SHANGHAI—Suntech Power Holdings, the world’s largest producer of solar panels, has selected Weber Shandwick to lead the company’s global corporate communications strategy, providing strategic public relations counsel, corporate positioning, media training and relations, as well as reputation management.

The global corporate assignment, led out of Weber Shandwick’s Shanghai office, comes after a competitive pitch believed to have come down to a shoot-out between the Interpublic agency and WPP’s Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide and follows the firm’s previous work in developing a corporate communications program for Suntech.

Weber Shandwick’s San Francisco team will handle public relations Suntech’s business in North America, supported by staff in the Toronto office, providing strategic counsel and positioning to key North American markets, media training, media relations and event management.

According to Edwin Huang, vice president of corporate marketing at Suntech. “As renewable energy becomes an increasingly important issue, our aim is to continue making solar solutions more accessible to markets around the world. Weber Shandwick has proven to be an excellent match in helping us find clarity in communicating Suntech’s story because of its impressive array of senior counselors and industry-leading expertise in energy innovation and cleantech.”