Spotlight on... Frankie Ho, Director, Outreach Communications
Interview

Spotlight on... Frankie Ho, Director, Outreach Communications

Welcome to the Telum Spotlight, an ongoing series showcasing people working in the PR and Communications space, freelancers and those launching their own boutique agencies. Today we shine the Spotlight on Frankie Ho, Director at Outreach Communications in Singapore.

By way of Introduction:
Outreach Communications started three years ago. Our clients are publicly listed companies as well as privately held businesses including start-ups. Prior to this, I was the Singapore Country Head at a boutique investor relations consulting firm with offices in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong. I went into this business after nearly 15 years as a financial Journalist - at Mediacorp, Dow Jones Newswires and eventually The Edge Singapore.

Outreach Communications operates a pay-per-use model where our clients are charged only when actual work is carried out. This means companies don't have to incur unnecessary costs associated with being tied to a typical retainer contract, which charges the client a fixed fee every month even when no work is done or the actual work done doesn’t justify the fees charged.

First job: 
A Copywriter at a multimedia production house in Singapore. I joined the company during the Asian financial crisis in 1998, shortly after graduating with a journalism degree from Australia.

One thing you would change about communications industry:
There could perhaps be more collaboration rather than competition. Instead of always fighting each other to land a job, I think there’s scope for agencies to work together to service the same client. For example, if a company requires crisis management, an agency that’s strong in corporate strategy development can work with an agency that’s strong in social media to ensure the key messages to be conveyed reach the right audience at the right time.

Advice to anyone starting out in comms:
Have an open mind and be prepared to wear multiple hats all at once. Read extensively on your clients and the industries they’re in and keep up to date with current affairs and major developments locally and worldwide. Such knowledge will be useful in helping you serve your clients and their stakeholders better.  

Essential daily reading:
Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Business Times and The Straits Times.

Favourite book:
I’m more into news than books.

Favourite film:
Anything with Denzel Washington in it.

Social media app you can’t live without:
None, although WhatsApp comes close.

Your proudest achievement:
I have always been comfortable being an employee and running my own business had never crossed my mind until several years ago. The thinking then was since I had to slog so hard for someone else, why not do it for myself? Venturing out on my own has since paid off well.

Quotable you: 
Go for it.

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