education

IABC Global Communication Conference – Asia Pacific

Bringing together Eastern and Western contexts in an ever-changing business landscape

Program

Browse the program below.

Schedule at a glance

Wednesday, 7 April

Thursday, 8 April

Friday, 9 April

Conference Program

Wednesday, 7 April

4–6 p.m.
Early registration

6–7:30 p.m.
Opening cocktails and Welcome Reception

Thursday, 8 April

8:30 a.m.
Conference registration and continental breakfast

9–9:15 a.m.
Welcome remarks

9:15–10:15 a.m.
Opening Keynote:
Sustainable leadership
Robert Swan is not only a polar explorer, an environmental leader and the first person in history to walk unsupported to both the North and South Poles, but also an exceptionally gifted, natural communicator. His experiences form a dramatic story of success and failure, the ability to learn from one’s mistakes, and ultimately, inspiring others to pursue their dreams. In this session, Swan will emphasize the importance of inspiration, leadership and teamwork. He’ll demonstrate the power of humor in tense situations, explore the subtleties of selecting a powerful and diverse team, and show how a team that understands its strengths and weaknesses can pull together to achieve the seemingly impossible. Most important, he’ll share his experiences on what makes a great leader, and how to gain those skills from life.

Presenter / Robert Swan, OBE, is a noted speaker at global environmental summits and a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador for Youth. Currently, Swan is on a five-year global “Voyage for Cleaner Energy” aboard his renewable energy sailboat, which will conclude at the third World Summit for Sustainable Development in 2012 He has been awarded the high distinction of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), as well as the Polar Medal by Her Majesty the Queen of England.

10:15–10:45 a.m.
Coffee Break

10:45 a.m.–12 p.m.
Select and attend one of three breakout sessions:

Workshop One / How to engage a culturally and geographically diverse workforce
As a business communicator doing your best to align your talented, diverse and geographically dispersed workforce with one regional or global agenda, how many times have you heard, "But we're different, so we can't/don't want to/will not..."? This interactive session aims to share some insights into the challenges—and opportunities—inherent in bringing together a disparate workforce.

In this session, you will learn:

• Strategies and tactics that engage the critical mass.
• Managers' responsibilities as communicators.
• How to recognize success and to keep it going.

Presenter / Helene Bradley-Ritt has more than 16 years experience as a communication professional in an international career that spans broadcasting, management consulting and in-house corporate communication. Bradley-Ritt joined Unilever in 2004 and, as a member of the corporate communication team, rolled out the new corporate brand and vitality mission across the organization. In her current role as internal communications director, Asia, Africa, Central & Eastern Europe, she is the leadership team's strategic internal communication business partner, working with them to deliver the region's business strategy.

Workshop Two / Measuring and evaluating communication: Old problem, new media
Measurement—reflected in Management by Objectives, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Balanced Scorecards, and other forms of reporting—is recognized as an essential element of management. However, it has also been described as the Achilles’ heel of public communication. Despite two decades of debate, a lack of standards and under-implementation plague the industry. Now, with Web 2.0 and social media, new challenges emerge—but also new opportunities.

This session will acquaint conference attenders with:

• The latest best-practice thinking and models for communication measurement and evaluation.
• Trends in measuring and evaluating advertising, public relations, organizational communication and social media.
• New tools and methods for measuring social media.

Presenter / Jim Macnamara, Ph.D., has been a professor of public communication at the University of Technology in Sydney since 2007. Before that, he had a distinguished 30-year career spanning journalism, public relations and media research. After starting his career as a journalist and spending 15 years in public relations, Macnamara became the founder and CEO of the Asia/Pacific office of the global media analysis firm CARMA International. He is the author of 12 books, including practical handbooks on media and communication and The 21st Century Media (R)evolution: Emergent Communication Practices.

Workshop Three / Mapping issues and stakeholders to prevent crises in times of change
Reorganizations, corporate restructuring, downsizing, mergers and acquisitions bring uncertainty, turmoil and change. In such times, holding the course and staying focused on core values is critical. It depends on a sound assessment of stakeholders and their perceptions in order to map out possible scenarios and build effective strategies accordingly.

