New regional headquarters, senior appointment and Hong Kong agency partner reflect growing demand for GLOBALHealthPR’s unique independent agency network
NEW YORK, 11 January 2017 – GLOBALHealthPR®, the largest independent health and science communications agency partnership worldwide, has announced the opening of its new Asia-Pacific headquarters, located in Singapore’s Central Business District. The new office is opening under the direction of James Yi, the newly appointed Executive Director, APAC. It also follows the recent addition of Madison Communications as GLOBALHealthPR’s exclusive partner in Hong Kong, allowing the network to more closely support emerging client needs in the region.
James Yi, new Executive Director, APAC
Asia Pacific (APAC) is an important region for GLOBALHealthPR, which boasts a global presence in more than 40 markets spanning six continents. The unique GLOBALHealthPR model, which has united a roster of best-in-market independent agencies, is now in its 16th year of operation with more than a decade working in APAC. The GLOBALHealthPR network delivers local, regional and global healthcare communications expertise through carefully selected partner agencies that choose to work together based on shared values, independence and flexibility.
“GLOBALHealthPR has successfully harnessed the dedication and commitment of top independent agencies, creating a communications powerhouse with deep-rooted and focused expertise across the APAC region,” said Yi. “By aligning the strongest regional agencies, GLOBALHealthPR has created an unmatched ability to deliver health and science strategies, while remaining both nimble and aggressive in communicating with key stakeholders. I look forward to forging partnerships with our clients that go beyond the confines of a traditional holding company model.”
Yi steps into his new role having spent the last 12 years based in APAC leading both regional and country-level PR programming. Overall, he has 20 years of experience in the health and communications industries, including leading the healthcare team at Fleishman-Hillard in Singapore, successfully starting his own firm focusing on the health sector, and serving as Managing Director of Ogilvy Public Relations Vietnam and CEO & Market Leader for Burson-Marsteller Korea.
“The Asia Pacific region is the source of considerable growth and innovation in the healthcare industry, creating an increased need for best-in-class, health-focused strategic communications solutions for clients in the region,” said Jonathan Wilson, President of GLOBALHealthPR. “James is a proven leader with more than two decades of experience working across diverse roles and geographies in the health and life-science industries. We’re thrilled he’s chosen to join GLOBALHealthPR and believe he has the right vision and expertise to further our position as the top healthcare communications network in the region.”
About GLOBALHealthPR®
Founded in 2001 with headquarters in New York and regional hub offices in London and Singapore, GLOBALHealthPR is a partnership of independently owned and operated health and science communications agencies that choose to work together based on common values. With more than 600 health-specialist communications professionals, researchers and medical advisors on staff serving over 200 organizations globally, the agencies that make up the partnership share a belief in insights-driven strategies and a commitment to collaboration in order to provide clients the best possible counsel and execution.
GLOBALHealthPR’s presence spans more than 40 countries covering Europe, North America, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific regions. GLOBALHealthPR clients include top global pharmaceutical companies, medical-device manufacturers, consumer goods companies and hospital organizations.
For more information, visit www.globalhealthpr.com or follow us on Twitter: @GLOBALHealthPR.
Here at GLOBALHealthPR, we go to all ends of the earth to deliver recipes for successful global and regional communications programmes to our clients. With offices in more than 40 countries, we know how to find the right mix of local insights and ingredients in order to satisfy the unique tastes and needs of each programme.
In the spirit of the holiday season, we’re sharing some of the traditional recipes that are enjoyed in our local markets around this time of year, delivered by our expert agency partners. Bon Appetit!
Americas
Argentina – Vitel Tone
Italian (peidmontese, to be specific) in origin, Vitello Tonnato or Vitel Tone as it’s called in Argentina is a chilled summertime dish traditionally served at Christmas. Vitel Tone is prepared at least a day in advance, when veal is braised and sliced thin then covered in a thick mayonnaise of tuna with oil and egg yolks, as well as other seasonings. The veal may then be chilled for up to five days to develop the flavour before it is served.
Panettone is a tall, spongey sweet bread stuffed with candied fruits and raisins, originating in Milan but served at Christmas and the New Year in Brazil, Argentina, Spain and many other countries. Panettone is left to rise for more than 20 hours, giving it the distinctive cupola-like shape. There are a number of colourful myths involving the invention of panettone, ranging from a priest’s love of his hat to a wedding officiated by Leonardo di Vinci.
