works for the benefit of the Asia-Pacific communications and public affairs community.
Since our inception in 2014, APACD has has provided a voice to more than 400 communications and public affairs directors across the Asia-Pacific region. We organise regular conferences, seminars and networking sessions, while also benchmarking in-house performance through our awards programme and supporting professional development via training, mentoring and knowledge sharing.
APACD Board
Keith Morrison is Director of Marketing and Communications for Black & Veatch, based in Singapore. He has served on the Asia-Pacific Association of Communication Directors Board since 2017, becoming treasurer in 2020. Keith supports the growth and transformation of Black & Veatch, an employee-owned engineering and construction company with a 100-year legacy of innovations in sustainable infrastructure. His role includes both Asia Pacific as well as strategic content and brand communications initiatives globally. He has broad experience across both B2B marketing and communications having served for two years establishing and leading the company's global marketing strategy function which reintroduced the company's brand to new client segments and across a broader range of services. In-house at Black & Veatch for more than 10 years, he started as the communications lead in the region. Keith has more than 20 years' experience. His career has focused primarily on integrated communications and marketing roles, working in Ireland, the UK, China, Korea and Singapore. From his time as a PR consultant, he is proud of helping Ireland achieve its EU packaging recycling targets ahead of schedule and defending the reputation of a major Irish teaching hospital, shaping Kia Motors and Hankook Tire as global brands, and representing Microsoft in Dublin, Seoul and Singapore. He also has experience as a radio broadcaster.
PresidentKeith Morrison
Director, Regional MarketingBlack & Veatch
Rachana is a passionate leader who believes that communications is a core leadership & strategic function in any progressive organization and has a record of outstanding success in high growth companies across global environments. She is a selected mentor at the Government of India’s Atal innovation program to build a culture of innovation the country and a founding board member of GWPR India (Global Woman in PR). She was also a recipient of the Individual Achievement SABRE award, Asia-Pacific in 2019.
Vice PresidentRachana Panda
VP & Country Group Head Comms, PA & Sustainability (South Asia)Bayer
Azmar is based in Singapore and is the head of communications and society, Asia-Pacific for Diageo, providing strategic counsel and support to Diageo's Asia-Pacific business. Azmar was previously Asia-Pacific director of strategic communications and marketing for The Nature Conservancy. Prior to the Nature Conservancy, where she spent almost seven years, Azmar headed the Asia-Pacific communications function for the Financial Times, after holding senior comms roles at Time and Fortune magazines, and with Microsoft's MSN division. Azmar is also a founding board member and current President of the Asia-Pacific Association of Communication Directors.
Board MemberAzmar Sukandar
Head of Communications & Society, Asia-PacificDiageo
Michael Chapnick is the APEC Secretariat's Communications and Public Affairs Director and is based in Singapore. He is the principal communications advisor providing strategic counsel to the executive director, host governments and 21 member economies that account for 59% of global GDP, 48% of international trade and 39% of the world's population. Michael is responsible for communicating APEC's key messages, engaging stakeholders and supporting member economies to build awareness and understanding of policies and outcomes. This includes oversight of communications, public affairs, media, outreach, publications, corporate affairs and digital activities. Michael holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Michigan's Ford School of Public Policy and BA in International Relations from Beloit College.
Board MemberMichael Chapnick
Director of Communications & Public AffairsAPEC Secretariat
Toby Doman is currently group head, communications for Home Credit International. He has more than fifteen years of experience advising a range of global organisations on corporate affairs, reputation, public diplomacy and media relations issues. Prior to joining the company, he spent four years at Dow Jones and seven years at Edelman in both Singapore and London. Toby also has experience in the broadcast sector having worked as a presenter on UK commercial radio station, BBC local radio and on talk radio in Singapore. He speaks fluent French and Spanish and holds a BSc Econ. from Cardiff University.
