GHC Asia to partner with Japan’s Hakuhodo

GHC Asia, an independent public relations network specialising in the luxury lifestyle sector, is to join Hakuhodo Japan.

GHC Asia will continue to operate as an independently managed company, and its founders Lynn Grebstad and Paul Hicks will still lead the business. The name of the business will also remain unchanged.

However, GHC Asia will now benefit from the considerable resources of one of Asia’s largest integrated advertising, marketing and PR services groups to help power its expansion throughout the region.

GHC Asia currently employs over 70 people throughout its network of five offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore and Bangkok.

“We are delighted to be joining Hakuhodo,” said Paul Hicks, CEO of GHC Asia (pictured left). “We found a strong fit with Hakuhodo’s company values and ours – which are about understanding and appealing to the lifestyles of people and not just treating them as “consumers”. Hakuhodo calls this “sei- katsu-sha” insight. We are looking forward to a very successful partnership, and to growing our business significantly in the coming few years with their support.”

“GHC Asia is the perfect partner for us to help us enhance our PR capabilities in Asia, “said Yasutoshi Hiratsuka, General Manager of Hakuhodo’s Investment & Management Division.

“The Hakuhodo Group is strengthening its business network in newly developing countries, particularly in Asia, with a view to realizing the goal laid out in its Medium-Term Business Plan for the years 2014-18 of standing as one of the world’s top advertising and marketing services groups with integrated marketing solutions that increase clients’ enterprise value. The capital participation in GHC Asia is part of this endeavour.”