A favourite in Quebec and across Canada, tourtière is a meat pie of diced pork or veal of beef. The exact filling depends on what is regionally available. On the coast, fish such as salmon may replace the meats. The slow-cooked deep dish pie may have originated in Quebec, but by the 19th century Quebecois immigrants to the northeastern United States had brought tourtière with them. Beyond differences in meat, some regional variants include potatoes or various spices, and condiments range from ketchup and mustard to maple syrup and mango chutney.
Ponche, a hot punch consisting of local fruits including tejotes, apples, prunes and pears as well as hibiscus, walnuts, raisins and cinnamon, is traditionally served at Christmas Eve celebrations, and the posadas, a nine day celebration leading up to Christmas. Ponche is frequently served warm, but can be chilled to taste, and can include liquor like tequila, rum or brandy for adult holiday festivities.
Mincemeat pie originated in the British Isles centuries ago, as crusaders brought back with them spices and recipes for sweet meat and dried fruit pies. Over time, they became a Christmas tradition around the Anglophone world. In the U.S. they are usually eaten as full sized pies, but smaller individual pies are not uncommon. Oftentimes, modern mince pies skip the meat entirely, containing only fruit. Many families will serve the pie with Hard Sauce, so called due to the sherry mixed in with the butter and sugar, hence “hard”.
Called Inlagd Sil in Danish, pickled herring is traditional holiday fare in Denmark and across the Nordic region and often paired with akvavit, a spiced spirit. Pickled herring has been a northern European tradition since the middle ages and is used as a way to store and transport fish without it spoiling. The herring is served on rye, crispbread, sour cream or potatoes depending on the flavouring given to it during the curing and pickling process, which can include mustard, lingonberries, onion or garlic.
Foie Gras, as defined by French law, is a duck or goose liver that has been fattened (up to 10 times its natural size) through the forced feeding of corn through a feeding tube. The techniques to force-feed the birds can be traced back all the way to 2500 BCE Egypt. Due to the lengthy and delicate production process, foie gras is considered a dish for special occasions, including Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Traditional French preparations are served cold, but the use of hot preparations has been increasing.
Duck is the traditional centerpiece of a German Christmas Eve dinner. In addition to the duck, classic sides include red cabbage and potato dumplings. There are two schools of thought on the preparation of duck. Traditionalists cook it low and slow with, celery and apples in the cavity. Alternatively, some cooks simmer the duck in broth and then finish under very high heat in the oven.
Barszcz is a sour, bright crimson beetroot soup served during the holidays in Poland. Dumplings filled with meats, mushrooms and many other proteins and cheeses are served in the soup as well. The earliest variants of what would come to be known as Barszcz or Borscht were made with hogweed, and later versions would include poppy seeds, almonds, rye brand or barley in addition to the original hogweed and beetroot.
Bacalhau is the Portuguese word for salted and dried cod. There are thousands of ways to prepare bacalhau, and yet it is ironically the only fish that is not consumed fresh in Portuguese cuisine. Bacalhau has spread across the Portuguese world, including Cape Verde, Angola, Macau and Brazil. The iconic Christmas recipe for bacalhau is boiled with garlic and served with cabbage, potatoes, carrots and eggs. A friendly note of advice: be sure to soak the bacalhau in water for at least a day before cooking, or else you are in for an extremely salty meal.
Turrón is a remarkably simple but delicious sweet treat for the holidays. It consists of only four ingredients: honey, sugar, egg whites and nuts. Together they form a rich nougat, which is cut into bars to be served. The existence of turrón can be traced back to the 15th century. Depending on the amount of nuts and the addition of other ingredients to the core of four, turrón can range from crisp to chewy to the bakers preference.
Christmas pudding, sometimes called plum pudding despite the lack of plums (plums were a pre-Victorian term for raisins), can trace its origins back to medieval England. The pudding is made of dried fruits held together by eggs with treacle, or molasses, and flavored with spices and brandy. Because of the high alcohol content, a steamed Christmas pudding can be aged for months, and is sometimes “flamed” or set alight in an electric blue pyrotechnic display to burn off the alcohol and add flavour.
