Global Communication Summit 2020

Joy Tan, a highly respected global communications executive at one of the world's most valuable brands, is responsible for setting the public relations, corporate social responsibility, brand reputation and government relations agenda for Huawei Technologies USA. Widely recognized for her efforts that helped Huawei become one of the most powerful global players in technology, overtaking Sweden's Ericsson and Apple in the U.S. as the world's second largest telecoms-equipment and mobile device maker. With effective management and an excellent performance across all financial indicators, Huawei's business has remained robust in 2019.

In 2017, Tan received the SABRE Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement at the Holmes Report's annual Asia-Pacific awards ceremony and she has remained on the Holmes Report Influence 100 list consecutively for the past five years. Before joining Huawei, Tan worked at Verizon, where she was responsible for consumer strategy and digital marketing, and at TXU Energy, where she led customer acquisition efforts in the newly deregulated energy markets.

Christof Ehrhart is Global Head of Corporate Communications & Governmental Affairs and Executive Vice President of Robert Bosch GmbH, a leading global technology and service company with more than 400,000 employees and subsidiaries and regional companies in more than 60 countries.

From 2009 until 2018 he was Head of Corporate Communications & Responsibility and Executive Vice President at Deutsche Post DHL Group, with about 500,000 employees in more than 200 countries and territories the world´s leading mail and logistics Group.

In 2017 he received the German Image Award from F.A.Z.-Insitute/PRIME Research International for positioning Deutsche Post DHL Group as the German company with the best international media image and the Seismograph Award from PR-Magazin as PR Manager of the Year in Germany.

Prior to joining Deutsche Post DHL Group in 2009, he was in charge of Corporate Communications at European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), the mother company of Airbus. Ehrhart looks back on more than 20 years of experience as professional in international communications and public affairs for major global players such as America Online (Internet), Bertelsmann (Media), Schering (Ethical Pharma) and JT International (Tobacco).

Corley Kenna is a seasoned public affairs and communications professional with almost 20 years of experience. Corley began her career in government and politics. She got her start with Congressman John Lewis (GA) and Senator Zell Miller (GA) and later worked for Senator Tom Carper (DE).

Corley is also a tested campaign operative, having spent election cycles with the New Hampshire Democratic Party, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and on Hillary for New York (2006) and Hillary for President (2008). She rounded out her time in government in the Obama administration, serving as a Senior Advisor in the U.S. State Department in the Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

As Managing Director and Chief of Staff to the CEO of Burson-Marsteller, Corley built and maintained global client and media relationships at one of the world’s leading communication agencies. As Vice President for Public Affairs and Corporate Communications at Ralph Lauren Corporation, she led media response and strategy for all corporate affairs and crisis situations. She founded and co-lead the supply chain Traceability Working Group, a company-wide initiative to improve sustainability with respect to raw materials.

At Patagonia, Corley oversees all product, brand and internal communications. She led the media strategy around the 100% for the Planet Black Friday initiative, which resulted in $10 million in donations to environmental nonprofits worldwide. She currently leads all communication strategy around the company’s initiatives—from public lands to progressive family policies.

Carmen Romero was appointed NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy in October 2016. She joined NATO in May 2004 as Deputy Spokesperson and Head of Press and Media, a position she held for 12 years. She has also been Acting NATO Spokesperson, including during the Russia-Georgia war in August 2008.
Prior to this, Carmen had a long career as the Foreign Affairs Correspondent for EFE News Agency based at the United Nations in Geneva, Moscow and Paris, covering events such as the revolution in Romania, the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the war in Chechnya, the crisis in Kosovo, and the NATO campaign in the former Yugoslavia. From 2001 to 2004 she was the Defence and Foreign Affairs Correspondent for EFE News Agency to the European Union and NATO. During that period she was also special envoy to Iraq and Afghanistan.

As Chief Storyteller at GE, Tomas Kellner oversees the content and social media strategy of GE Reports, GE’s digital media hub, and the GE Brief, GE’s global newsletter. His career in journalism includes eight years as a reporter and staff writer at Forbes magazine in New York, where he covered business, innovation, and technology. Tomas also spent six years at Kroll as a senior director managing business intelligence research and investigations. Tomas graduated from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, and also holds a degree in mechanical engineering and materials science from Czech Technical University. He is a Fulbright Scholar.

Cynthia Chan is Head of Corporate Communications, Greater China for Covestro, a world-leading supplier of high-tech polymer materials. With solid professional experience and proven business acumen, she aspires to drive communications to the next level and drive a unique culture for the company which became independently in Frankfurt in 2015. Chan has worked with APAC based multinationals across a variety of sectors, including finance, technology and retail during her tenure at award-winning global PR agencies prior to Covestro.

