Holmes Report Unveils Wide-Ranging APACD Partnership
29th July 2019
Agreement sees Asia-Pacific Association of Communication Directors integrate events and content with the Holmes Report's platform.
HONG KONG — The Holmes Report has unveiled a new partnership with the Asia-Pacific Association for Communication Directors (APACD), which will see the two organisations collaborate closely on events, content, research and awards.
The agreement marks a new approach for APACD, the premier industry group for senior in-house communications directors in Asia-Pacific, which was founded in 2014 and now has more than 300 members across the region.
In addition to taking on management of the APACD secretariat, the Holmes Report will integrate its successful Asia-Pacific IN2Summit with the APACD’s Asia-Pacific Communications Summit, to ensure that the Summit fully explores the evolution of communications and public relations on both the agency and in-house side. The next edition of the annual conference takes place on September 12 in Singapore, and will include a special APACD-themed session.
From 2020 onwards, the popular APACD Awards will also refine its offering, by focusing specifically on in-house teams and professionals. The APACD Awards will retain its distinct branding and will be judged by APACD juries in local markets, with winners recognized at the SABRE Awards Asia-Pacific.
The Holmes Report will also integrate its popular Roundtable series with APACD local chapters across the region, to ensure that senior client concerns are being discussed and covered on a regular basis. At the same time, the association will benefit from the Holmes Report’s industry-leading content platform, including Premium Content subscription for all APACD members.
The partnership will also launch an annual research study of the public relations market in Asia-Pacific in 2020, focusing on the opportunities and challenges facing in-house communicators and PR agencies across a fast-changing region. A consultation process will begin shortly to define the scope of this unique initiative and enlist additional partners.
“There’s no question that this exciting partnership with APACD substantially expands both the breadth and depth of the Holmes Report’s presence across Asia-Pacific,” said Holmes Report CEO and editor-in-chief Arun Sudhaman, who is based in Hong Kong. “For us, that’s the critical consideration; how do we ensure that our content and events truly reflect the concerns of both in-house and agency leaders across this fast-growing region?”
“Today’s communications professional needs strong knowledge partners more than ever,” added APACD president Pierre Goad. “We are confident that the Holmes Report is the ideal partner for APACD and that this collaboration will make the organisation even stronger and more vibrant for our members.”