In this session, you will learn how to:

• Identify stakeholders and issues.
• Assess possible risks and threats.
• Map plausible scenarios to enhance your preparedness and resilience and optimize business opportunities.

Presenter / Caroline Sapriel is the founder and managing director of CS&A, an international risk, crisis and business continuity management consulting firm with offices in Hong Kong, the U.K., Belgium, the Netherlands, the U.S. and Singapore. For more than 20 years, Sapriel has been directly involved in helping organizations to anticipate, detect, prevent and mitigate crises internationally and across industry sectors. She has particular experience in the Asia region, where she lived for more than 15 years.

12–1:30 p.m.
Keynote Luncheon:
REAL Leadership: Constancy of purpose, connecting people, & creating flow
W. Edwards Deming was, among other things, famous for his adherence to a “Constancy of purpose.”  He knew that many management techniques, well intentioned or otherwise, were simply surface tricks to manipulate rather than motivate people.  The Wall Street Journal’s Gary Hamel recently declared that there “is a hole in the soul of business,” and the Harvard Business Review lamented that too many executives are consistently rewarded for failure while employees suffer the consequences.  Come learn why many organizational people practices are a waste and what you can do to bring value-added results.  Discover the way REAL Leaders humanize the workplace to get REAL results with a constancy of purpose, connecting people, and creating flow.

Presenter / S. Max Brown is a VP & Keynote Speaker at the Recognition Management Institute (RMI). In the last ten years, he has made nearly one thousand presentations in locations all around the world.  He’s taken clients rappelling off the Great Wall of China, facilitated at the Parliament of World Religions Conference in Spain, and spoken to a cheering crowd in the Netherlands.  With his experience in leadership training, speaking, and facilitating around the world, Brown brings a global perspective to the challenge of motivating people. As an IABC “all-star” recommended speaker, Brown consistently receives high evaluation scores and reviews from audiences worldwide.  He is also a member of the National Speaker’s Association where he was previously honored as a top speaker by the judging panel.  Brown has a post-graduate certificate in leadership coaching from Georgetown University, and a master’s degree in social & organizational learning from George Mason University. 

1:30–2:45 p.m.
Select and attend one of three breakout sessions:

Workshop One / Communication in emerging markets
In this session, Harjiv Singh will discuss the importance of communication in the emerging BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) markets. What types of initiatives have succeeded in these countries, and what types have failed? How is the current global economic climate affecting communication trends in these markets, and how will these countries continue to play a role in determining communication trends in the future? What is the best way for communication practitioners to break into these markets in the world's fastest growing economies?

Presenter / Harjiv Singh is the co-founder and co-CEO of Gutenberg Communications in New York City. In the past five years, the company has expanded in the U.K. (London) and India (with offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad). At Gutenberg, Singh works extensively with clients across a diverse range of industries such as technology, real estate, hospitality, financial services, academic and the non-profit sectors, providing counsel on communications strategy, positioning, branding, reputation management and crisis communications. Previously, he was a consultant at Edelman, and worked in strategic planning at Priceline.com and as a financial analyst at Adam Smith & Company. Since 2008, Harjiv has been a guest host for the U.S. television show, Asian America, which is nationally syndicated on PBS. 

Workshop Two / Do you speak Blogish?
In a humorous and lively presentation, Thomas Crampton will use examples from around the world to examine the pitfalls and opportunities of engaging in social media campaigns. Many companies are waking up to the power of social media but taking those first steps can be tough. At Ogilvy PR, the Digital Influence team has helped bring companies big and small into social media. In their recent campaigns, they inspired more than 80,000 people to friend a burger, locked up half a dozen bloggers in a shop window for 24 hours, and prompted women all over Asia to shift their long-held views on a beauty product.

Presenter / Thomas Crampton is the Asia-Pacific director of 360 Digital Influence for Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, and heads a team stretching across 23 cities in 15 Asian territories that helps companies conceive, develop and execute strategies in social media. Prior to joining Ogilvy, Crampton spent 18 years as a globetrotting newspaper correspondent for the International Herald Tribune and The New York Times.

Workshop Three / Connecting in China
As China makes global headlines and leads the world out of the recession, what does it mean for business communicators?Is China leading, employing new practices in communication, or it is following global best practices? What is the role of influence in China and how is it practiced?

