Ketchum Greater China has created a new position to help spur its development in the region. New hire Sonny Yang has been appointed vice president, China, strategy and development.

Yang is responsible for driving business development across high-growth, high-value industries leveraging established capabilities and experience in corporate communications, brand marketing, issues/crisis management, capital markets communications, as well as consumer engagement.

Specifically, he plays a crucial role in cultivating opportunities with large-scale Chinese corporations and government institutions that are going international, in terms of market expansion, M&As and other capital deals. Based in Beijing, Yang also works in tandem with Nick Wheeler, general manager-Ketchum Beijing, providing senior corporate counsel to clients in the office while pursuing new business opportunities.

"Celebrating 30 years in Greater China this year, we are proactively looking at how to further break new ground in this exciting, fast-changing and intricate marketplace,” said Kenneth Chu, partner and CEO Ketchum Greater China. “Having claimed the position as the world’s second largest economy after the US, overtaking Japan, China readily provides an engine for future growth for the world’s communications business, especially driven by domestic enterprises and government institutions. It is in this context that Ketchum is making this new appointment for our China operations.”

A communications veteran of 15 years in China, Yang brings diverse experience in leading domestic and multinational PR agencies, including running his own agency for six years, as well as marketing in-house. His past client portfolio includes leading Chinese and multinational brands such as China Mobile, Cisco, COFCO Great Wall Wine, Datang Communications, Konka Group, Microsoft, Nike, Panasonic Telecommunications, Symantec and Yili Dairy.