SINGAPORE—Burson-Marsteller has hired Weber Shandwick's Barkha Patel-Zinzuwadia as Singapore market leader, filling a position that has remained noticeably vacant for more than two years.

Burson Asia-Pacific CEO Pat Ford told the Holmes Report that Patel-Zinzuwadia is charged with "rebuilding" the firm's Singapore operation.

"We continue to have a strong operation there but we were bigger in earlier years," admitted Ford. "We’ve been flat over the past couple of years. I see us having a very good resurgence there in the next year or two."

Prior to Patel-Zinzuwadia's arrival, Burson-Marsteller's last Singapore market head was Steve Bowen, who held the position for five months after the departure of his predecessor, Allison Lim.

Patel-Zinzuwadia departs Weber Shandwick after more than three years with the agency, most recently as SVP and head of technology.

Her addition follows the recent hire of Ben Evetts as director and head of technology at Burson Singapore. Evetts also joins the agency from Weber Shandwick, in this case the firm's London office. 

"Despite not having a market leader there, our business has held up very well," added Ford. "We were close to flat in 2013."