This session will discuss:

• Best practices on being employed in China.
• The role of business communicators.
• Myths and realitiesof succeeding in China.

Presenter / Scott Kronick is president, North Asia of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, with 20 years of public relations experience in the U.S., Taiwan and China. Kronick oversees all Ogilvy PR operations in China, leading approximately 500 employees throughout the region. As one of the two founding members of Ogilvy PR in China, he continues to play an instrumental role in the leadership and management of the firm. Today, Ogilvy PR is the one of the largest and most influential public relations firm in China.

2:45–3 p.m.
Coffee Break

3–4 p.m.
Select and attend one of two breakout sessions:

Workshop One / Harnessing the power of Web 2.0, blogs, social media and virtual networks
We all know that it is far more powerful to truly engage communities than to simply communicate to audiences.  And we’re all familiar with the wealth of on-line platforms, tools and technologies available.  However, many companies and organizations have real difficulties in integrating social media into their communications campaigns.  They know there is potentially tremendous value in getting involved and joining the conversation.  But where to begin?  What are the dangers arising from loss of control? How to measure ROI? Which platforms and technologies will last and which are just fads?  Where does digital fit with the company culture and the rest of the marketing mix?

This session will explore:

• How to create powerful points of view that allow your organization to credibly join (and start) conversations and communities online
• Campaign planning techniques – what works and how to integrate with your other communications
• What communities and platforms are out there now, and which deserve your engagement

Presenter / David Ketchum specializes in off- and on-line corporate and marketing communications for companies expanding their business in Asia Pacific. He is president, Asia Pacific of Bite Communications, chairman of the Asia Digital Marketing Association, and deputy chairman of the Council of Public Relations Firms in Hong Kong. He is also the author of BIG M, little m Marketing: New Strategies for a New Asia. He was previously senior vice president, marketing and communications for Calvin Klein, Inc., and also held senior positions with Burson-Marsteller and Hill and Knowlton internationally.

Workshop Two / Corporate reputation management in the new China: Strategies for success
China’s phenomenal economic growth is paralleled by a phenomenal growth in professional communication. But are you and your organization prepared for the unique social and political challenges of this market? Here’s an opportunity to gain insights into the workings of this market and the strategies to succeed in it from a veteran of the Chinese communication industry.

In this session, you will learn strategies and tactics to:

• Build and leverage relations with the Chinese media.
• Build lasting relationships with all levels of Chinese government.
• Manage crisis situations in China.

Presenter / Alistair Nicholas is the president and CEO of AC Capital Strategic Consulting, a company he established in 2003 to provide communication and public affairs counsel, advice and training services to both foreign and local companies in the Chinese market. Nicholas’s career of more than 25 years includes senior level appointments as a political adviser, diplomat and journalist in Australia and the U.S., prior to moving to China. In China, Nicholas has advised a wide range of companies, foreign government agencies and the Chinese government on reputation management, issues and crises. Prior to establishing AC Capital, he was the head of Edelman’s Beijing office and director of its corporate reputation management practice for China.

4:15–5:15 p.m.
Idea Jam: Creative workshop
This high-energy jam session will inspire you, give your brain a workout, introduce new ways of generating ideas, and deliver practical solutions to implement right away. Idea Jam is designed to tap into your own vast experience and knowledge plus that of others at the conference.

In this session, you will learn:

• To maximize the opportunity to share knowledge among all participants and experts.
• How to share best practices.
• How to help others with their business challenges.

Presenter / Mark Schumann, ABC, is chair of the IABC international executive board and winner of 17 Gold Quill Awards. A frequent “all star” speaker at the IABC World Conference, Schumann is the co-author of Brand from the Inside and Brand for Talent.

Friday, 9 April

8 a.m.
Continental breakfast

9–9:45 a.m.
Morning Keynote:
The new rules of employee engagement
Any organization seeks to engage its workers. And every organization faces both common and unique challenges to secure and sustain this engagement. This presentation will address how to realistically assess levels of employee engagement, set reasonable targets for improvement, develop communication strategies to advance engagement, measure progress, and report that progress to leadership.

