PROI Worldwide Announces New Global Chairman

PROI Worldwide, appointed Richard Tsang as Global Chairman at its annual meeting held in Atlanta. Richard has been serving as the Chairman, APAC Region, Global Development Group of PROI Worldwide since 2013, assisting the partnership in strategically expanding its presence in the Asia-Pacific Region. From 2009 to 2012, he served as Vice-Chairman, Asia-Pacific, of PROI Worldwide.

The appointment of Richard is particularly significant because he will be the first Asian to chair PROI Worldwide since the partnership’s inception in 1970. Richard is a reputable business leader in the APAC region, and has been bestowed with over 15 business and professional accolades, including inclusion in PRWeek’s 2015 Global Power Book “Top 500 most influential professionals in the PR world” and “Asia Power List 2014 – The 50 Most Influential People in PR”, as compiled by PRWeek Asia. He was also included in Debrett’s Hong Kong 100 in 2015, a list that includes “the 100 most influential people in Hong Kong”. Back in 2012, Richard became the first Chinese individual to collect the Asia-Pacific SABRE Award for “Outstanding Individual Achievement”. He also earned the “The Excellence in Achievement of World Chinese Youth Entrepreneurs 2009” award from Yazhou Zhoukan and World Federation of Chinese Entrepreneurs Organisation and collected “Young Entrepreneur Award” at the DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards 2003.

Richard currently holds over 50 board, committee and advisory positions in various business, religious, education and non-governmental organisations.

“I am extremely honoured to be the first Global Chairman to come from the APAC Region,” commented Richard on his appointment. “PROI Worldwide is already the global benchmark in terms of the number of PR professionals under its roof, the scope of services provided and the depth and breadth of network coverage. As the new chairman, my mission will be to help PROI Worldwide scale new heights by developing it into one of the world's most recognisable brands.”

He added, “Following PROI Worldwide’s establishment, numerous strategic alliances between partner companies were forged. On the one hand, this led to a rise in business volume and number of cases handled by partner companies. On the other hand, PROI Worldwide took up the important responsibility of reshaping the global PR industry landscape, including the industry’s contributions to society. I firmly believe that by leveraging the strong growth momentum gathered by PROI Worldwide, and its ability to go beyond geographical boundaries, we are fully capable of providing assistance to the needy and giving back to society with even greater success!”

Richard is the founder and Chairman of PROI Worldwide Greater China’s partner, Strategic Public Relations Group (“SPRG”). Back in 1995, SPRG began operations as a boutique consultancy specialising in financial communications in Hong Kong. Under Richard’s leadership, SPRG successfully branched out, becoming an integrated public relations group with 300 professionals working from nine offices in the region. Within 20 years time, SPRG has transformed into Hong Kong’s largest PR consultancy and one of Asia’s largest PR networks with fee income totalling US$21.8 million in 2015.

SPRG has earned over 145 accolades in the past five years, including “Asia Pacific Network of the Year” by Campaign (SPRG became the first independent agency in Asia to ever win the award) ; “PR Agency of the Year in Asia” and “Grand Stevie Awards Winner” by The Stevie Awards; “Greater China Independent Agency of the Year (Silver)” by Campaign; “Asia Pacific Financial Consultancy of the Year” and “Hong Kong Consultancy of the Year” by The Holmes Report; and “Local Hero – PR Agency of the Year” and “Local Hero - Media Relations Agency of the Year” by Marketing magazine.  It is also “The Most Influential Public Relations Consultancy in the PRC” according to Association for the Promotion of Trade of China.

Strategic CSR Network Limited, also founded by Richard, represents a means of contributing to society. Since late 2014, the not-for-profit organisation that operates under the motto “Care‧Connect‧Contribute” has served as a platform for corporations, NGOs/charities and volunteer workers to join forces to help underprivileged people in Hong Kong on an ongoing basis.