NEW DELHI—Motorola has handed PR duties for a range of Asia-Pacific markets to Zeno, as the mobile brand gears up for expansion in the region.

The move comes as Motorola parent Google confirms the surprise sale of the brand to China's Lenovo. Google acquired Motorola for $12.5bn less than two years ago, but will offload the unit to PC maker Lenovo for $2.91bn.

Zeno secures the assignment following a competitive review, revealed by the Holmes Report late last year. 

The agency is charged with supporting Motorola's new product launches, starting with the Moto G, the well-received entry level handset that is launching in India, Australia and  Southeast Asia.

Once a dominant player in many Asian countries, Motorola's mobile presence has declined in recent years. Now owned by Google, the company is hoping that its new Android-powered handsets will herald a revival, particularly in emerging markets.

It is understood that Zeno MD Papri Dev Sharma will lead the business from the firm's New Delhi office. 

Motorola Mobility director of international and corporate communications WIll Moss confirmed the appointment of Zeno, noting that the agency will support the company on "all activities in APAC as needed."

"The current focus is on supporting our product launches across India, Southeast Asia and Australia," added Moss.

Motorola's plans are not expected, however, to include a focus on China, where it appointed Weber Shandwick as its PR partner last year. Google's difficulties in China, where many of its services are blocked, mean that Motorola is not expected to launch the Moto G in that country.

Most of Motorola's global PR work is handled by Weber Shandwick. In addition to China, the agency consolidated PR duties across the UK and European markets last year, adding to an existing alignment in North America.