Attendees in this session will learn:

• What fundamental changes in how employees engage in their work communicators must acknowledge.
• What new strategies communicators can pursue to engage employees.
• What new skills communicators need to develop to succeed amidst the "new rules of engagement."

Presenter / Mark Schumann, ABC, is principal of Towers Perrin, chair of the IABC international executive board, and winner of 17 Gold Quill Awards. A frequent “all star” speaker at the IABC World Conference, Schumann is the co-author of Brand from the Inside and Brand for Talent.

10–11 a.m.
Select and attend one of three breakout sessions

Workshop One / Taking the “corporate” out of corporate communication

Are you in a rut? Are you tired of doing the same kinds of stories the same way, over and over again? Do you find that you’re even boring yourself as you put together content? Here’s the bottom line: Corporate communication doesn’t work anymore. We need to take the “corporate” out of corporate communication, and replace it with “creative.”

In this fun, practical session, you will learn how to:

• Take those tired, old stories and flip them upside down—so that people actually pay attention to them.

• Start using the new tools available to communicators—including social media and multimedia channels to engage, motivate and inform your audience.

• Start using your vehicles to change the culture in your organization from “We’ve always done it this way,” to “Let’s try something different and see if it works.”

Presenter / Steve Crescenzo has helped thousands of communicators improve both their print and electronic communication efforts through his work as a consultant, writer and seminar leader. Recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts in employee communications, Crescenzo is the leader of four popular workshops: Strategic Employee Communication Vehicles, Integrating Print and Online Communication Vehicles, The Master Class of Employee Communication and Creative Communications. He is also the author of his popular blog, Corporate Hallucinations and is the host of his podcast, Creative Conversations.

Workshop Two / The five big ideas: What it takes to think clearly and write what you mean
Information is plentiful in business, but how you communicate that information is critical. Communication professionals must continually turn information into knowledge to help their colleagues and clients make smart decisions. Whether you’re a seasoned wordsmith or you struggle through every sentence, you’ll gain the confidence and skills you need to communicate clearly and persuasively. Best of all, you’ll walk out of the session with a fresh perspective and renewed enthusiasm for writing.

In this lively presentation, you will learn:

• The most important goal in writing (it’s not what you think).
• The No. 1 question on every reader’s mind (you’re thinking it right now).
• Why thinking about tomatoes will make you a better writer—guaranteed.

Presenter / John Sturtevant was a successful business writer for 20 years. He also taught business writing at Harvard Business School and The European School of Economics. Today, John is a top-rated trainer for organizations worldwide.

Workshop Three / Creating chemistry: How to implement a global industrial business-to-business brand in Asia Pacific
With intensified global competition in all markets, the value of a brand is increasingly recognized in the business-to-business world which is
predominantly seen as being fully "rational" in making purchase
decision based on technical specifications, product quality, and price. The challenge to build a corporate brand in this environment is to tell a
meaningful brand story to customers, i nvestors, employees, high
potentials, governments and neighbors - consistently across the world. This case study will show how BASF is building its global brand profile in Asia Pacific as The Chemical Company, strongly based on sustainability.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to create a corporate brand for a business-to-business company that is relevant to a wider public.
• How a consistent brand image and cultural diversity go together.
• How sustainabilty can be translated into a brand theme.

Presenter / Christian Schubert is director corporate communications Asia Pacific for BASF, based in Hong Kong since October 2008. He studied Management and Enginnering and took Master Degrees in Engineering and Management in Berlin, Germany, and Hoboken, New Jersey, USA, before training as an attaché and assuming duties in the Economic Directorate-General of the German Foreign Office in Bonn. In 1996, he joined the strategic planning department of DaimlerChrysler Services AG in Berlin, where subsequently he headed the press department from 1997 onward. He started working for BASF as director corporate communications BASF Group in 2001.

11–11:15 a.m.
Coffee Break

11:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m.
Select and attend one of three breakout sessions:

Workshop One / Easy pickings: Why employee communication is the heaviest low-hanging fruit
Business leaders are always looking for ways to improve the bottom line, to produce more and cheaper widgets, to increase margin, or to stimulate the next brilliant multimillion-dollar idea. Many will go to extraordinary lengths and expense to find improvements. They talk about low-hanging fruit, and yet they often overlook the cheapest and easiest solution, the heaviest low-hanging fruit: employee communication. How do you, as a communicator, make the case to senior leadership for greater investment in communication?

