HONG KONG—Edelman has named Cornelia Kunze vice chairman, Edelman Asia Pacific. In the newly created position, Kunze, most recently CEO of Edelman Germany, will support David Brain, president and CEO, Asia Pacific, and the regional team in building out Edelman’s operations in the region. Kunze will be based in Mumbai and report to Brain.
Brain and Kunze worked together for for seven years in the EMEA region, during which time she took the firm’s business in Germany from $6 million to $18 million and worked on the acquisition of digital agency GoSub, now integrated into the Edelman Germany business. According to Brain, “She is a great brands thinker, a terrific corporate counsellor and one of the best managers and leaders of a PR business I have ever worked with.”
Kunze will have a particular remit to help develop the consumer and brand planning offer throughout APAC. She will also be charged with developing Edelman’s current stable of German clients—including BMW, Osram, BASF and TÜV SÜD—in the region. And she will support Robert Holdheim, managing director of Edelman India, with the development of business there in the wake of the Tata win.
A new CEO for Edelman Germany has been appointed and will be announced later this month.