HONG KONG: Thirteen-year Burson-Marsteller stalwart Alan
VanderMolen is leaving to join Edelman as the agency's regional
president for Asia Pacific.
VanderMolen is to join Edelman on 4 February and will report Alison
Canning, Edelman president of international operations.
He replaces Jerry Hendin, who will move to Edelman's reputation
management practice, rejoining his family in Seattle.
At Edelman, VanderMolen will oversee ten offices and an affiliate
network in six countries. His objective will be to move Edelman from
number six into the top three in the region through acquisitions,
expanded affiliate relationships, and organic growth.
Regional headquarters will move from Singapore to Hong Kong, and one of
VanderMolen's first tasks will be to strengthen the capabilities of the
Hong Kong office, which will include recruiting an office managing
director.
VanderMolen will be based in Hong Kong and will use the office as a
Greater China hub, leveraging Edelman's position in China and creating
stronger links with its operations in Taiwan.
VanderMolen is the first major hire from Canning, who joined Edelman in
the summer when the company bought her management consultancy First&42nd
(PRWeek, 22 June).
Canning said breaking the region into sub-regions based on geography or
shared cultures will help the agency grow.
'Alan really understands the region, and it's a diverse region,' said
Canning. 'I think he'll really add value. People speak very highly of
him.'
Edelman has worked out of Asia since 1984 and ranks sixth in the region,
according to PRWeek's Global Rankings for 2001, with fee income of more
than £7m.