Brian Lott has over 20 years’ experience in global public relations, and is the Executive Director, Communications, for the Advanced Technology Investment Company. He joined ATIC from Burson-Marsteller, where he spent 10 years providing strategic guidance to the firm’s public clients, and the last four years leading the agency’s largest relationship, managing a global team of 150 across 25 markets. He was the co-chair of Burson’s key client relationship programme.

Mr Lott began his professional career in Washington, D.C., working for two Members of Congress and serving as Chief of Staff, Spokesman and Campaign Manager over 14 years, managing six successful re-elections over a period spanning three Presidential administrations. He is a published author and has worked as a journalist. He holds a bachelor’s degree with honours in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Iowa, and has studied at the City University of London and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Byung-Hun Park started his career at Burson-Marsteller in 2006. In 2007, he moved to the Hering Schuppener communications consultancy. In 2012, he joined Softweare AG as Senior Vice President Global Corporate Communications & Marketing DACH before joining Viessman, an international manufacturer of heating, industrial, and refrigeration systems, as Vice President Corporate Communications in July 2019.

Mette joined Maersk in August 2017. Prior to joining Maersk, she has served as Head of Corporate Communications in Danfoss, Scandinavian Airlines and TDC, a Danish telecom provider. She has a Master’s degree in Philosophy and Media Science from the University of Aarhus, Denmark.

Corporate Communications drives stakeholder understanding of Maersk’s strategy to become the global integrator of container logistics and builds brand reputation. This is done through impactful leadership and employee engagement, positioning Maersk in the media through earned coverage and serving as custodian of the corporate brand, ensuring the visual identity is adhered to and the tone of voice positions the corporate brand effectively.

Mette is responsible for Corporate Communications globally in Maersk which encompasses the Internal Communications, Media Relations and Branding departments. The Corporate Communication function consists of department leadership and associated teams based in Copenhagen, supported by a network of regionally based communication advisors and managers.

Peko Wan is the Chief Ecosystem Officer for Pundi X, a leading blockchain-based smart device and solution company. Peko is responsible for growing and strengthening the decentralized ecosystem. She facilitates strategic partnerships as well as drives initiatives to deploy Pundi X solutions globally. She has over 15 year experience in the IT industry. Prior to Pundi X, Peko was the Head of Communications, Asia for Opera Software and she led the global PR activities for Opera Max, a leading data management and saving app for Android users.

Hendrik de Wit is Group Manager Communications at Refresco, the world’s largest independent bottler of beverages. With 20 years Marketing & Communications experience within the financial and pharmaceuticals industry, Hendrik managed several M&A trajectories, and key projects such as public listing (IPO), corporate repositioning, rebrandings and launching new strategy, purpose and values.

At the Dutch leading energy supplier Essent (part of Innogy, one of Europe’s largest renewable energy players), Kirstin Simons is Director Corporate Affairs. She is responsible for all aspects of communication and public affairs in the Netherlands and Belgium. Before joining Essent, Kirstin worked as Communications Director at AkzoNobel where she was leading the communication function in Europe and prior to that the global communication function for AkzoNobel’s Performance Coatings division. Kirstin was also a Member of the Supervisory Board of AkzoNobel in Germany. Kirstin started her career as a journalist and PR specialist working for German public television and a PR agency in Berlin, including an assignment at satellite operator SES Astra in Luxembourg, where she led the group’s international PR.

Jeppe Glahn joined Novzymes in May 2005 as director of internal communications, before becoming its director of corporate communications in 2008 and taking up his current role in September 2019. Before joining Novozymes, Jeppe worked at Brodrene Hartmann in a variety of roles in sustainable development and communications from 1998 to 2005.

Anna Beranek is a senior communications manager with extensive experience in thought leadership, reputation management and social media in global roles in various countries at international organizations, including Siemens, BMW and the German Foreign Office. Having lived in Asia, Europe and the U.S., she speaks five languages fluently. Throughout her career, Anna has honed her focus on positioning managing board members, CEOs and top executives as thought leaders in an authentic way, effectively advising them in fast-paced and political environments, including change and crisis communications.

Mike Klein is Principal of Changing The Terms, a Netherlands-based consultancy focused on improving the effectiveness and relevance of internal and social communication. Mike is the author of "From Lincoln to LinkedIn, the 50-Minute Guide to Social Communication" and is a prolific writer on communication-related topics. Mike is Past Chair of IABC EMENA and an MBA graduate of London Business School.