HONG KONG — Montieth SPRG has hired Leslie Fung as director, overseeing day-to-day operations for the joint venture that was formed earlier this year. 

US consultancy Montieth & Company formed the Asia-Pacific joint venture with leading local player SPRG to service the former firm's global clients in Hong Kong and beyond. 

Fung arrives after spending the past two years as GM of financial communications consultancy Wonderful Sky. He previously spent several years in-house, in senior corporate affairs roles at Lee Kum Kee, HKR International and Tiana Pharmaceuticals.

“Leslie has a deep understanding of APAC’s media markets and knows how to build brand awareness for companies across sectors," said Montieth SPRG co-founder Montieth Illingworth. "His grasp of the regional and cultural nuances makes Leslie highly valuable to our clients and I’m proud that he’s joined our global team to accelerate our growth even faster."

Montieth SPRG is overseen by a JV board, to which Fung reports, that features co-chairmans Illingworth and Richard Tsang, the CEOs of Montieth & Co and SPRG, respectively.  

 “Companies with little or no presence in APAC continue to see the attraction of the region’s markets," added Tsang. "How to build a corporate profile and leverage media and marketing activity for commercial ends remains a challenge for many such firms. Montieth SPRG helps non-APAC headquartered firms overcome those challenges and Leslie’s appointment adds to the weight of senior counsel that the agency can offer."

The JV is the latest stage of collaboration between the two firms, which stretches back to 2006. In its initial phase, the firm serves clients from the Americas and EMEA that seek to penetrate new markets in Asia-Pacific and expand across the region, covering such services as marketing communications and media relations, issues and crisis management and financial communications/IR.

Montieth SPRG already has staff and clients in Hong Kong; beyond this market, the firm's requirements will be serviced by SPRG's regional network. Tsang previously told PRovoke Media that he expects Montieth SPRG to be around five to eight people within three years, but that it will remain separate from SPRG.