SEC Newgate Greater China

James has 20 years’ experience in advising leading Asian and international organisations and individuals on complex reputation briefs, brand building, cross border M&A, crisis management and investor relations. Prior to Newgate, James was the General Manager of Sandpiper Communications (formerly MHP Communications) in Hong Kong. He has almost a decade of experience in Asia, having formerly been a Partner at Finsbury, where he helped launch the firm’s first Asia office in Hong Kong in 2011.

James has advised private and listed companies across the financial services, professional services, energy and TMT industries. Key highlights in Asia include advising China Gas on its successful US$2.2 billion hostile bid defence from Sinopec; Foxconn Technology on shareholder unrest and ESG; the Qatar Investment Authority on its US$10 billion JV fund with Citic and US$600 million stake acquisition in Lifestyle International Holdings; BlackRock on its maiden activist project in Hong Kong; AGIC Capital on profile raising to support fundraising and European deal flow; Sun Hung Kai Properties on the Hong Kong High Court Trial of its Joint Chairmen; Moody’s Investors Services on its appeal following censure from the SFC in Hong Kong; and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board on its expansion in Asia.

Candise has experience advising Hong Kong, Mainland Chinese, Japanese and multinational companies on a wide range of critical business issues, ranging from reputation management, crises, M&A transactions, litigations, proxy battles and public affairs. Prior to Newgate, she was with CBRE as Communications Manager, where she led both the internal and external communications for the real estate services and investment firm in Hong Kong and the broader Greater Bay Area.

Previously she worked for Brunswick where she supported an array of businesses in private equity, asset management, banking and TMT on their communications needs. During her time, she handled a series of high-stakes corporate reputation issues for leading family businesses and inbound transactions. She speaks native Chinese and fluent English and Japanese.

Victoria has extensive expertise in driving multi-market communications strategies and leading large-scale cross-border marketing and communication campaigns across Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and global markets.

She has strong experience in the financial, professional services and technology sectors, and has advised clients including Honeywell, Ping An, Robosense, Hudson, Cigna, and ACCA.

In 2020, Victoria founded the award-winning, Shanghai-based boutique marketing and communications agency Mars Communications (acquired by SEC Newgate in 2024), where she focused on strategic planning and execution of public relations programmes for Fortune 500 companies, Chinese startups and state-owned enterprises. Before that, she held senior roles at LEWIS Global Communications and FleishmanHillard in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Marylène is a communications professional with nearly two decades of experience advising leading international organisations on corporate communications, strategic reputational issues, brand building and crisis resolution.  She started her career in London and has been based in Hong Kong since 2012.

Marylène joined SEC Newgate from CLSA, the international investment bank of CITIC Securities, and was associate partner at Finsbury Asia before then. She specialises in financial services, fintech, professional services and real estate, and has advised Blackrock, iShares, Amundi, Amundi ETF, PineBridge Investments, Legal and General Investment Management, UBP, Bank of Singapore, iCapital, FalconX, Alvarez & Marsal, Debevoise & Plimpton and Herbert Smith Freehills.