KGA brings in ex-McKinsey and PepsiCo PR head as Beijing managing partner

Lu (pictured) fills the vacancy left by Tom Grimmer, who resigned last August after three years of service and joined HSBC in Hong Kong as head of communications, Asia.

KGA Beijing has been in operation for 20 years, while its Hong Kong office is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

Lu will be on board from 18 February to lead the 10-strong team, together with new financial manager and long-serving colleague Tracy Hu, who is coming back after maternity leave.

Walter Jennings, KGA managing partner for Hong Kong and China, told Campaign Asia-Pacific that Lu brings direct experience from Mainland Chinese and Western organisations, both in-house and at agencies.

Lu’s past roles in Beijing as head of external relations for McKinsey and public affairs director for PepsiCo International are highly relevant to KGA’s corporate communications, financial communications and public affairs service areas. 

Additionally as vice-president at Fortune China, a public relations agency in Beijing, Lu managed the corporate communications portfolios of major financial and professional services firms.

“He understands the perspectives of Chinese enterprises that wish to expand internationally and of multinationals that seek to strengthen their positions within China," said Jennings. "He can assist clients in addressing the unique communications challenges they face in Beijing and beyond.”

Lu began his career as a journalist with Xinhua News Agency, reporting from Beijing and Hong Kong, and speaks fluent Mandarin, English and Cantonese after working in Hong Kong for a decade during the 90s as head of Asia-Pacific at Xinhua's Hong Kong bureau. 

Lu said he was looking forward to using his skills to serve the firm’s clients in China. “The role of China in the world economy has grown exponentially," he said. "Global companies need savvy advice to navigate the complex business and political systems in Beijing."