Agenda
4 August 2026
Networking and registration
Opening remarks
9:00am
[Opening fireside]
PR at a crossroads: Defending truth, trust, and humanity in a fragmented information landscape
Moderator:
Rezwana Manjur
Editor-in-Chief
MARKETING-INTERACTIVE
Samuel Heath
Director of Communications
INTERPOL
9:45am
[Case study]
Data for impact: Turning insights into action, advocacy and measurable change
Peter McFeely
Global Head of Communications and Strategy, Food and Agriculture
WWF
10:15am
[Panel discussion]
How do brands navigate the court of public opinion in a post-truth, hyper-reactive era?
Moderator:
Charlotte McEleny
Moderator
Panellists:
Andrew Nicholls
Managing Director, Asia
CARMA
Evelyn Tay
Senior Director, Communications and Public Affairs, APAC
CHAGEE
Nikhil Kharoo
Senior Director, Global Head of PR and Partnerships
Razer
10:45am
Morning break
11:15am
[Panel discussion]
The geopolitics tightrope: Balancing sovereignty, policy, investor and public sentiment
Moderator:
Chris Brummitt
Moderator
Panellists:
Benjamin “Mr Miyagi” Lee
Associate Director
Deepa Balji
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
B Capital
Ahjay Rai
Communications Head, Asia Pacific
Praveen Randhawa
Chief Strategic Communications Officer
11:50am
[Case study]
Beyond the airline: Shaping the next chapter of the AirAsia story
Maryanna Kim
Chief Communications and Brand Officer
AirAsia Next
12:15pm
[Lightning Talk]
The visibility advantage: Building brand trust and information resilience in the age of scrutiny
Moderator:
Rezwana Manjur
Editor-in-Chief
MARKETING-INTERACTIVE
Pamela Phua
Managing Partner, Southeast Asia
12:30pm
Networking lunch
1:30pm
[Panel discussion]
The hidden asset: Internal communications and the rise of employee advocacy
Moderator:
A’bidah Zaid Shirbeeni
Senior Journalist
MARKETING-INTERACTIVE
Panellists:
Kelly Weber
Head of Communications
Aquila Clean Energy APAC
Ching Yee Wong
Vice President, Communications, Asia Pacific excluding China
Marriott International
Parekhit Bhattacharjee
Global Head of Communications, Core Product Category
2:00pm
[Case study]
From earned media to earned intelligence: How PR becomes the authority layer in an AI-driven world
Manisha Seewal
President
2:30pm
[Case study]
Earned trust, greater reach: Turning paid strategy into a credibility amplifier
Hanim Hamdan
Head of Communications and Sustainability
Lotus’s Malaysia
3:00Pm
Networking break
3:30pm
[Case study]
Reputation that performs: Reframing corporate affairs as a growth driver
Nathan Scholz
Chief Communications and Investor Relations Officer
4:00pm
[Case study]
Global story, local lens: Making brand purpose resonate with the China market
Peddy Wang
Head of Corporate Communications, China, SEA and Oceania
4:30pm
Closing remarks
4:40pm