^{(Pictured from left to right: Simon Buckby and Craig Wilkie)}

Sandpiper has announced the appointment of Simon Buckby to lead the firm's global policy and government relations division, headquartered in Singapore. As Managing Director, Sandpiper Government & Public Affairs, Simon is joined by Craig Wilkie, who has been appointed as Director, with a focus on strategic content, policy and intelligence.

Simon has more than three decades' experience in strategic communications, government advisory and public affairs, having served in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and the United Kingdom. He has advised multinational corporations and local firms from Hong Kong, and has led teams in Saudi Arabia at the Public Investment Fund, the Future Investment Initiative and the Ministry of Culture over the past four years.

Craig has two decades of experience in communications, strategy and consulting, and has served as a senior speechwriter for several national leaders and consulted on strategic projects for national governments and brands such as Samsung, Heineken, BMW and MINI.

Simon and Craig will support clients with reputation, stakeholder engagement and influence in a complex geopolitical landscape, with a focus on the financial and professional services, healthcare, technology and energy sectors.

Emma Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Sandpiper, said: “We are delighted to welcome Simon and Craig to the team. Their respective experience and deep expertise will be a huge asset to our Government and Public Affairs practice. We pride ourselves on delivering truly actionable insights and that is exactly what our clients can expect from our expanded team.”
 
Simon said: "Sandpiper already has a rapidly growing and award-winning team of consultants, rooted in Asia Pacific and enlarging across the Arabian Gulf and globally. At this time of geopolitical upheaval, and all that means for political and business leaders operating across our region, we aim to expand further the depth and breadth of our Government and Public Affairs work, just when it is needed most.”
 
Craig said: "I’m excited to join the Sandpiper team to further develop the intelligence we provide to help clients achieve their strategic objectives. A key focus will be on creating content that positions organisations as thought leaders within their industries and builds deep credibility in how they communicate.”