SINGAPORE — Sandpiper has promoted Robert Magyar to the newly created role of managing director of Sandpiper Health.

Magyar will oversee Sandpiper’s expanding regional specialist team of healthcare communications and public affairs advisors based in Australia, China, Hong Kong SAR, New Zealand, and Singapore.  He also will continue serving as senior executive director in Sandpiper’s China business and leading the company’s regional public affairs offering.


Magyar will work closely with Sarada Chellam, director of Sandpiper Health and general manager of Sandpiper Singapore, in overseeing the roughly 30-person practice.


Magyar joined Sandpiper in 2021 following the company’s acquisition of North Head in China, which had one of the largest specialist healthcare communications and public affairs teams in North Asia.

In February, Sandpiper launched Sandpiper Health with the merger of the agency’s and North Head’s healthcare practices. Since that time, Magyar and Singapore-based directors Saskia Kendall and Sarada Chellam have been leading the roughly 30-person team.

“We are incredibly proud of the great work and results for our clients being achieved by our Sandpiper Health team and under Robert’s leadership, we will look to significantly expand our regional presence and reach,” said Sandpiper Chief Executive Emma Smith. “As the only specialist healthcare consultancy combining both communications and public affairs expertise in the region, we believe we can offer clients a significantly differentiated offering. Practitioners with Robert’s depth of experience and knowledge of the healthcare landscape in Asia Pacific are rare and we feel incredibly privileged to have him leading our dynamic and talented team.”