Shawn Balakrishnan to lead Hume Brophy SEA as APAC MD Carolyn Camoens exits

Hume Brophy has appointed Shawn Balakrishnan (pictured) as director for its Southeast Asia operations, succeeding Asia Pacific MD Carolyn Camoens. In his new role, Balakrishnan will be working with leadership across the network to develop new products, drive growth opportunities and provide strategic counsel to a host of clients. He was previously market leader for Singapore and Southeast Asia at Burson Cohn & Wolfe (BCW).

Prior to joining BCW in 2018, he was the general manager of The Hoffman Agency’s Singapore office for five years, according to his LinkedIn profile. He focused on developing end-to-end integrated communication strategies in response to market needs, and rolled out digital media campaigns across the region on behalf of the agency’s stable of clients, his LinkedIn said. 

Balakrishnan said that despite all the unforeseeable changes in a hybrid world, Hume Brophy remains “well-positioned to navigate our clients in and around business continuity, and towards sustainable long term success".

Hume Brophy CEO, Conall McDevitt, said Balakrishnan represents the kind of change-maker it embraces at Hume Brophy to help the agency drive its forward-thinking regional growth strategy. "He brings wide-ranging expertise and experience to our growing team in Southeast Asia and will also play a critical role as a member of our global leadership team," McDevitt added.

Meanwhile, Camoens told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that she is currently doing independent consulting focusing on executive communications, narrative development and disinformation management. "It was a good three years and I learnt a lot during my time at Hume Brophy. I also enjoyed working with the team but it is time to do something new and focus on things that I am passionate about. I wish the team at Hume Brophy all the best and we will definitely stay in touch," she added.

She joined Hume Brophy in 2018, reporting directly to McDevitt and was previously SVP of Southeast Asia at WE Communications. Camoens spent eight years with WE Communications and was based out of Singapore. In a separate interview with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE previously, McDevitt said the agency is "very keen" to build out its businesses in Singapore and Hong Kong, and that it is part of its DNA to be international and to tackle consulting from a borderless perspective.

He also said then that the agency will grow its PR, government relations, investor relations, financial service, technology and healthcare sectors, as well as spread its influence and operations beyond the hub here in Singapore.

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