Shawn Balakrishnan

Shawn Balakrishnan is a communications professional with nearly 20 years’ experience in public relations, corporate and marketing communications, issues management, and public affairs. Shawn leads the Asia operation for Penta out of Singapore. He is responsible for managing and growing the operations, including overseeing affiliate relationships across Asia Pacific and North Asia.

A former journalist, Shawn is a multi-cultural and multi-lingual communications professional with an international mindset. He possesses an in-depth knowledge of complex global business operating in a highly-regulated and commercially-fluid environment. He has dynamic experience in public relations and social media outreach in the region.

Today, he oversees client satisfaction at the highest levels and leads the team in developing programme strategies and thought leadership campaigns. He is passionate about helping clients to build their brands through creative storytelling and stakeholder engagement campaigns that help break through the cluttered media environment.

His experience includes handling clients from all sectors–from local SMEs to MNCs across wide-ranging industries, from governments to corporates to technology (consumer and enterprise) companies. His ability to develop communication strategies, integrating key topics at global, regional, and country level as well as experience in dealing with a host of personalities from different industries, cultures, and backgrounds are all part and parcel of the fun and enriching experience agency life brings to the table.