There are few things more iconically Aussie than Shrimp (aka prawns) on the Barbie, and with Christmas coming in Australia’s summer months, it’s only fitting that an outdoor barbeque favourite is also a Christmas tradition. The classic recipe is pretty straightforward: stick the shrimp on the grill and coat with a glaze of garlic, honey, chili sauce and a citrus, though many recipes will call for a little bit of marinating. For dessert, pavlova, a meringue (named after the ballerina) with fruit and whipped cream, is a favourite.
Tangyuan are sweet rice dumplings, that can be served either filled or unfilled and bite sized or large. Fillings include chocolate paste, fruit, peanuts or rock candy, though the most common filling is a paste made of ground black sesame mixed with sugar and lard. The name tangyuan is a homophone in Chinese for union, and as such they are served not only during the traditional Yuanxaio lantern festival and Winter Solstice, but also at family reunions and weddings.
Til Ladoos, or sesame ladoos are a popular treat served around the holiday of Makar Sankranti, celebrating the changing seasons in India and around the world. Ladoos are made from roasted and crushed peanuts, coconut and sesame stuck together with jaggery (cane sugar mixture) caramel. The mixture is then rolled into balls and served warm or at room temperature.
Yu Sheng is a raw fish salad with shredded vegetables and condiments popular on the Chinese New Year. Salmon, mackerel and occasionally abalone are popular choices of fish, with the veggies consisting of carrots, radishes, red peppers, turnips, ginger, cabbage and more. Toppings include plum sauce, sesame oil and seeds. Once the dish is made, everyone gathers around the table with their chopsticks and tosses the salad as high as possible. Sometimes called Prosperity Toss, the name itself is a bit of a pun, with Yu Sheng (raw fish – 鱼生) being a homophone for Yu Sheng (prosperity – 余升), a play on both the tossing of the salad and the belief that eating Yu Sheng brings good health and success.
We hope you fill your stomachs with great food and your hearts with love and joy this holiday season. Best wishes in 2017 from the GLOBALHealthPR family.
I’ve been in Sydney, Australia for just over a week now as a part of the GLOBALHealthPR® Professional Exchange Program. While I’ve done “heaps” of touristy things like check out sweeping views of the city from the Sydney Tower Eye, watched surfers catch some waves at Manly Beach and hung out with koalas at the Wild Life Sydney Zoo, I’ve also gotten a taste of what it’s like to live as a local Aussie. Here are a few things about working with colleagues at our partner agency Team VIVA! that I wanted to share:
PATIENT FOCUS
I’ve found my work at VIVA! to be highly patient-centric, and find it surprising that a recent Pharma In Focus white paper reports that one in three Australian pharma marketers felt they failed to focus on the patient. Most campaigns include regional or State-specific patient spokespeople who can provide first-hand commentary on what it’s like to live with a certain disease or condition. VIVA! has a real knack for media relations, and develops comprehensive patient case studies, videos and infographics (both still and animated) that are really easy for the media to reference and extract for use in their stories
NO PRODUCT MENTIONS
Under the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct, you cannot mention the names of specific pharmaceutical products or anything that might imply a specific type of treatment in communication to consumers beyond a new product launch, or when the product secures a second indication. So PR and marketing firms need to get creative and find ways to connect with consumers in meaningful ways on behalf of their pharma clients. Programs are often implemented through unrestricted grants to advocacy groups and tend to focus on disease state awareness.
COLLABORATIVE TEAM
VIVA! starts each week with an all-agency meeting. The team works well together, and sometimes it’s all hands on deck. Even the agency’s Principal is not afraid to jump in and help, lending her expertise and experience to all aspects of client service. I’ve also found Australians to be quite direct with each other – no sugar coating feedback or direction – which helps keep projects moving along efficiently and boosts camaraderie within the agency, resulting in the best work for clients.
LIFE IN SYDNEY
The public transport in Sydney is very user-friendly. After only a few days, I was navigating the system like a local. The Opal card, like DC’s SmarTrip or New York’s MetroCard, is really simple to “top up” and each station has easy-to-read digital screens with a clear look at what stops are up next. Plus, the card works seamlessly for the train, bus and ferry systems.
