PERTH — PPR has hired Perth-born PR veteran Fiona McRobert to lead the local office of the national PR firm. McRobert is returning to Australia from a career in the US and is taking the role of WA market lead to work with PPR's Perth-based communications specialists while driving further growth and overseeing a client roster of both local and national businesses. Prior to PPR, McRobert held a senior leadership position at 42West. Before that, she was head of global comms for media agency Universal McCann, where she led external, internal and digital communications. 

NEW DELHI — Weber Shandwick has announced that following an open tender process which saw participation from leading agencies within the country, Population Services International (PSI) India has appointed the firm as its communications partner. The firm is responsible for work with a specific focus on areas such as healthcare, sanitation, and family planning for the organization. PSI was established in 1988 and compliments the efforts of the Government of India in priority health areas of maternal and child health, sanitation, tuberculosis, family planning, and gender based violence. Using PSI's market development approach and targeting social behavior change, it works to address market failures in the public health space across the country. 

SHANGHAI — Burson-Marsteller has been named public relations agency of record for General Tire in China. Led from Shanghai, Burson-Marsteller will provide integrated marketing communications services that include a large digital component to support the brand’s launch and awareness initiatives in China. Under the partnership, the firm will also offer strategic counsel to the tire-maker to expand brand awareness within the competitive Chinese tire market through consumer-focused campaigns concentrated on innovative storytelling.

SINGAPORE — Air conditioning provider Kaer Pte Ltd. has appointed Technical Associates Group (TAG) as its marketing communications agency for the APAC region. TAG's Singapore office will lead the appointment, and it will create an integrated communications campaign that encompasses corporate reputation, media relations, social media, content and video production across APAC markets including Singapore, Indonesia and India. 

MUMBAI — MSL India has hired Ashish Mehrotra as chief video officer; Ankita Chawla as chief of social voice; and Urvashi Pant as chief content officer. Mehrotra worked at digital media company Culture Machine. Chawla's experience includes working with media and digital advertising firms such as NDTV, Webchutney and Wunderman International. Pant previously worked with the Times of India and India Today Group.