HONG KONG: Gateway, the US-based manufacturer and distributor of desktop and portable personal computers, is searching for an Asia-Pacific PR director.
HONG KONG: Gateway, the US-based manufacturer and distributor of
desktop and portable personal computers, is searching for an
Asia-Pacific PR director.
The position would be based out of either Singapore or Hong Kong,
reporting to senior vice president and regional managing director Frank
Smilovic in Hong Kong. While Gateway’s Asia-Pacific marketing team has
been based in Hong Kong for the past three years, it has not succeeded
in developing the high profile it covets.
Now, however, Gateway is preparing for a big push in the region.
Smilovic was appointed in October of 1998, while Ogilvy PR was chosen as
the company’s lead regional agency earlier this month. Since Gateway
does not employ any dedicated in-house press or PR staff, the regional
PR director will be responsible for building his or her own team.
According to one source, direct marketing experience is a large
component of the job description, and the post will also require
consumer, telecom and technology marketing expertise.
Gateway is the fifth-largest computer manufacturer in the US, and is
growing fast. In the first quarter of 1999, sales rose by 22% to over
dollars 2 billion, up from dollars 1.6 billion a year ago. Net income
during the quarter increased 31% to dollars 98 million.
Earlier this month, Gateway appointed John Spelich, formerly global news
and information director at Ford, as its worldwide corporate
communications director (PRWeek, July 5). Spelich reports to Gateway
corporate communications vice president Brad Shaw, who himself only
joined Gateway from Pepsi-Cola International five months ago.