Board MemberToby Doman
Group Head of CommunicationsHome Credit International
Sylvia is currently the Global Head of Communications for Vistra – a leading fund administrator and corporate services provider. She manages all of Vistra’s internal and external communications globally. Sylvia started her career in government affairs and has over 20 years of experience in strategic communications, issues management, brand and public policy across public and private sector industries, most recently having held senior roles at Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Cigna. Sylvia holds a Master of Public Policy Administration (MPA) from University of Southern California, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from University of California, Irvine – The Paul Merage School of Business, and a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Political Science from University of California, Irvine. She is also currently the Chair of the APACD Hong Kong Chapter.
Board MemberSylvia Choe Evans
Global Head of CommunicationsVistra Group
Linda Lee is a Director of Communications and Marketing with a healthtech start-up, Docquity. Based in Singapore, Linda brings almost two decades of experience in communications and marketing leading teams across Asia-Pacific. Prior to Docquity, she was a Director, Communications, Asia-Pacific at LinkedIn. She started her career with communications consultancies including Weber Shandwick and MSL Group where she worked in Shanghai, New York City, as well as Singapore. Linda has led award-winning campaigns and teams across the APAC region and in 2019, Linda was nominated and named as one of the top 25 innovators in Marketing and Communications in APAC by PRovoke. As a builder at heart, Linda’s work mission is to build companies, brands, and teams - the intersection between technology, impact, and culture excites her the most at Docquity. Linda holds an Executive MBA from Brown University and IE Business School and a Bachelor's degree in Communications and Information from Wee Kim Wee School of Communications and Information, Nanyang Technological University. Outside of work, she loves building Lego, reading, and running (mostly after her 2.5 year-old daughter these days).
Board MemberLinda Lee
Director, Communications & MarketingDocquity
Shruti Bose is the Head of Communications & Public Affairs for the Asia Pacific region at Roche Diagnostics. In this role, she is responsible for leading the regional corporate communications function, spanning public affairs, digital communications and employee ambassadorship. A trusted partner to the business, Shruti advises senior leaders on executive communication and external engagement activities. A firm believer in the power of integrated communications, Shruti oversees programs that help to shape the company’s reputation and thought leadership. Many of these have won industry recognition and awards including for Best PR Campaign of the Year. Before Roche Diagnostics, Shruti spent 10 years at leading global communications agencies, including Edelman and Weber Shandwick.
Board MemberShruti Bose
Head of Communications & Public AffairsRoche Diagnostics
Background
The Asia-Pacific Association of Communication Directors (APACD) was founded in 2014 in recognition of the unique challenges and opportunities for communications leaders in this fast-changing region. Our members know only too well that one size does not fit all across a region that is seeing remarkable economic, social and cultural change. Against this backdrop, Asia-Pacific companies and organizations are expanding their operations rapidly to encompass a more global mindset, while MNCs become increasingly sophisticated in terms of their Asia-Pacific engagement strategies. For communicators of all stripes, whether at MNCs, associations, institutions and in politics, an international perspective is as crucial to their work as in-depth local knowledge.
Meanwhile, at a time of rapid economic and technological transformation, the communications profession has never been more valuable to an organization’s purpose, mission and strategy. The relationship between business and society is being redrawn before our eyes, calling on communications directors to navigate a new reality in terms of stakeholder capitalism and the convergence of marketing and communications.
The Asia-Pacific Association of Communication Directors (APACD) aims to help our members understand and capitalise from all of these trends by providing a peer network for mid- to senior-level communication professionals from all fields and industries across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss and formulate solutions to current communication challenges. We aim to establish common quality standards and advance professional qualifications within the field through a vibrant event calendar, informative media. awards recognition and knowledge-sharing.
At its core APACD offers a platform of networking and exchange for members and friends, and advances the visibility and reputation of the in-house communications profession. It is committed to fostering diversity, overcoming cultural barriers and formulating standards, underpinning the development of an Asia-Pacific communications culture as a strong voice in today’s world.
