"Clients have lost money by producing collateral (materials) for events that have had to be cancelled - we've also been asked to delay work," Jones said.
Her comments echo recently released figures by marketing services group WPP, which amid first quarter operating revenues for 2003, announced that healthcare and specialist communications saw a drop of almost two per cent on a global basis.
Edelman is keen to press on regardless, and is regionally investing in a practice area it views as being more than nascent.
Heading its healthcare division in Australia for the past nine years, Jones made the move to Singapore in late 2002, assuming the role of regional practice MD earlier this year. She believes the legacy of experience from markets with developed pharma sectors like Australia and New Zealand offers valuable lessons for other markets - although the key growth areas are elsewhere she says.
"Our big priorities right now are in Taiwan and Korea."
Recent client side additions to Edelman's Korea team include former Roche Korea product manager Genie Park, who returns to the consultancy to flank deputy MD and former Merck, Sharpe and Dohme comms manager, Hoh Kim.
Ramping up its Australian healthcare division with the appointment of four new PR practitioners, account director Kris Ashpole returns to Edelman after three years as an account manager, recently spending a year as senior comms manager at the New South Wales Cancer Council. Account manager Gillian Connery makes the move from the Environmental Protections Authority where she was senior public affairs officer; while senior account executive Kristy Cole was recently a consultant at Sydney-based healthcare specialist Palin Communications.
Identifying the China market as "very large but quite fragmented", Jones flagged Japan and India as 'goal markets' to "button down agency capabilities".
