PR agency Redhill turns its focus on Malaysia market with new senior hire

Global communications agency Redhill has appointed Dave Prem (pictured) as its senior director for Malaysia as it looks to strengthen its offering in the market. Prem has worked in the communications industry for over 11 years, working across several boutique agencies in Malaysia. He has a diverse background collaborating with clients in various industries including telecommunications, finance, hospitality, e-commerce, food and beverage, technology, education, healthcare, insurance, and automotive.

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In conversations with A+M, Prem said his key focus in his new role will be to grow Redhill in its entirety, including its team and the portfolio of clients. He will also be emphasising a diversification in the agency's clientele and team to capture a wider variety of communications works across more industries.

"The Malaysian arm of the organisation began as largely a support market for our hub in Singapore but over recent years and especially in 2024, we’ve managed to carve out a notable foothold for ourselves locally. I will be looking to build off this to further amplify our presence in the market," said Prem. At a local level, Redhill's current list of clients include Mastercard and Cisco.

Additionally, the agency recently completed a regional campaign execution, led out of Malaysia, for Kia. Redhill Malaysia also contributes to several regional accounts with a focus on driving efforts at a local level, including brands such as NTT Data, Nokia and Bank of America.

Redhill currently has a team of five working out of Malaysia who collaboratively with teams across the region. "Plans are in motion to grow the local team in tandem with our ambitions to grow the local and regional portfolio," said Prem.

Speaking on Redhill's ambition in Malaysia. Prem said there has been an organic inflow of potential business emanating from Malaysia with a regional focus. "I believe as more multinational corporations (MNCs) and enterprises look at shifting their headquarters away from markets such as Singapore and into Malaysia, and more Malaysian entities look to spread their wings across the region, Redhill is in a prime position to capitalise on this with our robust presence across 20 countries with local experts in each market and a holistic suite of services," he added. 

Prem also said that his goal will be to capitalise on these demands to drive business growth for Redhill locally and regionally. 

Prior to his current role, Prem was the general manager at public relations (PR) agency Elliot & Co for around two years. Before that, he was the agency senior PR manager, where he managed and guided a team of PR professionals to deliver high-quality works. 

Prem also held the role of senior PR manager at MNAIR PR for three months in 2021, where he was responsible for driving the development of MNAIR's digital PR and social media portfolios and services. Prem worked hand-in-hand with the team to multiply and amplify deliverables to existing clients and branch out to new clients.

He also served as account lead on profiling for talent acquisition brands FastJobs and Himalaya Malaysia, while also consulting on social and digital efforts for brands within other sectors includingTop Glove and Asteel Group.

In 2018, Prem took on the role of PR manager at telecommunications company Truth Communications. He was responsible for leading all aspects of account management including client liaisons, strategic counseling, document development, reporting, campaign development and rollout, event management, and other strategic profiling initiatives.

Additionally, he contributed to the managing of client social media accounts, developing content, overseeing design works, and coordinating the publication and boosting of posts on Facebook and Instagram.

He also managed the PR, social, and influencer aspects of campaigns for clients such as foodpanda, unifi TV, BBC Worldwide, Beko, Beaconhouse Group of Schools, Yoodo, Sun Life Malaysia, Taste Australia, Focus Point, Masakini Theater Company, Bvlgari, Panasonic, Revenue Monster, and NANOVerify, amongst others.

Prior to that, Prem was a PR consultant for Chimera Brand Relations, and a PR associate for Perspective Strategies. 

In May last year, Redhill launched a new "Employee Stock Ownership Plan" (ESOP). The programme prioritises employee engagement and focuses on continued investment in their success. 

Effective from 1 May 2024, the first tranche is open to all current employees who have been with the firm for at least three years. The programme also launched in time for the agency's tenth anniversary in business, according to Seewal.

"The introduction of our ESOP plan reflects our dedication to empowering every employee through collective ownership and further strengthening client relationships. Regardless of rank, all employees will receive ESOPs, embodying our belief in the strength of collective ownership," said Seewal. 

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