Karen Yap
Corporate Comms Expert

Karen Yap

Previously from Hill+Knowlton Strategies and Weber Shandwick.
Work with Karen Work with a Corporate Comms Expert

About

Karen Yap has regional experiences in the journalism and communications industry, having worked in Singapore, Beijing, New Delhi, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur. Her areas of specialization include integrated communications, issues and crisis management, digital marketing, content marketing, and media relations. At Temasek, she developed and supported brand communications integration plan for Temasek Foundation and stakeholder management. She was also a corporate communications director at Hill+Knowlton Strategies and Weber Shandwick, where she worked with clients such as Singapore Post, Royal Bank of Canada, NetApp, and Horizon Ventures, among many others.

Employment

5 roles
Jun 2019 - Jul 2020 1 year 1 month
Community Engagement & Marketing Manager
Temasek
  • Developed and supported brand communications integration plan at Temasek Foundation and stakeholder management. 
  • Secured earned offline and online media results; drafted materials such as news releases, speeches, factsheets, bios, presentation decks for external and internal stakeholders like presidential and ministerial briefings; managed external communications from media and partners. 
  • Provided story ideation, editing and content production, content system management for distribution to owned channels.
  • Raised publicity on earned and owned digital media channels for The Great Singapore Replay Season 2 (a nationwide talent development for emerging artists) and #BYOBclean (a nationwide distribution of hand sanitizers to all households in Singapore at the height of COVID-19 outbreak), and a community initiative to contribute hand sanitizers, face masks, and medical equipment to protect eldercare facilities and seniors. 
Jun 2017 - Jun 2019 2 years
Director, Corporate Communications
Hill+Knowlton Strategies
  • Grew new clients for Singapore and Hong Kong offices, developed new business pipelines for revenue growth and met annual practice target.
  • Scoured and nurtured talent; managed a team of six people while collaborated with separate teams in the digital and creative space.
  • Built and maintained client relationships, delivered successes for clients against key measurements.
  • Strategized and planned communications and ideated stories for content development for digital and PR.
  • Strengthened media relations among tier one international, trade and mainstream local media and pitch and secure interviews, features, op-eds to raise thought leadership for clients or to raise awareness on certain issues, and developed content for earned and owned digital channels. 
  • Managed issues and crises for clients, including conducting crisis simulation exercises. 
  • Developed content for earned, owned, and paid social content, community management, and data analysis. 
  • Analyzed researches to guide strategic and tactical planning on content development for earned and owned media channels, new business development, and stakeholder management. 
  • Accounts (on retainer and projects): Temasek, Eu Yan Sang, Institute of Banking and Finance, World Cities Summit, Mercer, Sansiri, Hurtigruten, EFG Hermes, IMDEX, Country Garden, Clifford Chance, and National Library Board.
Jan 2014 - May 2017 3 years 4 months
Director, Corporate Communications
Weber Shandwick
  • Led a team of five employees in the financial corporate communications. 
  • Managed business development and client retention.
  • Oversaw media relations and integrated content development for owned and paid media channels. 
  • Acted as senior counsel for issues and crisis management. 
  • Provided strategic planning and management. 
  • Accounts (on retainer and projects): Temasek, GIC, Lendlease, Singapore Post, Royal Bank of Canada, Coutts, Union Bancaire Prive, Brookfield, Heliconia, Horizon Ventures, FWD, NetApp, and Eu Yan Sang.
Feb 2012 - Dec 2013 1 year 10 months
Senior Consultant
Financial PR Pte Ltd

Financial PR is an award-winning investor relations specialist with regional presence in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and The People’s Republic of China.  

  • Secured earned media coverage for clients across Singapore mainstream and regional media. 
  • Created content for clients’ owned media. 
  • Acted as senior counsel for integrated communications. 
  • Created content for press materials and clients’ internal materials. 
  • Clients (on retainer and project): Eu Yan Sang, Navis Capital, Sheng Siong, Asiatravel.com, Lian Beng Group, and Cordlife.
Jan 2000 - Dec 2011 11 years 11 months
Journalist & Assistant News Editor
China Daily, Mergermarket, The Edge, The Star, Asia News Network
  • Revamped news website and social channels. 
  • Established regional content calendar. 
  • Launched a weekly magazine in print and e-format.
  • Edited and wrote stories for business and opinion/editorial sections. 
  • Handled news dissemination through social media, including Twitter and Facebook.
  • Oversaw regional collaboration with writers, editors, and photographers across Asia Pacific. 
  • Supported and implemented changes to transform the newsroom operations into the digital space. 

Education

Mar 2003 - Aug 2005 2 years 5 months
MA, Journalism
Ateneo de Manila University
Aug 1997 - Aug 1999 2 years
BSc, International Business
Johnson & Wales University

Portfolio

2 items