SINGAPORE--Singapore-based consultancy Watatawa is upping its staff strength again, adding two former journalists to its expanding operation.

In Hong Kong, the consultancy has hired former FD SVP Elain Chan as associate partner. Chan was previously China business editor at the South China Morning Post, and also worked at Bloomberg as Shanghai bureau chief.

Watatawa has also hired former Straits Times Indonesia bureau chief Lynn Lee, who will join the firm on 1 September in Singapore. The new appointments follow the additions earlier this year of FT veteran John Burton in Seoul, and former agency heads Allison Lim and Laurel Teo in Singapore.

Watatawa was launched last year by former Burson-Marsteller vice-chairman Bill Rylance, and won paper producer APRIL Asia’s global public relations account within its first 12 months of operation. Other founding partners include Simon Pangrazio and Bryan Matthews.

“We are putting together a team with a unique combination of experience in media, corporate communications and financial communications in Asia,” said Rylance. “We’re a young firm but I think our approach appeals to people who are excited about doing high-level strategic work that really makes a difference to clients.”