In this interactive presentation, you will learn:

• How to convince leadership to make the investment.
• Seven measurable bottom-line benefits to keep at the ready.
• Tips and case studies from four exceptional international companies.

Presenter / Paul Matalucci, ABC is president of Wordwright Communications, Inc. Wordwright’s corporate clients have included Amgen, Cisco Systems, Gilead Sciences, Hewlett-Packard, and Levi Strauss & Company. Matalucci consulted on employee communication for the HP/Compaq merger and won a bronze Clio in 2000 for his work with Landor Associates on Agilent Technologies’ print literature standards. He served as the 2009 IABC Gold Quill Chair.

Presenter / Pauline Young is a communication consultant with extensive experience working for start-ups and multinational companies in China, Hong Kong, and the U.S. She has worked in training and employee communication for Hong Kong’s two largest employers: the Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC). Other corporate clients have included AIG, Gilette, Merrill Lynch and Paramount Publishing Group.

Workshop Two / Internal Branding by an innovative story telling approach using 'THEATRE' as a communication tool
Internal branding or aligning the workforce with the Mission, Vision and Values (MVV) of an organization has become very critical in today’s times. It is imperative that the employees are in synch with the MVV, live them and demonstrate them in their day to day activities. Organizations with diverse work force find it difficult to actually cascade it to all levels of employees. A strategic use of traditional (print, electronic, face to face) and a non traditional mode (story telling though theatre) ensures an effective institutionalization of MVV.  "Theatre" has a mass appeal, a connect with the audience and is a leveler. When used for internal communication, has the potential to become a very strong and powerful tool to create awareness about issues, keep employee morale up, bring out latent talents of employees, provide a platform for building openness, transparency, sense of belonging and have some fun. This presentation would demonstrate how Tata Chemicals has immensely benefited by using this tactic and how other corporates could employ "theatre" within their organizations to achieve desired objectives. Critical objectives like creating a Global mindset, and institutionalization of themes like innovation, CSR, biodiversity, safety, business excellence, etc., have been successfully carried out by using this approach.

Presenter / B. Sudhakar is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Tata Chemicals Limited. With a work experience spanning over 20 years, he has served in varied vertical industry segments like electronics, pharmaceuticals, steel, fertilizers, chemicals and infocomm. A post graduate in business management from the prestigious Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Ghaziabad, India, he has done extensive work in the areas of HR policy formulations, communications, design of innovative people processes, integrated performance management, rewards and recognition systems. Sudhakar is on the Expert panel on HR in The Associated Chambers of commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and the Chairman of the CSR committee of Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI). He is also a member of the Asia council of Human Resources of the Conference Board and the All India Management Association (AIMA).

Workshop Three / Getting your ABC
In an ever-changing business landscape, it is important not to just stay in the game, but to stay ahead of the game! Getting your ABC might be the qualification you need to help you promote yourself as a business communicator, and put you ahead in the job market. There are many roads to becoming accredited—you will be surprised how simple it is.

Learn how you could gain a globally recognized qualification, as we explore:

• The easy steps it takes to become accredited, and why doing so can be a springboard for your career.
• How communicators across Asia are now making accreditation a reality.
• How accreditation is being successfully implemented in-house as part of a company offering.

Presenter / Adrian Cropley, ABC, has more than 20 years of experience in the private and public sectors. He is currently principal for Cropley Communication, based in Australia, and is also a director on IABC’s international executive board. Cropley works with a variety of clients on change and internal communication strategies and programs, and is an executive coach, after spending a number of years as the head of internal communication for Ericsson. He has worked with a number of organizations, including Unilever, Ernst & Young, Shell, NAB, ANZ, National Foods, RMIT, Latrobe, Deakin & Monash Universities and various government organizations.

12:30–2 p.m.
Keynote Luncheon:
Effective communication as a tool for social change and nation-building
Learn from the Philippine experience as it shares its own template for nation-building. Hear how effective communication helped spur a radical change in the local culture towards poverty, homelessness, and nation-building. This session aims to share insights into challenges and successes in managing change, in promoting a powerful vision for national development, in inspiring greatness in others, and how to effectively build communities.

