Hong Kong (Business Wire India) -- Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations and public affairs consultancy, announced that it has appointed Simon Pangrazio as President and Chief Executive Officer, Asia Pacific effective January 1, 2008. Pangrazio, who has been with the firm for 11 years, will report to Burson-Marsteller CEO Mark Penn and joins the company's global leadership team. Pangrazio succeeds Bill Rylance, who becomes Chairman, Asia Pacific and the company's Vice Chairman for Global Development.

Pangrazio is based in Hong Kong and will assume leadership of the firm's wholly-owned network of offices through-out the Asia Pacific region. The network includes offices in India, Singapore, Indonesia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan and Australia. Pangrazio will work with the regional and global leadership teams to expand the firm's geographic footprint in the Asia Pacific region, service and grow existing client relationships, develop new business opportunities, further differentiate its suite of digital services and continue to attract and develop the strongest industry talent.

"Simon's appointment from within Burson-Marsteller demonstrates the depth of our leadership team in Asia Pacific," said Mark Penn. "Asia Pacific is a critical growth market for Burson-Marsteller as well as for many of our clients. This appointment will help keep the region strong through a continuity of focus and a smooth transition of leadership."

Pangrazio, 41, joined Burson-Marsteller in 1996 in Melbourne and has held senior country, sub-regional, client leadership and corporate practice roles during tenures in Singapore, Tokyo, Beijing and Hong Kong. He has had a critical role in driving the firm's strategic direction in Asia Pacific as a member of the region's senior leadership team since 2000. Currently, Pangrazio is Regional Managing Director for North Asia and leads Burson-Marsteller's Corporate/Financial Practice for the Asia Pacific region.

During his career, Pangrazio has provided senior counsel to major multi-national companies and organizations in sectors including banking and financial services, mining, technology, telecommunications, FMCG and tourism. He has also provided counsel to clients based throughout the region including: Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines.

Before joining Burson-Marsteller, Pangrazio was an associate director at another major public relations consultancy and worked for seven years in corporate affairs roles with financial services provider National Mutual, which now operates as AXA.

Originally from Australia, Pangrazio has a Bachelor of Arts in public relations from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.