YANGON—Singapore-based Rice Communications is opening of Rice Communications Myanmar with anchor clients including Hughes and Bosch.

"Myanmar is the most exciting emerging market in Asia, and phenomenal growth is on the cards this year as the country leapfrogs into the digital age," says Sonya Madeira, Rice Communications founder and managing partner. Myanmar's economy is on course to grow 7.8 percent this year, with foreign direct investment expected to reach more than $5 billion, according to the Myanmar Investment Commission. Almost a third of that investment is in the telecommunications sector, followed by oil and gas, real estate, and travel and hospitality.

The agency team in Myanmar is led by associate director Donna Garcia—who joined from Eastwest PR five years ago—who will divide her time between Singapore and Yangon, and will continue to lead several of the agency's key regional accounts in Singapore.

Rice Communications currently has 22 people across Singapore and Myanmar, serving clients including Bosch, ESET, FICO, Inmarsat, Kimberly-Clark, Millennial Media, Mobile Marketing Association, National Instruments, and Palo Alto Networks.