From what I’ve seen, my colleagues and their fellow Sydney residents are a pretty active bunch. Most folks on Team VIVA! take a walk midday, go for a run after work, or hit the gym a few times a week. Overall, Aussies thrive on the outdoors (who can blame them with the country’s natural beauty and proximity to the beach?), which fuels a healthy outlook on life.
Kaitlin Bowen is participating in the GLOBALHealthPR Professional Exchange Program representing exclusive U.S. partner Spectrum. The Program aims to enhance the connectivity of GLOBALHealthPR agencies through collaboration, best practice sharing, and insights into the drivers that affect health and science communications in different markets worldwide, and to build professional relationships with other GLOBALHealthPR personnel around the globe.
Kaitlin is an account director at GHPR U.S. partner Spectrum. To follow her experiences on the GLOBALHealthPR Professional Exchange Program online, use #GHPRConnects to join the conversation and see all of the 2016 exchange programming.
“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things,” said American writer Henry Miller. And starting this week, I’ll be privy to an entirely new way of seeing things from the opposite side of the world in Sydney, Australia as a part of the 2016 GLOBALHealthPR® Professional Exchange Program with our partner, VIVA! Communications.
The exchange program is designed to enhanc
e the connectivity of GHPR agencies by fostering collaboration, sharing best practices and enabling employees to gain insight into the drivers that affect health and science communications in other markets. To me, the program is the perfect combination of global travel and true cultural immersion – really getting the opportunity to see public relations, healthcare and the world through someone else’s eyes.
Airbnb has a clever marketing slogan that says “Don’t Go There. Live There.” The opportunity to live, work and play in Australia for a few weeks with our VIVA! colleagues is a chance to do just that. I’m particularly interested in learning about our similarities and differences in the public relations and healthcare worlds. I’m eager to dive into their account work and find out what it’s like working with Aussie colleagues and Aussie clients. I hope to learn more about challenges and opportunities facing clients in Australia, and how VIVA approaches them. We all work in the world of healthcare, and I’m eager to gain a more global perspective on the issues.
My trip Down Under is actually “part 2” of this year’s exchange – Mark Henderson, the Queensland Branch Manager at VIVA! Communications spent a few weeks in Washington, DC and New York in September. I’m thrilled to reconnect with Mark as well as with Paul Jans, VIVA!’s Managing Director, who I met in São Paulo, Brazil during the 2012 GLOBALHealthPR Annual General Meeting. From what I’ve seen and heard, VIVA! is a really cool agency, doing interesting work and not unlike Spectrum in many ways. I often view our Spectrum team as a family, so I think the VIVA! gang is pretty much our cousins Down Under – and I’m so excited to pay them a visit and compare notes over a few middies of beer!
Kaitlin Bowen is participating in the GLOBALHealthPR Professional Exchange Program representing exclusive U.S. partner Spectrum. The Program aims to enhance the connectivity of GLOBALHealthPR agencies through collaboration, best practice sharing, and insights into the drivers that affect health and science communications in different markets worldwide, and to build professional relationships with other GLOBALHealthPR personnel around the globe.
Kaitlin is an account director at GHPR U.S. partner Spectrum. To follow her experiences on the GLOBALHealthPR Professional Exchange Program online, use #GHPRConnects to join the conversation and see all of the 2016 exchange programming.
As the week and my GLOBALHealthPR Employee Exchange draw to a close in New York City, I can only describe the experience as amazing.
Every day has brought me brand new, exciting opportunities in which I have been able to uncover “The Spectrum Way” of working, meet with new friends and team members, and continue to build a relationship with my U.S.-based colleagues.
Over the past fortnight, my eyes have been opened up to an entirely new world of healthcare communications. I’ve been privileged to immerse myself in the offices, while also being provided opportunities to share my knowledge of the Australian marketplace as well.
Presenting to Spectrum at its New York offices
This week, I was able to present to the New York office about the work VIVA! does in Australia, share case studies, and discuss an upcoming collaborative Asia-Pacific regional disease-awareness campaign, all while taking questions from the audience.
I’ve also been able to take in some of New York City, and was very privileged to meet with Peggy Peck, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief ofMedPage Today, who provided me a very detailed overview of how the US healthcare system works, and how this differs from the Australian healthcare model.
