JEAN-MICHEL DUMONT
Chairman, Ruder Finn Asia

In 2009, Jean-Michel Dumont will mark his 23rd year in Asia, mainly in Greater China. His expertise has helped Ruder Finn to become one of the top 5 international PR agencies in the Mainland China market and a recognized leader in several areas, including automotive, healthcare and corporate programs. He was promoted to Chairman of Ruder Finn Asia at the end of 2008. In his new role, he is responsible for the growth and development of Ruder Finn Asia, devising Asia-wide strategic direction for Ruder Finn and setting the tone on how Ruder Finn Asia business is managed.

To provide counsel on Asia strategies, Mr. Dumont draws on his knowledge and experience from many different types of campaigns for a broad spectrum of clients. In the arena of corporate communication and public affairs, he led accounts that included the Finnish Foreign Trade Association and was involved with the Beijing 2000 Olympic Bid Committee as well as the Beijing government communication support during the SARS period. He has also been involved in positioning and product launches for global clients, including Mars Inc., Danone and Procter & Gamble, and was involved in issues management ranging from labor dispute to market withdrawal and product tampering in a range of industries. His lengthy experience in Asia gives Mr. Dumont a thorough understanding of how to create and implement image-building programs throughout the region.

Mr. Dumont joined Ruder Finn after more than 12 years with Edelman China. A native of France, he is fluent in French, English, Spanish and Portuguese and has a working knowledge of Mandarin, Italian and Indonesian.

CYRUS QIAO
General Manager, Ruder Finn Beijing

Cyrus Qiao is now the General Manager of Ruder Finn Beijing since Aug of 2007. He joined Ruder Finn in January of 2003 to serve premium consumer brands bringing his expertise on communications for Audi, a respectable and premium auto brand, and other premium consumer brands, such as Cartier, Hermes, etc. And in 2006 he led the win of the pitch of Li Ning, the largest local sports brand in China. He provides to the clients with consulting services on integrated marketing communications from strategic planning, brand building, industrial research, supervision of the execution, media programs, marketing events, etc.

Cyrus has more than 17 years of experience in public relations and public affairs working both in the private and government sector. Prior to joining Ruder Finn, Cyrus worked in Ogilvy PR for more than 3 and half years. He was responsible for communications of IBM Software and its partners. In Ogilvy, he also worked for several other clients on corporate communications and co-worked with the Ogilvy Advertising team to work out integrated marketing communications strategy for the clients.

From 1995-1998, Cyrus also worked as an associate for the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress, at where he got substantial experience with government procedure and structure, and built close relations with some of the government organizations.

Cyrus got his Bachelor degree of English Language in the Nankai University in 1990 and Master degree of Law in the State University of Hokkaido of Japan in 1998.

GAO MING
General Manager, Ruder Finn Shanghai

Gao Ming has over ten years experience in Communications in China, ranging from Corporate and Marketing Communications to Event Management, from Crisis and Issue Management to Media and Crisis Training, as well as Interactive Marketing and ePR.

Gao Ming provides strategic consultation and manages communications programs for a wide variety of sectors such as premium consumer, manufacturing, finance, healthcare, travel and tourism, and government. His main clients include Bayer, Bang & Olufsen, Calyon, Credit Agricole, Carrier, Canali, Cartier, Citi, DBS, Harley-Davidson, Emirates Airline, Hermes, Montblanc, Warner Bros, Moet Hennessy Diageo, Singapore EDB, SG Private Banking and Wyeth.

With a strong background in technology and his expertise in Interactive Marketing and ePR, Gao Ming provides clients with online communication strategies and programs to reach their target audience. He is Internet savvy and had started blogging in 2004.

As an experienced crisis and issue management specialist, Gao Ming has successfully managed numerous crisis and issue communications projects, ranging from downsizing to market pull-out, product recall to scandal containment, and trademark dispute to litigation support.

Gao Ming first joined Ruder Finn Shanghai in 2005 as Senior Consultant to lead the Premium Consumer team and then as Account Director to head the Corporate Team. In March 2008, he was promoted to General Manager of Ruder Finn Shanghai.

Prior to Ruder Finn, Gao Ming founded and managed West Village Agency, a boutique Public Relations firm based in Shanghai. His major clients included Tissot, Nike, Vichy, Maybelline and Kerastase.

Before moving into Public Relations, Gao Ming was involved in the media industry covering print media, television and the Internet.

Gao Ming graduated from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree.

SHARON LIAO
General Manager, Ruder Finn Guangzhou

Sharon joined Ruder Finn Shanghai on June, 2002 and currently leads Ruder Finn’s Guangzhou operation which is one of the largest international firms in South China.

Sharon’s profound knowledge of and experience in devising micro media strategies have helped countless clients navigate real and potential crisis scenarios that can emerge in a highly competitive marketplace. She hasbeen instrumentally managed a portfolio of blue chip accounts of Ruder Finn China including Hennessy (Prestige and X.O. brands), Michelin, International Copper Association, Glenfiddich Single Malt Whisky and Canadian Tourism Commission, IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.) among others. Communications for these clients, covering a wide spectrum of Public Relations services, conducted at both the local and national levels with media, trade and celebrity involvement have polished her reputation in the industry.

In addition, she’s also an experienced trainer of media handling and crisis management by managing over 20 training sessions for CEOs and senior management teams of multinational corporations. Her recent clients include Amoy Ajinomoto and Merrill Lynch’s Arm of Investment Banking who invited her to be the trainer and consultant to train the executives or its clients to get momentum to deal with media or present before investors.

Prior joining Ruder Finn, Sharon spent two years with Edelman PR and drove several key accounts in South China, such as Ericsson, UPS, P&G Rejoice, Wrigley Chewing Gum Company mainly in corporate communications fields.

Before that, Sharon worked in the Humanities Division of the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology as a Teaching Assistant while she completed her Master of Philosophy degree in Cultural Studies. She’s one of the three under-graduates in Guangdong Province selected to be granted studentships in Hong Kong by the State Ministry of Education & HKSAR. Sharon got her Bachelor’s degree from Zhongshan University in Chinese Language and Literature and minored in Economics with First Honoured. Before that, Sharon was a freelance journalist with the Economic Desk in Yang Cheng Evening News and New Express, where she developed her comprehensive media relations and editorial skills.