New research shows clear positive trends emerging within the Asia Pacific (APAC) Corporate Communications landscape in the next two years, with over 80 percent of senior corporate communications managers foreseeing the influence exerted by their function steadily increasing across the region over that time.
The research also found that half (52 percent) of senior communications professionals operating in the Asia Pacific region are anticipating growth in their communications function in 2016, according to the research. In addition, 69 percent of respondents are open to new career opportunities — with 62percent ‘considering opportunities’ and 7 percent ‘actively looking’, indicating a passive, yet positive, market.
The data, from specialist marketing and communications consultancy VMA Group, is based on a survey of delegates at the inaugural Asia-Pacific Communications Summit in Hong Kong, 19th and 20th November, where they were sole talent sponsor. The event, co-hosted by the Asia-Pacific Association of Communications Directors (APACD) and Communication Director Magazine, was attended by senior practitioners from organisations including Microsoft Asia, American Express, L’Oreal, Bayer, Alibaba Group, AXA, BNY Mellon, GE, Johnson & Johnson, KPMG, Li & Fung, HSBC Holdings, Huawei Technologies, Nomura, and Barclays Bank. The survey polled 180 conference delegates on an anonymous basis with a 40 percent response rate.
Commenting on the results, Lisa MacMillan, Head of VMA Group’s Hong Kong office, said: “Without a doubt, this is the most valuable – and hotly anticipated – event in the APAC communications calendar and the calibre of delegates at the APACD Summit makes our latest findings all the more insightful. This research reinforces what previous market analysis has already highlighted about the local communications market – the future for Asian business is optimistic, and the future of Asian communications looks set for corresponding growth.”
Daniela Mackay-Cruise, Head of VMA Group’s Singapore office, added: “According to our most recent ‘Pulse’ report – an annual survey of over 500 corporate communications professionals across Asia – almost three quarters of communications professionals working in Asia forecast growing importance for the wider function in the next two years with Internal Communications and Digital Comms reporting the most significant growth. Against this backdrop, it is unsurprising that over half of senior professionals surveyed at the APACD Summit expect growth within their own teams next year.”
