Vice President & Head of Media Relations, Asia Pacific

The Vice President & Head of Media Relations, Asia Pacific is a critical member of the Global Communications Leadership Team and serves as the senior-most media relations executive across one of the world's largest and most dynamic hospitality regions.

This executive is responsible for shaping, protecting, and enhancing the company's reputation across Asia Pacific through strategic media engagement, executive visibility, thought leadership, corporate storytelling, crisis communications, and issues management. The role oversees media strategy for a diverse portfolio of brands spanning luxury, premium, lifestyle, select-service, extended stay, residences, loyalty programs, and corporate initiatives across more than 20 markets in the region.

The successful candidate will serve as a trusted advisor to regional and global leadership teams, acting as the primary communications counsel on reputation-sensitive matters, major business announcements, mergers and acquisitions, market expansions, sustainability commitments, technology innovations, development activities, and crisis situations.

This individual must possess exceptional media instincts, strong business acumen, extensive experience navigating complex stakeholder environments, and a proven ability to build influence with leading journalists, editors, broadcasters, and digital media platforms throughout Asia Pacific.

The Vice President will lead a high-performing regional team while partnering closely with global communications, investor relations, government affairs, legal, human resources, operations, development, commercial strategy, loyalty, digital, and brand marketing functions.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Media Leadership

• Develop and execute an integrated Asia Pacific media relations strategy aligned with global corporate objectives and regional business priorities.
• Build and maintain the company's reputation as the leading hospitality company across Asia Pacific markets.
• Lead proactive storytelling initiatives that elevate brand equity, corporate reputation, innovation, sustainability efforts, development growth, customer experience excellence, and employer brand positioning.
• Establish annual communications priorities, strategic narratives, and measurable reputation-building objectives.
• Serve as the primary media relations advisor to regional executive leadership.
• Anticipate emerging issues, industry trends, and geopolitical developments that may impact the company's reputation or business performance.

Executive Visibility & Thought Leadership

• Design and execute executive visibility strategies for regional and global leaders operating within Asia Pacific.
• Position senior executives as leading voices on travel, hospitality, tourism, technology, sustainability, customer experience, economic development, and workforce transformation.
• Secure high-impact media opportunities across top-tier international, regional, and local media outlets.
• Develop executive messaging frameworks, media training programs, and leadership communications materials.
• Prepare executives for interviews, speaking engagements, investor events, earnings communications, and public appearances.
• Create thought leadership platforms that strengthen stakeholder trust and industry influence.

Crisis Communications & Issues Management

• Lead regional crisis communications planning, preparedness, and response.
• Serve as a key member of the company's crisis management and business continuity teams.
• Develop and maintain crisis communications protocols, playbooks, escalation procedures, and spokesperson frameworks.
• Advise leadership during operational, reputational, legal, geopolitical, cybersecurity, health, safety, labor, environmental, and social issues.
• Coordinate closely with legal, security, operations, government affairs, and executive leadership during sensitive situations.
• Ensure rapid, accurate, and transparent communications that protect brand reputation and stakeholder trust.
• Conduct regular crisis simulations and media response exercises.

Reputation & Stakeholder Management

• Continuously assess reputation risks and opportunities across regional markets.
• Develop stakeholder engagement strategies that strengthen trust among guests, owners, investors, developers, government agencies, tourism boards, industry associations, employees, and communities.
• Manage complex communications issues involving multiple stakeholders and jurisdictions.
• Provide strategic counsel on public sentiment, media narratives, and stakeholder expectations.

Regional & Market Communications Leadership

• Lead communications strategy across diverse Asia Pacific markets, including Greater China, Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and South Asia.
• Ensure regional communications efforts reflect local cultural, political, and media landscapes while maintaining global consistency.
• Partner with country and market communications teams to strengthen execution excellence and communications capabilities.
• Foster collaboration and knowledge sharing across markets.

Digital Media & News Environment Management

• Monitor evolving media ecosystems and changing news consumption behaviors.
• Integrate earned media strategies with digital, social, and content initiatives.
• Evaluate emerging platforms and communication channels for reputation-building opportunities.
• Oversee real-time monitoring of media coverage, sentiment, and emerging issues.
• Leverage data and analytics to optimize media engagement effectiveness.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing regional communications organization.
• Build a culture of excellence, accountability, innovation, and collaboration.
• Drive succession planning and leadership development initiatives.
• Recruit, retain, and develop top communications talent across the region.
• Manage agency relationships and external communications partners.

Measurement & Reporting

• Establish clear KPIs and performance metrics for media relations effectiveness.
• Measure share of voice, sentiment, message penetration, executive visibility, reputation impact, and media quality.
• Provide regular reporting and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
• Utilize insights and analytics to continuously improve communications outcomes.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, Political Science, International Relations, Business, or a related field.
• Master's degree or advanced professional qualifications preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 15-20 years of progressive experience in corporate communications, media relations, public affairs, or reputation management.
• At least 10 years in senior leadership positions overseeing large regional or multinational communications functions.
• Significant experience working within global hospitality, travel, tourism, consumer, luxury, aviation, technology, or related multinational organizations.
• Proven track record managing communications across multiple Asia Pacific markets.
• Demonstrated success advising C-suite executives and board-level stakeholders.
• Extensive crisis communications and issues management experience.
• Experience leading communications during major corporate transformations, acquisitions, restructurings, or complex business events.

Success Measures

Within the first 12–24 months, success will be measured by:

• Strengthening the company's reputation and media presence across Asia Pacific.
• Increasing quality and share of earned media coverage.
• Enhancing executive visibility among key stakeholders.
• Strengthening crisis preparedness and response capabilities.
• Delivering measurable improvements in media sentiment and stakeholder trust.
• Building a high-performing communications organization.
• Supporting commercial growth and business objectives through strategic communications.
• Establishing the company as the most trusted and influential voice in hospitality across Asia Pacific.

Why Join

This is a rare opportunity to shape the reputation of one of the world's largest hospitality companies during a period of unprecedented transformation and growth. The role offers unparalleled exposure to senior leadership, global stakeholders, and some of the most exciting developments in travel, tourism, technology, sustainability, and customer experience across the Asia Pacific region.