Bill Rylance, President & CEO, Burson-Marsteller Asia Pacific/Middle East

Bill Rylance joined Burson-Marsteller in London in 1982. In 1986, he was assigned to Korea to lead the company’s worldwide public relations programme for the 1988 Seoul Olympics, providing counsel to the Organising Committee President, senior IOC officials, and major Olympic sponsors. In 1989, he established Merit Communications, Korea’s first international public relations consultancy. Over the next decade, Merit became the largest PR firm in Korea. As CEO, Bill managed all aspects of the company’s development and assisted leading Korean and multinational clients on a diverse range of issues. During this time, he also worked with Korea’s Ministry of Finance in its response to the 1997 Asian financial crisis. He later spearheaded the global communications programme, integral to Korea’s successful bidding campaign to host the FIFA World Cup.

In 1999, Merit Communications was acquired by Burson-Marsteller and Rylance returned to the company as President and CEO, Asia Pacific/Middle East. He is a Board Member of the company’s Worldwide Executive Committee and a senior partner of WPP Group Plc.

During his tenure as President and CEO, Rylance has seen the Asia Pacific network more than double in size; with new offices opening, acquisitions and significant client growth. He will be moving up to a new role in January 2008 as Chairman, Burson-Marsteller Asia Pacific, and Vice Chairman, Global Development, Burson-Marsteller Worldwide. In his new role he will continue to support the regional leadership team and, on a global level, will be focussed on client and network growth.

In conversation with exchange4media’s Pallavi Goorha, Rylance shares his plans for the way ahead for Burson-Marsteller as also the PR industry in India.

Q. Do you think PR plays a secondary role in the communication strategy of a client? On the contrary, clients have started appreciating the true value of our role in their business strategy. Today, they expect us to counsel them on ‘What should we do?’ rather than ‘What should we say?’.

Q. How do you think the effectiveness of PR can be measured? PR can be measured in various ways, but the most important is thorough third party research measuring perceptual shifts as they relate to the influencing of behaviour and action.

Q. You will be moving up to a new role in January 2008, as Chairman, Burson-Marsteller Asia Pacific, and Vice Chairman, Global Development. What would your new role involve?

I will wear two hats in my new role. As Chairman of Asia Pacific, I will continue with my involvement in the region, which is a big geographical footprint for us spreading all the way across Japan, China and the Indian Sub-continent. I will be focusing on our strategic initiatives in Asia and continue to explore potential acquisitions here.

Globally, I will be focussed on looking at emerging markets, such as Eastern Europe and Africa, where there is high growth potential for global public relations. I will also be looking at developed countries to identify acquisition opportunities where we can extend our offering of specialist and integrated services.

Q. How would you differentiate the PR industry in India vis-a vis global public relations? I think the firm needs to be consistent on a worldwide basis. There has to be one company, one team and one culture. However, we must inculcate an appreciation of uniqueness in each market. I would say that India is rapidly changing in the way it looks at the public relations profession, and its emerging role in the entire communication spectrum. Just as India is converging with the global economy, so is the public relations industry. In this process, Indian PR professionals are not only adopting international best practices, but are also sharing their home-grown knowledge on the global stage.

Q. What do you think the Indian PR industry lacks and what steps do we need to take to match up to our global counterparts? I think the Indian PR market is already sophisticated. It is a highly competitive market with many impressive firms, and of course, an incredibly vibrant media. I think it is facing the same challenges as many other markets such as increasing scarcity of talent, spiraling costs, and demands by clients for improved efficiency.

Q. What are the strategies you adopt while deciding on the communication plan for a client? We have a research-led approach to developing communication strategies for our clients. It is important to understand the stakeholders and their perceptions and expectations of a company. We are then able to recommend a programme which bridges the gap between a company’s actions and stakeholders’ perceptions.

Q. How is Genesis Burson-Marsteller equipping its employees to learn and adopt new skills and best practices?

We have a dedicated learning centre in Gurgaon with customised online and classroom training programmes. We also have cross-border learning, with Genesis Burson-Marsteller employees sent on deputation to Burson-Marsteller offices globally.

We are building employee knowledge in the areas of digital communication, measurement solutions and direct outreach platforms, which are increasingly becoming important in our industry.

Q. How would you differentiate between PR and corporate communications? It’s an interesting question. The key word in PR is ‘relations’, whilst the key word in corporate communications is ‘communication’. The former implies a dialogue and interdependency, whilst the latter implies one-way communications. Clearly, the world has entered into an era of dialogue or conversations. I believe PR is perfectly placed to be integral in this rapidly evolving environment.

Q. According to you, what is the essential quality one needs to have to become a successful PR professional?

The most essential quality is to have the ability to understand and deal with cultural diversity due to the changing profile and needs of clients. Then, there is the ability to understand and work with research findings. There is a growing demand for ROI from clients, which means we need to be able to measure and evaluate results in the client’s context, not just our own.

Managing multi-market programmes is another essential quality. With a globalised economy, it has become important to work on complex businesses involving multiple stakeholders across global markets. Activities undertaken in one market have an impact across geographies, thanks to the instantaneous free-flow of information across the Internet. Sensitivity and awareness of global implications of local action needs to be ultra-high.

There needs to be an understanding of communications tools and channels. As the Internet increasingly becomes the primary source of information for many, it is becoming important to understand and utilise digital tools.

PR professionals also need to have an appreciation of legal frameworks and regulatory issues. As laws are being strengthened and their enforcement becomes more rigorous, we need to be more aware than ever of the legal landscape.