HONG KONG — FleishmanHillard has upped Patrick Yu to GM of its Hong Kong operation.

Yu, who had been the office’s deputy GM, will retain his other role, leading the agency’s financial and professional services sector across the Asia-Pacific region. He replaces Geoff Bilbrough, who has stepped down from the GM job to return home to New Zealand.

A Hong Kong native, Yu has been with FleishmanHillard since 2005. Kitty Lee, most recently a senior VP, has assumed Yu’s former duties as the Hong Kong operation’s new deputy GM. She will retain her other responsibilities leading the firm’s Asia-Pacific consumer practice.

Bilbrough departs FH after five years with the firm in Hong Kong. He succeeded Rachel Catanach as Hong Kong GM in 2017, which makes Yu the office's third leader in less than three years.