At the ball game: Tim, Mark, Andrew & Drew
I’ve spent time with many team members, discussing the different practice-areas (Biopharma, Consumer Science, Biotech/Specialty) and cross-functional teams (including digital/creative and finance) that Spectrum team members represent, as well as the GHPR model of communicating globally. And, despite the business of the week, some of the team even took me out to a ballgame at the famed Yankee Stadium.
I’m excited to share all of my experiences with the team when I return home to Australia.
Tomorrow, I am booked for a tour of the NBC Studios, where I hope to learn a little more about the American television and radio media.
More than anything else, I want to express my personal gratitude to everyone in the Washington DC and New York Spectrum offices. You have all made me feel so welcome, and helped to create a one-in-a-lifetime experience, and I am beyond appreciative.
Mark participated in the GLOBALHealthPR Professional Exchange Program as a representative of the exclusive Australian partner, VIVA! Communications. The program aims to enhance the connectivity of GLOBALHealthPR agencies through collaboration, best practice sharing, and insights into the drivers that affect health and science communications in different markets worldwide, and to build professional relationships with other GLOBALHealthPR personnel around the globe.
About Mark: Mark Henderson is Queensland Branch Manager at GHPR Australia partner, VIVA! Communications. Follow his experiences on the GLOBALHealthPR Professional Exchange Program online, using the #GHPRConnects hashtag.
Watch this space for updates on our one-of-a-kind program from now through November.
Day 1 of Mark Henderson’s GLOBALHealthPR Exchange at Spectrum, Washington, D.C.
Mark Henderson (centre) joins GHPR team members Andrew Bailey (L) and Drew Wallace (R) at the Spectrum DC office.
Since arriving in Washington, DC as part of the GLOBALHealthPR Professional Exchange Program, I’ve been privileged to witness a lot of American history, from Capitol Hill (the seat of the United States Congress and legislative branch of the US Federal Government), to The White House (the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the US, also dubbed “The Nation’s Most Famous Address”).
Warmly welcomed by Andrew Bailey, and the Spectrum team at its Washington DC offices today (Monday, September 19, 2016), I’ve been given a tour of the office and met many staff. I’ve also been privy to an orientation from Spectrum’s HR lead, Julian, who documented the company’s 20 year-long history, founded on the idea of “transforming complicated science into compelling stories,” to its dramatic growth in the past four years, which has seen the company double in size to upwards of 60 staff members across three offices (DC, New York and Atlanta), and those who work remotely.
Further to this introduction, I’ve been privileged to participate in several brainstorm sessions, and teleconferences that have offered me an opportunity to begin to understand the way in which business gets done at Spectrum. I’ve been truly impressed by all that I’ve learned since arriving here.
New koalas took up residence in Washington thanks to Mark’s arrival from VIVA in Australia.
I was privileged to speak with Tim Goddard, Senior Vice President of GlOBALHealthPR, who provided me a warm welcome to the company, and outlined many of the different opportunities I will experience in the United States during my two week tenure here. Notably, I will be meeting with each of the four Functional Group Leads for Spectrum, including those representing the BioPharma, BioTech, Consumer Science and Public Affairs divisions, along with a host of other senior staff, such as the business managers who work within each of these groups.
It’s only day one, but I already feel like I’ve learned so much about Spectrum, its rich and vibrant history, and plans for the future, and I very much look forward to what the coming weeks have in store, both Washington DC, and in New York City.
Mark is participating in the GLOBALHealthPR Professional Exchange Program representing exclusive Australian partner, VIVA! Communications. The Program aims to enhance the connectivity of GLOBALHealthPR agencies through collaboration, best practice sharing, and insights into the drivers that affect health and science communications in different markets worldwide, and to build professional relationships with other GLOBALHealthPR personnel around the globe.
About Mark: Mark Henderson is Queensland Branch Manager at GHPR Australia partner, VIVA! Communications. To follow his experiences on the GLOBALHealthPR Professional Exchange Program online, use #GHPRConnects to join the conversation and follow all of the 2016 exchange programming.
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I’ve been in Sydney, Australia for just over a week now as a part of the 
One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things,” said American writer Henry Miller. And starting this week, I’ll be privy to an entirely new way of seeing things from the opposite side of the world in Sydney, Australia as a part of the 2016 
