SINGAPORE — Microsoft has named Marina Levina as its new director of communications for Asia, and brought in Edelman to handle regional PR duties.

Levina replaces Andrew Pickup, who left the company this month after seven years leading communications and 26 years with the company in total.

Previously, Levina was director of commercial communications for Microsoft Asia, a position she took up in 2017. Before that, she spent nine years with Microsoft in Moscow, as PR, communications and citizenship director. 

Meanwhile, Microsoft Asia has hired Edelman to handle regional PR duties, after incumbent firm IN.FOM resigned the business in April. It is understood that Edelman secured the business following a competitive review to identify IN.FOM's successor.

Edelman's mandate covers corporate, commercial, consumer and analyst relations for Microsoft at the Asia HQ level. It does not affect Microsoft's local market relationships, which include IN.FOM in Singapore, Ogilvy in Australia, Edelman in Malaysia, H+K Strategies in Thailand and China, and Weber Shandwick in China. 

“Microsoft is one of the most trusted technology businesses globally, having built their reputation on delivering valuable technology to people’s lives," said Edelman Singapore CEO John Kerr. "There is nothing more important to a brand in the current climate than building and preserving hard-earned trust, and we look forward to delivering communications strategies that deliver on that imperative."