Diana Marszalek 07 Jul 2021 // 4:00PM GMT
SINGAPORE — Yvonne Koh has joined Teneo as managing director in Singapore after less than a year as Edelman’s head of corporate for Asia-Pacific.
A Teneo spokesperson confirmed Koh’s appointment. “We continue to invest in senior talent across the region,” the rep said. Koh reports to Chris Lauwerys, Teneo’s head of Singapore.
Koh’s move to Teneo comes after a roughly 10-month stint with Edelman, which she joined last September to lead the agency’s corporate business across Asia-Pacific. Koh had joined Edelman from Klareco, where she spent nine months as senior director and partner. Previously, she spent three years as PayPal's head of Asia-Pacific communications, following a lengthy stint with MSL in New York and Singapore.
Teneo has also bolstered its Hong Kong operation, which Patricia Heiberger has joined as a managing director. A former journalist, Heiberger will support global and regional transactions including takeovers, listings and restructuring, all subjects she covered as a reporter.
Koh also joins amid changes in Teneo’s top leadership following CEO Declan Kelly’s abrupt departure last week due to allegations of inappropriate behavior. Paul Keary, a Teneo co-founder who was serving as COO, was named CEO upon Kelly’s exit. On Tuesday, the firm named former Xerox chief executive Ursula Burns chairwoman, filling another role Kelly held.
Kelly’s resignation stemmed from his behavior at a May 2 fundraiser for Global Citizen, which was reported by The Financial Times. Global Citizen removed Kelly from its board the day after the incident.
General Motors canceled its $250,000-per-month contract with Teneo after news of Kelly’s behavior surfaced, raising questions whether other clients would follow. Kelly, who worked directly with GM CEO Mary Barra, also worked with the heads of Coca-Cola, Dow, IBM and UBS.
Earlier this year, Teneo was embroiled in another high-profile controversy. In March, The Guardian reported that Trump aide Jason Miller had a secret deal with Teneo to hide his $500,000 salary from the firm to avoid paying child support.
In December, Doug Band, who co-founded the firm with Kelly and Keary in 2011, left to pursue other interests.