Presenter / Tony Meloto is chairman of the board of Gawad Kalinga, a nongovernment organization in the Philippines that has been working to eradicate homelessness and to address poverty in the country. In September 2006, he was chosen to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia's version of the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of his work in "inspiring Filipinos to believe with pride that theirs can be a nation without slums."

2–3:15 p.m.
Select and attend one of three breakout sessions:

Workshop One / Social or not - It's media relations: Managing the uncontrollable
A look at how social media affects public relations – and how most rules we already know actually stay the same. This session will show how to strategically manage PR programs through times of change with the right approach and smart tools.

This presentation will focus on:

• Making sense of Social Media in PR
• Managing effective communications
• Leveraging upcoming trends and opportunities

Presenter / Lars Voedisch advises public relations and corporate communications professionals in Asia Pacific on the best ways to manage and measure the perception of their brand across traditional and social media. At Dow Jones & Co., he is in charge of the PR and corporate communications segment in Asia Pacific, looking after business and strategic development as well as project management. Voedisch works with renowned global and regional brands including Coca-Cola, DBS, Fidelity, Honda, ING, Jones Lang LaSalle, Macquarie, Panasonic, Telstra and Yamaha – as well as with government and leading communications agencies.

Workshop Two / From talking to texting: Managing communication today
As change continues at a rapid rate and technology accelerates, communication has become increasingly complex. The challenges to external communication have grown and the need to communicate effectively with groups that can affect an organization has increased. New access to information, shifting demographics and new global markets require greater attention to the process of communication.

This presentation will provide some guidelines on:

• Choosing the right medium.
• Communicating in the global environment.
• Communicating in the context of new demographics.

Presenter / Kathleen Slaughter is dean of the Hong Kong campus of the University of Western Ontario’s Richard Ivey School of Business. She taught at the Richard Ivey School of Business in the MBA, Executive MBA and executive development programs worldwide from 1983 until 2003, serving as director of Ivey's Honors Business Administration program from 1992 until 1996. In 2003, Professor Slaughter moved permanently to Hong Kong to become Dean of Ivey's Hong Kong campus. She is responsible for the management of Ivey's Executive MBA program in Hong Kong.

Workshop Three / Crisis management for a Web 2.0 world
In his provocative PR textbook Public Relations Disasters, reputation management specialist Gerry McCusker wrote that the first 24 hours of any PR crisis defines how the issue plays out. In the world of Web 2.0, he now insists that the first 2–4 hours are absolutely critical. Reputation can now be affected instantaneously and globally, and communicators must be able to mobilize speedily and appropriately when issues morph into PR crises. So, are you equipped and ready to respond?

In this practical, intensive training, you’ll quickly learn:

• Instant monitoring tools that can alert you to digital reputation threats.
• How to engage a 10-step Issues Handling Plan for Web 2.0 developed by Engage ORM.
• Instant web production skills to defend your digital reputation.

Presenter / Gerry McCusker, PR counselor and analyst, is an IABC “all star” speaker who runs Engage ORM (Online Reputation Management), an Australian PR firm specializing in digital communication. Having dissected PR disasters extensively in his book, in magazines and online, McCusker teaches best practice and runs social media campaigns that span corporations, government agencies, industry associations, PR companies and even police forces. His PR disasters blog has been an AdAge favorite for years and he is one of the PR industry’s highest profile exponents of social media.

3:15–3:30 p.m.
Coffee Break

3:30–4:45 p.m.
Select and attend one of three breakout sessions:

Workshop One / Panel discussion: Understanding the Media in Asia
Asia's rapidly shifting media landscape can bewilder Asia veterans and those new to the region. Join a panel of journalists and media experts for a lively discussion about how the media works in Asia and how communicators should approach working with them.

Moderator / Thomas Crampton / Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
Panelists / Mary E. Kissel / The Wall Street Journal Asia
Kenneth Howe / South China Morning Post
Jasper Chan / Alibaba Group

Moderator / Thomas Crampton is the Asia-Pacific director of 360 Digital Influence for Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, and heads a team stretching across 23 cities in 15 Asian territories that helps companies conceive, develop and execute strategies in social media. Prior to joining Ogilvy, Crampton spent 18 years as a globetrotting newspaper correspondent for the International Herald Tribune and The New York Times.

