Malaysian PR firm eyes Asean network

A Malaysia-based public relations agency has set an ambitious goal of entering into local partnerships in eight South and Southeast Asian countries in a bid to expand its network on the continent.

GO Communications Sdn Bhd plans to have local PR firms in its network in eight strategic Asian countries including Myanmar and Indonesia within two years, achieving annual growth of 15-20%.

Chief executive Michael de Kretser forecasts the PR industry in Asean could soon grow to billions of US dollars from millions at present thanks to rapid economic growth and regional integration.

The Mekong River countries of Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam are priority targets of GO Communications as they have a combined population of nearly 200 million and their economies are growing rapidly, he said.

For example, Cambodia and Vietnam's gross domestic product enjoys 10% annual growth.

Mr de Kretser said Indonesia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka will follow those countries in joining the network.

"We expect to partner with local PR firms in these four Mekong countries by next year's first quarter and in all of them within two years," he said.

Mr de Kretser said GO Communications has already acquired full ownership of a Cambodian PR company, with an official announcement to be made in the coming weeks.

It is in talks with other local firms in Laos, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Mr de Kretser said acquiring local PR companies is its main strategy.

Clients come from a wide variety of sectors including construction, banking, tourism, airlines, health care and pharmaceuticals.

GO Communications recently announced a collaboration with Thailand's DC Consultants as part of a plan to create a PR service network.

The company acquired partial ownership of the Thai firm, which will serve as a regional hub for GO Communications in the Mekong Basin.

Danai Chanchaochai, DC Consultants' chief executive, said the Mekong countries, as developing nations, are very new to the PR industry.

"Working as a network will help to develop communication expertise for local PR firms and the industry as a whole," he said.

Sourced: bangkokpost