Panelist / Mary E. Kissel is editor of The Wall Street Journal Asia's editorial page, where she directs opinion coverage and contributes regularly to the global Journal’s signed and unsigned commentary on Asia-Pacific. She joined the Journal in Hong Kong in 2004 to write the "Heard in Asia" column, the Journal’s premier commentary on the financial markets. In addition to the Journal, Kissel’s work has been published in the Far Eastern Economic Review, The Australian and the South China Morning Post. Kissel has a master’s degree in international affairs from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a bachelor's in government from Harvard University. She is a Claremont University Lincoln Fellow and a Stanford University Hoover Institution Edwards Media Fellow.

Panelist / Ken Howe joined the South China Morning Post in August 2007 as a senior editor on the Business Desk where he edits daily and enterprise stories and writes longer pieces on a variety of topics. He was previously at the San Francisco Chronicle, where he was editor of the business section, which on three occasions was named one of the top five business sections in the United States by the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. His reporters and columnists won numerous awards for stories on technology, energy and consumer issues. As a reporter at the Chronicle, Mr. Howe wrote about banking, energy and consumer issues and, as an investigative reporter, covered politics and law enforcement.

Panelist / Jasper Chan, Corporate Communications Manger, has been with Alibaba.com Limited since July 2007. She is currently the head of Corporate Communications, Asia Pacific, of the world’s largest small business e-commerce company. As Corporate Communications Manager, she is responsible for the Company’s communications, media relations and external corporate affairs of the region. Before joining Alibaba.com, Ms. Chan was Senior Consultant of the international financial public relations agency Citigate Dewe Rogerson (Hong Kong). She was responsible for the public relations program of a number of sizable initial public offerings in town including Bank of Communications, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. In addition to IPO communications, she was also responsible for the ongoing public relations program of listed companies like ICBC and China Life.  

Workshop Two / Knowing India: Balancing old and new
India is a land of contrasts. The villager carrying a pot of water co-exists with the sari-clad businesswoman heading the local HSBC bank. Some of India’s industrial families are among the world’s wealthiest, yet more than 150 million people are destitute. Corruption is a way of life for most, since limited resources—including legal justice—must be spread across a growing user base. India is not the world’s most corrupt economy, but the system is definitely stretched thin.

In this session you’ll find out:

• Why you cannot ignore this emerging economic powerhouse.
• The rules of the game so that you can play successfully.
• How to balance traditional and modern India.

Presenter / Deepak Mukarji, country head of corporate affairs for Shell Companies in India, has two and a half decades of experience as a communication and management leader. He is a published writer of both fiction and non-fiction, and a theater personality with more than 350 stage performances, two TV series and one TV film to his credit. He has worked across many industries and with the world’s leading brands.

4:45–5:30 p.m.
Closing Keynote:
Reinventing corporate communication: Seven ways you can be relevant five years from now
The role of the corporate communicator is changing and if you don’t change with it, you risk becoming irrelevant at your organization. As social media and other factors chip away at the traditional role of the communicator as "publisher," organizations are going to take a harder look at just what they are getting from their communicators—and whether or not they need them at all. That’s why communicators need to know what organizational needs they will be asked to fill five years down the road.

In this fun, informative session, you will learn:

• Seven crucial communication roles that will be in demand in the future no matter what organization you work in.
• The tools, tactics, talents and tricks you’ll need to master in order to succeed in the changing communication environment. 
• The skills that will always be in demand, no matter how much things change and how you can blend those old skills with the ones you’ll need tomorrow.

Presenter / Steve Crescenzo has helped thousands of communicators improve both their print and electronic communication efforts through his work as a consultant, writer and seminar leader. Recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts in employee communications, Crescenzo is the leader of four popular workshops: Strategic Employee Communication Vehicles, Integrating Print and Online Communication Vehicles, The Master Class of Employee Communication and Creative Communications. He is also the author of his popular blog, Corporate Hallucinations and is the host of his podcast, Creative Conversations.

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